The Washington herald., 1922-03-26


There were l3s pieces. among the
most notable in the world. the sub
jects being especially Scenes in the
life OF CSrist," the Judith apd Holo-
fernes" series, the "MoAs and
Aaron" series, and many others. The
purchase was concluded in 1889
though the Italian newspapers pro-
tested loudly over the treasures leav-
ing Italy, and besought the govern
ment to restrsIh the sale or impose
a heavy penalty.
GebeIin First> Meets Eye.
Entering the Ffoulke ballroom, one
sees first the gorgeous design. orilllant
in red. epresenting THE Triumphal
March Of Charles the Great" Gooe-
lin woven in the first quarter OF the
eighteenth century, which adorns one
end Of the room. The other sides
are hung with the beautiful Moses
and Aaron series, six Flemish tapes
tries woven in Flanders during the
first half Of the sixteenth century.
The beauty and charm of these Blbli-
cal subjects seem TO diffuse an at
mosphere OF warmth and hospitality.
II
walls with rare tapestries gives
medieval and artistic quality rare in
American residences.
The subjects Of the Moses and
Aaron" tapestries. with their magnif-
icent and original borders. measur-
ing some Of them twenty feet in
width. and thirteen or fourteen feet
| in height. are Moses and Zipporah
tending the lambs OF Jethro's Flock"
God delivering Moses the tablets OF
stone on Mount Sinai" Moses in
/ forming Aaron OF Gods Message TO
| Pharoah." Moses and Aaron insti
| tuting the Feast of the Passover"
Gathering Mama: Moses directing
Aaron to keep an omer Of IL" and
| final and most important, Battle In
| Rephidim. Joshua defeating Amalsk.
! Aaron ami Hur holding up the hands
of Moses" To be appreciated. these
subjects must be seen and studied
in their beauty OF composition, color
| ing. blue. green, and red in softened
hues, and textures Of hand weaving,
So medieval in character, yet so
/ appropriate for a Washington ball
I room.
The Flemish weavers excelled all
/ In the magnihcence OF their textile
| productions. The monogram Of the
master-weaver, Peter Van Aelst, un-
der whom this series was fabricated.
/ appears in the right-hsnd upright
| gallon OF some as does the Flemish
mark of Brussels in Brahant in the
| left-hand bottom gallon. This mark
consists of two BIS with a shield be-
| tween them. These marks were
guaranteed by the edict OF Charles
V who commanded that any weaver
who used this mark improperly
should lose his right hand.
Much Praised ny Critics.
THE nobility and dignity OF the
principal figures in these tapes
tries" writes a critic. "and sobriety
and majesty OF their attitudes and
gestures, and the expressiveness of
| their features practically prove
that the author OF the cartoons was
one of Italy's greatest masters"
Everything must have its piece
de resistance" explains Mrs.
| Ffoulke. land In this series the
last, representing the success Of
Joshua in the Battle OF Rephidim,'
is the piece de resistance"
This splendid subject is a battle
scene, which fittingly completes the
story of Moses with the triumph
| of Joshua. No conflict OF Arthur
ian knights could show more spirit
in the fighting than do these arm
ored heroes of Old Testament story,
story.
| In the tapestry OF the end wall.
The Triumphal March of Charles
| the Great" Charles V Is naturally
the dominant figure in the process
sion. He sits enthroned upon a dSis
which rests upon gildcd car
drawn by four horses harnessed
abreast and led by two servitors.
Four female figures representing
the four quarters of the globe are
seated upon the lower step Of the
dais: and the Goddess Fame with
extended wings rides the clouds be-
hind him and holds wreath Of
laurel above his head. in the al
! legoriCal group, Europe holds a
crown in her hand. and a miniature
chapel upon her knee. Asia has a
basket Of flowers in her lap and
swings an incense burner. symbol
| iZing the devotional characteristics
| of the two hemispheres. America.
holding a bow uplifted. is repre-
sented as an Indian squaw with a
head-dress of red feathers. while
| Africa in the background is repre-
sented as a negress with her head
| decorated with the trunk and tusks
| of an elephant. The superb horses
are full of life, movement and en-
! ergy. and are even hecked with
! foam. so complete is every detail.
shows Highest Talent.
The dyeinE of the woods and silks
with which this tapestry is woveI
| is the work OF Van der kerchove
the celebrated chief of the dyeinR
department of the Gobelins. Every