The Chinese Fair - Lot 40

The Chinese Fair H. 2.62 x W. 2.06 m H. 8ft 7 x W. 6ft 9 Different from Thé in size, borderlessness and finesse, it has the charm and originality of the latter. A charm that seduced the great and talented fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973), since several tapestries from La Seconde tenture chinoise adorned her apartment, including the present tapestry. Related tapestries : - Similar but differently sized La Foire tapestries in Bertrand 2013, p. 103, fig. 78 and p. 105, fig. 84 Material and condition: Woven in wool and silk: wool warp (6 to 7 warp threads per cm), wool weft, and silk. Good condition, colors well preserved. Probably originally woven without border to be placed in a paneled frame. Provenance : - Private collection - Christie's Paris sale, January 23, 2014 - Former Elsa Schiaparelli collection Bibliographical references for the two tapestries: - Pascal-François Bertrand, 2013, Aubusson, tapisseries des Lumières, splendeurs de la Manufacture Royale, fournisseur de l'Europe au XVIIIe siècle, book published on the occasion of the Exhibition of the same title held at Aubusson from June 15 to October 31, 2013. - La Tapisserie européenne dans les musées français, du XVIe au XVIIIe siècle, 1999, Exhibition: held in Rio, from June 24 to August 15, 1999. Catalog by N.de Pazzis-Chevalier and other contributors. Le Thé du Musée du Louvre (OAR 19), pp. 64 and 65. - P.F. Bertrand, D. Chevalier, P. Chevalier 1988, Les Tapisseries d'Aubusson et de Felletin, pp. 112 to 118