Nagel Auctions, Stuttgart to sell tapestries from the Imperial House of Habsburg

September 30, 2013

Nagel Auctions, Stuttgart will present a series of five tapestries from the Imperial House of Habsburg, in the Fine Arts and Antiques auction, taking place 9-10 October 2013. The sale will also include an Aubusson carpet and a marriage table cloth.

From the Imperial House of Habsburg an important series of five tapestries illustrating the life of Achilles with the coat of arms of the Austrian Netherlands. Manufactory Pieter II. and Jan-Frans van der Borcht, Brussels, second quarter of the 18th century. Four tapestries with the manufactory mark of either Pieter II (Brussels , active 1726-1763 ) or Jan-Frans (Brussels , active before 1726 to 1774 ) van der Borcht, townmark BB for Brussels. Made after the cartoon models of the life of Achilles (designed in the years 1726 to 1730 for the van den Borcht manufactory) supplied by the history painter Jean van Orley (Brussels, 1665-1735 ) and the landscape painter Aurèle Augustin Coppens (Brussels, 1668-1740).

1) An important series of five tapestries

Lot 393: Five tapestries illustrating the life of Achilles with the coat of arms of the Austrian Netherlands, Brussels, second quarter of the 18th century. Finely woven in wool and silk. H. 346/362 cm, Estimate €120,000

1c) The young Achilles in women's clothing

The young Achilles in women’s clothing in the middle of the daughters of Lycomedes reveals himself as he directs his attention to the weapons and not to the jewellery presented. Townmark BB for Brussels , manufactory mark FVDB of Jan-Frans van der Borcht. Crowned with the coat of arms of the Austrian Netherlands. Dimensions 346 x 320 cm

1d) The angry Achilles disputing with King Agamemnon about the Virgin Briseis

The angry Achilles disputing with King Agamemnon about the Virgin Briseis. Townmark BB for Brussels, manufactory mark PVDBORCHT of Pieter II. van der Borcht. Crowned with the coat of arms of the Austrian Netherlands. Dimensions: 362 x 356 cm

1e) Thetis giving her son Achilles new armor and weapons from the forge of Hephaestus

Thetis giving her son Achilles new armor and weapons from the forge of Hephaestus. Crowned with the coat of arms of the Austrian Netherlands. Dimensions: 346 x 217 cm

1f) The cornuted King Menelaus chasing Prince Paris in the battle for Troy

Menelaus chasing Prince Paris in the battle for Troy. Townmark BB for Brussels, manufactory mark PVDBORCHT of Pieter II. van der Borcht. Crowned with the coat of arms of the Austrian Netherlands. Dimensions: 350 x 216 cm

1g) Achilles dying in front of the temple of Diana by the arrow of Prince Paris

Achilles dying in front of the temple of Diana by the arrow of Prince Paris. Townmark BB for Brussels, manufactory mark PVDBORCHT of Pieter II. van der Borcht. Crowned with the coat of arms of the Austrian Netherlands. Dimensions: 351 x 210 cm