[Sidenote:
_Wool._
H. 10 _ft._ 9 _in._
W. 17 _ft._ 5½ _in._
]
THE VINTAGE: _This piece was probably originally one of a series of the
Months, representing September. Groups of lords and ladies have strolled
down from the castle in the background to watch the peasants gathering and
pressing the grapes._
[Sidenote: Formerly in the Collection of Edouard Aynard, Paris.]
[Sidenote: Exhibited:
_Exhibition of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Old Palace of Sagan,
Paris_, 1913.]
The costumes and the drawing indicate that the piece was made in Burgundy
at the time of Philip the Good. In fact, it is so close to the work of
one of the most prolific of the illustrators who worked for Philip the
Good that it is safe to assume that the original drawing for the cartoons
was his work. In the pungency of the illustration and the vivacity
of the episodes as well as in numerous details it follows closely the
characteristics of Loysot Lyedet. Here are the same strong-featured
faces with large prominent square mouths, the same exaggeratedly long
and thin legs with suddenly bulging calves on the men, the same rapidly
sketched flat hands, and the same attitudes. The very exact drawing of
the bunches of grapes parallels the exactness with which he renders the
household utensils in his indoor scenes, and the dogs, while they are of
types familiar in all the illustrations of the time, have the decided
personalities and alert manner that he seemed to take particular pleasure
in giving them.
[Sidenote: Reproduced:
_Les Arts_, Sept., 1913; _Gazette des Beaux Arts_, 1913.]
Another tapestry that seems to be from the same hand is _Le Bal de
Sauvages_ in l'Eglise de Nantilly de Saumur.
The piece is one of the most vivid and convincing illustrations of
the life of the time that has come down to us in tapestry form. The
silhouetting of the figures against contrasting colors and the structural
emphasis of the vertical lines give the design great clarity and strength.
[Sidenote: Lent by _Jacques Seligmann & Company_.]
Loysot Lyedet was working for the Dukes of Burgundy in 1461. He died
about 1468. Among the most famous of his illustrations are those
of the _History of Charles Martel_ (Bibliothèque Royale, Brussels)
_History of Alexander_ (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris) and the
_Roman History_ (Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, Paris.)
[Sidenote: 6]