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Lot Essay
ANDREA DORIA
The coat-of-arms in the corners of this tapestry are almost certainly those of Andrea Doria or his nephew Giorgio Andrea. They are re-woven and it is thus not certain if they follow the original image. However, there are other panels from this series with nearly identical borders that also include the identical eagles that have been identified as having been woven for the Doria family.
The Doria family, an old feudal dynasty, was established in Genoa as early as the 13th century and owned numerous houses in the surrounding areas. Andrea Doria (1466-1560) was orphaned at an early age and became a soldier of fortune. He first served Pope Innocent VIII, then Kings Ferdinand I and his son Alfonso II of Naples. He outfitted eight galleys and patrolled the Mediterranean against the Ottoman Turks and the Barbary pirates, increasing his fortune and fame. Doria bought houses and land in Fassolo (now part of Genoa) starting in 1521. Not even a year later Doria had to flee into exile when the Spanish under Charles V sacked the city. In 1525 he was entrusted with the command of the Papal fleet under Clement VII and the following year with that of the French fleet under François I. When the French re-conquered Genoa from the Spanish in August 1527 Doria returned, now married to Peretta Usodimare Cibo, niece of Pope Innocent VIII. He commenced the renovations at his palace immediately with Perin del Vaga hired as 'direttore artistico'. When his pact with the French King expired in September 1528 and François I did not fulfill his promises to Doria nor to Genoa, Doria switched allegiance to the Spanish and occupied the city for them. Charles V bestowed riches and honors upon him, naming him grand admiral of the Imperial fleet and Prince of Melfi. Genoa was granted status as an independent Republic and was repeatedly visited by Charles V and later his son Philip II who stayed at Doria's palace.
His nephew Giorgio Andrea Doria (d. 1606) inherited the title and the family fortune upon his death. He retained close ties to the Spanish Royal family.
HISTORY OF THE SERIES
This tapestry forms part of a series depicting 'The Story of Cyrus the Great'. Two closely related sets are in the Spanish Royal collection in the Palacio de Aranjuez (P. Junquera de Vega and C. Herrero Carretero, Catalogo de Tapices del Patrimonio Nacional, Madrid, 1986, vol. I, cats. 39 and 40, pp. 279 - 296). The first set, and probably the editio princeps woven before 1560, bears the weaver's signatures of Jan van Tieghem and Nicolas Leyniers. The cartoons for the series had previously been attributed to Giovanni Stradano (d. 1605) and Michiel Coxcie (d. 1592), but in the catalogue of the Spanish Royal collection the series is convincingly attributed to Maerten van Heemskerck (d. 1574), a Flemish painter in the Roman school.
SUBJECT
Cyrus (circa 585-circa 529 B.C.), regarded father of the ancient Persians, was the grandson of Astyages, King of Medes. Astyages dreamt that the baby would overthrow him, so ordered him slain, but he was rescued by shepherds. Astyages found the boy at age 10 but allowed him to live because of his outstanding qualities. Cyrus, when older, revolted against his grandfather, who marched against the rebel. Astyages' army, however, deserted him and surrendered to Cyrus in 550 B.C. Now, as a leader, he conquered wide lands including Babylonia, which brought Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine under one rule.
COMPARABLE TAPESTRIES
A tapestry of the same set with identical eagles to the corners and depicting 'Cyrus dispatching the Israelites' was sold Christie's, New York, 5 February 2003, lot 438, while another panel from the same set and depicting 'Cyrus saving Croesus from the pyre' was with French and Company.
The only other weaving of this subject by Tieghem recorded in the 16th century besides the Spanish set was for the Earl of Hessen-Kassel in 1570-73 (now lost). However, borders of nearly identical design can be found on a set illustrating The Story of Jacob that is signed by Tieghem (L. von Wilckens, Drei unbekannte Jakobsteppiche aus der Manufaktur des Jan van Tiegen, Miscellanea Jozef Duverger, Gent, 1968, vol. II, pp. 779 - 786).
A set of four tapestries of this design by Jan van Tieghem from the property of Lord Wantage, Lockinge House, and by descent to the Countess of Clanwilliam, was sold Christie's, London, 8 November 1979, lot 150. Another set of four is in the collection of the Marquess of Bath at Longleat House, Warminster.
The coat-of-arms in the corners of this tapestry are almost certainly those of Andrea Doria or his nephew Giorgio Andrea. They are re-woven and it is thus not certain if they follow the original image. However, there are other panels from this series with nearly identical borders that also include the identical eagles that have been identified as having been woven for the Doria family.
The Doria family, an old feudal dynasty, was established in Genoa as early as the 13th century and owned numerous houses in the surrounding areas. Andrea Doria (1466-1560) was orphaned at an early age and became a soldier of fortune. He first served Pope Innocent VIII, then Kings Ferdinand I and his son Alfonso II of Naples. He outfitted eight galleys and patrolled the Mediterranean against the Ottoman Turks and the Barbary pirates, increasing his fortune and fame. Doria bought houses and land in Fassolo (now part of Genoa) starting in 1521. Not even a year later Doria had to flee into exile when the Spanish under Charles V sacked the city. In 1525 he was entrusted with the command of the Papal fleet under Clement VII and the following year with that of the French fleet under François I. When the French re-conquered Genoa from the Spanish in August 1527 Doria returned, now married to Peretta Usodimare Cibo, niece of Pope Innocent VIII. He commenced the renovations at his palace immediately with Perin del Vaga hired as 'direttore artistico'. When his pact with the French King expired in September 1528 and François I did not fulfill his promises to Doria nor to Genoa, Doria switched allegiance to the Spanish and occupied the city for them. Charles V bestowed riches and honors upon him, naming him grand admiral of the Imperial fleet and Prince of Melfi. Genoa was granted status as an independent Republic and was repeatedly visited by Charles V and later his son Philip II who stayed at Doria's palace.
His nephew Giorgio Andrea Doria (d. 1606) inherited the title and the family fortune upon his death. He retained close ties to the Spanish Royal family.
HISTORY OF THE SERIES
This tapestry forms part of a series depicting 'The Story of Cyrus the Great'. Two closely related sets are in the Spanish Royal collection in the Palacio de Aranjuez (P. Junquera de Vega and C. Herrero Carretero, Catalogo de Tapices del Patrimonio Nacional, Madrid, 1986, vol. I, cats. 39 and 40, pp. 279 - 296). The first set, and probably the editio princeps woven before 1560, bears the weaver's signatures of Jan van Tieghem and Nicolas Leyniers. The cartoons for the series had previously been attributed to Giovanni Stradano (d. 1605) and Michiel Coxcie (d. 1592), but in the catalogue of the Spanish Royal collection the series is convincingly attributed to Maerten van Heemskerck (d. 1574), a Flemish painter in the Roman school.
SUBJECT
Cyrus (circa 585-circa 529 B.C.), regarded father of the ancient Persians, was the grandson of Astyages, King of Medes. Astyages dreamt that the baby would overthrow him, so ordered him slain, but he was rescued by shepherds. Astyages found the boy at age 10 but allowed him to live because of his outstanding qualities. Cyrus, when older, revolted against his grandfather, who marched against the rebel. Astyages' army, however, deserted him and surrendered to Cyrus in 550 B.C. Now, as a leader, he conquered wide lands including Babylonia, which brought Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine under one rule.
COMPARABLE TAPESTRIES
A tapestry of the same set with identical eagles to the corners and depicting 'Cyrus dispatching the Israelites' was sold Christie's, New York, 5 February 2003, lot 438, while another panel from the same set and depicting 'Cyrus saving Croesus from the pyre' was with French and Company.
The only other weaving of this subject by Tieghem recorded in the 16th century besides the Spanish set was for the Earl of Hessen-Kassel in 1570-73 (now lost). However, borders of nearly identical design can be found on a set illustrating The Story of Jacob that is signed by Tieghem (L. von Wilckens, Drei unbekannte Jakobsteppiche aus der Manufaktur des Jan van Tiegen, Miscellanea Jozef Duverger, Gent, 1968, vol. II, pp. 779 - 786).
A set of four tapestries of this design by Jan van Tieghem from the property of Lord Wantage, Lockinge House, and by descent to the Countess of Clanwilliam, was sold Christie's, London, 8 November 1979, lot 150. Another set of four is in the collection of the Marquess of Bath at Longleat House, Warminster.