"The Audience of the Emperor," or "The Chinese Prince's Audience," from "The Story of the Emperor of China" series

1722-1723

Not on view

From the Exotic to the Mystical: May 4, 2013 - August 4, 2013:This work belongs to a series of ten French Chinoiserie tapestries depicting a Chinese monarch (probably K'angxi [r. 1654-1722]) engaged in peaceful, scholarly pursuits. Instead of traveling to the East, the artists relied on Jesuit missionary and traveler accounts such as Johan Nieuhof's 1665 illustrated treaty. True reverence is shown for the emperor, who sits like an idol surrounded by guards, European courtiers, and exotic animals such as the elephant, griffon, sphinx, and peacock. So popular was this series that the design template, or cartoon, was worn out by 1732.

Designers: Jean-Baptiste Belin de Fontenay, Guy-Louis de Vernansal I, Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer
Workshop of: Noël-Antoine de Mérou
Title: "The Audience of the Emperor," or "The Chinese Prince's Audience," from "The Story of the Emperor of China" series
Date: 1722-1723
Object Type: Fiber art
Medium: Wool and silk; slit- and interlocked-tapestry weave
Dimensions: 125 x 198 in., (317.5 x 502.9 cm,)
Credit Line: Roscoe and Margaret Oakes Collection
Accession Number: 59.49.1

Cathay Invoked - Chinoiserie: A Celestial Empire in the West, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Legion of Honor, 1966Five Centuries of Tapestry, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Legion of Honor, 1976National Tour: Five Centuries of Tapestry, Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, New York, 12/3/77- 1/29/78; Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego, 5/13/78 - 7/2/78; Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas, 9/13/78 - 10/29/78Gallery Rotation, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Legion of Honor, 1995 - 1997From the Exotic to the Mystical: Textile Treasures from the Permanent Collection, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, de Young Museum, 5/4/13 - 8/4/13

Currently on view