213 The Swing

The Swing TAP213-2

This tapestry was woven
in 1780 by the
manufacturer Beauvais in
France. It is part of the so
called Pastorales designed
by Jean Baptiste Huest.
The last director of the
Beauvais manufactory
was installed in 1780. One
of his first acts was to
commission cartoons for
the series Pastorales with
palm trees from the
painter Jean-Baptiste
Huet. The eight subjects of
this light and entertaining
series, including The May,
The Swing, The bird's-
nester and Cherry-picking,
met with a resounding
success and were woven
a number of times, both
at Beauvais and at
Aubusson. These groups
of damsels and young
men converse within an
Arcadian nature, and each
picture is surrounded by
palm trees decorated and
linked together by
garlands of flowers. The
plain background could be
executed in various
colours, especially blue
and red. The first
purchasers of these light
conversation pieces must
have experienced the
throes of the Revolution a
few years later.

Size

100cm x 70cm

200cm x 135cm