EXQUISITE LACE REFECTORY TABLE RUNNER W/"PAOLO VERONESE" DESIGN,"L'INDUSTRIE". Circa 19thC. this is a stunning long refectory table runner with the most rare and wonderful wonderful design. The famous 16THC. painter Paolo Veronese was a Renaissance painter who created elaborate art and was one of the most famous Venetian painters, he was a prolific painter of ceiling creations and altar pieces throughout Venice. The painting is in the Doge's Palace in Venice and depicts the allegory of Arachne.The workmanship is of course superb and the design of this piece is so rare that it is a wonderful piece for the serious collector or for a museum.. There is Arachne or in the end Athena spinning a web, ornate plinths with various assorted tiny designed fillings, and statues of Gods and Goddesses, gargoyles, cherubs and mermaids or mythological figures, flowers, fruit and scrollwork throughout the lace.Measuring approx. 104" by 11 1/2", 264cm by 29cm. The image where Arachne is measures approx. 12 1/2" by 8" for the large oval vignettes with the oval vignette containing the cherubs measuring approx. 12 1/2" by 10" across. There are wonderful large urns and ornate scrollwork throughout the lace. The design and workmanship are marvelous.In good unused condition, the lace has it's original patina and was never used.
In Book Six of his epic poem Metamorphoses, Ovid recounts how the talented mortal Arachne, daughter of Idmon, challenged Athena, goddess of wisdom and crafts, to a weaving contest. When Athena could find no flaws in the tapestry Arachne had woven for the contest, the goddess became enraged and beat the girl with her shuttle. After Arachne hanged herself out of shame, she was transformed into a spider. The myth both provides an aetiology of spiders' web-spinning abilities and is a cautionary tale warning mortals not to place themselves on an equal level with the gods.
Item #AL1024
SOLD
