The art of making tapestry, for which the Flemings had been cele brated from the 12th century, made considerable progress in Flanders in the 14th century, and attained its highest perfection there in the 15th. Tapestry manufactories were early established at Brussels, Antwerp, Oudenarde, Lisle, Tournay, Bruges, and Valenciennes ; but that of Arms was more celebrated than any other, and its productions were so highly prized, that the name arras became a common expres sion for the finest tapestry generally, whether made in that place or elsewhere. The hangings of Arras, as well as those of other manu factories in France, were for the most part executed in wool. Hemp and cotton were also used in them, but no silk or gold thread. The fabrication of tapestries formed of these substances was carried on chiefly at Florence and at Venice. The recollection of this difference is important in discovering where old tapestries were made. The designs included not only scenes from ancient history, from the fabulous stories of heroes, and from modern historical events; but hunts, fantastical animals, or the occupations peculiar to the different seasons of the year ; while romantic and chivalric poems afforded a rich store of subjects for illustration. The 16th century, which was an age of general improvement in France, gave a new impulse to the production of tapestry. Francis I. founded the manufactures of Fontainebleau, in which threads of gold and silver were skilfully introduced into the work. It was, we are informed, with this new impulse that the practice was commenced of weaving tapestry in a single piece, instead of composing it, as before, of several smaller pieces joined together. This prince brought Primatieeio from Italy, and, among other works of art, commissioned him to make designs for several tapestries, which were woven at Fontainebleau. He also engaged Flemish workmen, whom he supplied with silk, wool, and other materials, and paid liberally for their labour. Henry II. established a manufacture of tapestry on the premises of the Hopital de Is Trinit4, which attained its highest celebrity in the reign of Henry IV., and produced many fine tapestries. Henry IV. re-established, in 1597, the manufacture of tapestry at Paris, where it had been interrupted by the disorders of the preceding reigns. The establishment languished, if it did not become quite extinct, after the death of Henry 1V.; but when the royal palaces, especially the Louvre and the were receiving their rich decorations, in the reign of Louis XIV., his minister Col bert revived it, and from that time the celebrated royal tapestry manufactory of the Gobelins dates its origin.
The production of tapestry at the Gobelins is said to have attained the highest perfection in the time of the minister Colbert and his successor M. de Louvois. Le Brun, when chief director of the esta blishment, made many designs for working after ; and M. de Louvois mused tapestry to be made from some of the finest designs of Raffaelle, Julio Romano, and other Italian painters. The manufacture declined greatly at the Revolution, but was revived under the government of Napoleon, and has ever since been carried on successfully, though not to the same extent as formerly. In England the art was practised from a very early date, the ladies of the Anglo-Saxon period being especially famoua for their needle, and the Saxon chroniclers having frequent references to the rich hangings wrought by them. It was
probably owing to the expense of such hangings, when of large size, and the very long time required for their production, that the less comfortable device of painting the walls of chambers was extensively adopted in the early Norman period.
Chaucer mentions a " tapiser," in company with a " webbe " and a " dyer," among his Canterbury pilgrims; from which circumstance it may be presumed that the business was not a very uncommon one towards the close of the 14th century. In the 15th century the use of tapestry greatly extended iu England ; but then, and for long after, the principal supply appears to have been from the Continent. In the 16th century a kind of hanging was introduced which holds a place intermediate between painted walls and woven or embroidered tapestry. Shakapere alludes to these hangings under the name of "painted cloths." See also the admirable description of the rich tapestry common in the Elizabethan period, by Spenser, in his ' Faiirie Queene,' book hi., canto ix. The introduction of tapestry-weaving into England is usually attributed to a gentleman named Sheldon, late in the reign of Henry VIII., though it was known, if not commonly practised, much earlier. James I. endeavoured to revive the manufacture of tapestry, which had by his time considerably declined, by encouraging and assisting in the formation, about 1619, of an establishment at Mortlake, under the management of Sir Francis Crane. James I. gave 2000/. towards the formation of this establishment, which appears to have been originally supplied with designs from abroad, but subsequently by an artist named Francis Cleyne, or Klein, a native of Rostock, in the duchy of 3lecklenburg, who was engaged for the purpose. This undertaking was a favourite hobby both with James and his successor, who regarded Cleyne so favourably that he bestowed upon him, in /625, an annuity of 100/. (Rymer'e Fcedera,' vol. xviii., p. 112), which lie enjoyed until the civil war. In the same year Charles I. granted 2000/. a year for ten years to Sir Francis Crane, in lieu of an annual payment of 1000/. which he had previously covenanted to pay for that term, as the grant recites, "towards the furtherance, upholding, and maintenance of the worke of tapestries, latelie brought into this our kingdome by the said Sir Francis Crane, and now by him and his work men practised and put in use at Mortlake, in our countie of Surrey ;" and of a further sum of 6000/. due to the establishment for three suits of gold tapestries. (` Feedera,' vol. xviii., p. 60.) After the death of Sir Francis Crane, his brother, Sir Richard, sold the premises to the king, and during the civil war they were seized as royal property. It was for the use of this establishment that Charles I. purchased the famous Cartoons of Raffaelle. [CARTOONS.] After the Restoration, Charles II. endeavoured to revive the manufacture, and employed Verrio to make designs for it, but the attempt was unsuccessful. During its period of prosperity, this manufacture produced superb hangings, after the designs of celebrated painters, with which the palaces of Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Whitehall, St. James's, Nonsuch, Greenwich, &c., and many of the mansions of the nobility, were adorned. An act parliament was passed in 1663 to encourage the linen and tapestry manufactures of England, and to. restrain the great importation of foreign linen and tapestry.