White muslin on which are worked with white thread, squares of various stitches.  The outline of the squares, the date, 1762, and the letters M,C,O,F,W,M,S,S,M,X,M,A, are worked with pink silk.

Tissage : Audran, Avril 1759-Octobre 1762 (4ème tenture)

In 1716, Tzar Peter the Great founded a tapestry-weaving workshop in his new capital city, Saint Petersburg. Although many of the tapestries made in the workshop took Old Master paintings by the likes of Rembrandt and van Dyck as their models, some were more unusual. Exceptional is this portrait of the scandalous mistress of Tzar Peter III. Only aged twenty-three at the time of weaving, the soft blush of her cheeks, and sumptuous materials of her gown have been admirably captured by the Gobelins-trained weaver.

Four pieces of a metal brocade ribbon, design of rhomboids facing alternately up and down with pale lavender background and floral motives of face; plain silver disgonal bands between rhomboids.

1762, Germany

1762, Germany

Description