The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy

Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon French
 Probably commissioned by Francisco Mascarenhas Governor of Macau, 1623–26 Portuguese

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 550

From 1557, the Portuguese contracted with the Ming rulers of China to buy control of Macau, a coastal peninsula near Hong Kong. Sailing between Asia and Iberia, trade enabled an abundance of spices, but also of textiles, to enter Europe. This heady moment of mutual discovery provides the context for Francisco Mascarenhas, governor of Macau, to commission this unusual hanging. The scale and conventions of Flemish tapestry are translated into Chinese embroidery. Familiar European subject matter, loosely based on Homer’s Iliad and informed by printed sources, is marvelously charged with Asian decorative details– such as the shields hanging from the Trojan galley– and a Portuguese border articulated by snake-battling sirens and (slightly erroneous) renditions of the Mascarenhas family arms. At some point in the hanging's history, the embroidered silk in all the flesh areas was cut away and replaced with paint for reasons that remain unclear.

The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao

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The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao
The Abduction of Helen from a set of The Story of Troy, Based on a woodcut by Bernard Salomon (French, ca. 1508–ca. 1561), Cotton, embroidered with silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, pigment, Chinese, Macao

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