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The Falcon Hunt

ca. 1500–1530
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 959
Tapestries with lush floral backgrounds -- known as millefleurs (from the French, meaning "a thousand flowers") -- were popular from about 1400 to 1550 and were produced throughout the Southern Netherlands. Typical of such works, The Falcon Hunt depicts a scene of courtly life—a young nobleman leading a lady and attendant on a hunt. The three figures seem to "float" in space, as the artist paid little attention to creating an illusion of depth. The tapestry has been trimmed on all four sides, and the tops of the rose bushes on the lower left edge indicate that it must have been a great deal larger than it is today. A strip of fabric from a contemporary tapestry was added along the top at some point in the object’s history.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Falcon Hunt
  • Date: ca. 1500–1530
  • Culture: Southern Netherlands
  • Medium: Wool, and silk in slit tapestry weave with some non-horizontal or eccentric wefts.
  • Dimensions: 108 7/16 x 98 1/16 in. (275.5 x 249.1 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles-Tapestries
  • Credit Line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
  • Object Number: 1975.1.1912
  • Curatorial Department: The Robert Lehman Collection

More Artwork

More Artwork
Mary Magdalene at the Foot of the Cross, Master of Rimini, Alabaster, South Netherlandish
Mary Magdalene at the Foot of the Cross
Follower of the Master of Rimini
ca. 1420–30
The Unicorn Rests in a Garden (from the Unicorn Tapestries), Wool warp with wool, silk, silver, and gilt wefts, French (cartoon)/South Netherlandish (woven)
The Unicorn Rests in a Garden (from the Unicorn Tapestries)
French (cartoon)/South Netherlandish (woven)
1495–1505
Emperor Vespasian Cured by Veronica's Veil, Wool, silk, and gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk in slit, dovetailed, and double interlocking tapestry weave., Flemish, Brussels
Emperor Vespasian Cured by Veronica's Veil
Flemish, Brussels
ca. 1510
Shaffron (Horse's Head Defense), Steel, gold, leather, Dutch
Shaffron (Horse's Head Defense)
Dutch
ca. 1620
The Last Supper, Bernard van Orley Netherlandish, Wool, silk, silver-gilt thread.
The Last Supper
Designed by Bernard van Orley
Probably woven by Pieter de Pannemaker
ca. 1525–28

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