''The Death of Polydorus'' is one of a set of seven tapestries showing a scene from the ''

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...

'' by Homer, here the death of Priam's son

Polydorus In Greek mythology, Polydorus (; grc, Πολύδωρος, i.e. "many-gift d) or Polydoros referred to several different people. *Polydorus, son of Phineus and Cleopatra, and brother of Polydector (Polydectus). These two sons by his first wife were ...

in book VI, link 290 and book XXIV, line 49. It was produced between 1623 and 1626 and is now in the

Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon (french: Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon) is a municipal museum of fine arts in the French city of Lyon. Located near the Place des Terreaux, it is housed in a former Benedictine convent which was active during the 1 ...

, as is another piece from the set. They are technically

embroidery Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on c ...

rather than being in a

tapestry Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven by hand on a loom. Tapestry is weft-faced weaving, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike most woven textiles, where both the warp and the weft threads may ...

weave, but the images of the faces and flesh parts of the figures are

appliqué Appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces or patches of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is commonly used as decoration, especially on garments. The technique ...

painted silk

satin A satin weave is a type of fabric weave that produces a characteristically glossy, smooth or lustrous material, typically with a glossy top surface and a dull back. It is one of three fundamental types of textile weaves alongside plain weave ...

pieces, reflecting a Chinese technique often used for Buddhist banners. The painting may have been done by Western artists, possibly in Europe. It measures 3.7 by 4.9 metres. It was commissioned from a Chinese manufacturer, presumably in or near

Macao Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...

, during the last years of the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

by Francisco Mascarenhas, Portuguese governor of the Portuguese enclave of Macao from 1623 to 1626, since the medallions bear a female serpent and there is a lion a shield in each corner, the Mascarenhas family arms. Tapisserie La Vengeance d'Hécube

Tapisserie La mort de Polydoros (cropped)

The unusual style at first glance resembles a European tapestry of the period, and elements of the composition are drawn from European prints. The landscape, water and sky use Chinese motifs and conventions. The piece uses cotton, wool, silk, and

gold thread Goldwork is the art of embroidery using metal threads. It is particularly prized for the way light plays on it. The term "goldwork" is used even when the threads are imitation gold, silver, or copper. The metal wires used to make the threads hav ...

. The other member of the set in Lyon shows ''The Vengeance of

Hecuba Hecuba (; also Hecabe; grc, Ἑκάβη, Hekábē, ) was a queen in Greek mythology, the wife of King Priam of Troy during the Trojan War. Description Hecuba was described by the chronicler Malalas in his account of the ''Chronography'' as "da ...

''.''The Vengeance of Hecuba''
museum page. Chinese motifs are rather less prominent in this interior scene.

Notes

References

*"Lyon"
Museum page
(in French) *Archives du musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, catalogue no 1970/538 {{DEFAULTSORT:Death of Polydorus category:1620s works category:Tapestries category:Collections of the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon Works based on the Iliad Ming dynasty art