Object Description
The tapestry depicts Apollo at Vulcan’s forge, the moment when the god Apollo visits Vulcan and tells him that his wife Venus is having an affair with Mars the god of war. Apollo is shown wearing a red toga turning towards Vulcan who is not seen but his anvil and tools are depicted to the bottom right hand side of the tapestry. Venus and Mars are seen to the left in an embrace. Apollo’s chariot is shown in the clouds above his head.
Surrounded by a very distinctive architecturally composed border with side caryatid figures with the male satyr head and torso to the left and the female on the right. both supported upon exaggerated corbels with enveloping acanthus leaf, with pendant ribbon held fruit swags and architectural plinth base hoof feet, woven with a blue ground. The top and bottom horizontal borders having a cornice and architrave on a blue ground.
Woven in wools and silks from the series Venus and Vulcan, reduced in size. The tapestry has been cleaned and had minimal conservation it has been fully backed with linen.