A tapestry "Leve toi et va vers le midi" Wool and silk tapestry with linen backing. Designed as an arrangement of labelled scenes in a landscape to be read from the upper left to the lower right. In the top right we see the angel speaking to Philip: “LEVE TOI ET ...MIDI”. Further to the right, Philip with the angel of the Lord: “APPROCHE ET TADIOINS A CE CHARIOT”. A chariot drawn by three horses driving towards the left with a driver, several assistants and a man pointing towards the sky: “COMMENT LE P...SI AVCVNNE ME LE MONSTRE”. The same chariot depicted slightly larger in the foreground, driving towards the right, with Philip and the Oriental with a book open on his knees pointing towards an inscription which reads: “IL FVT MENE COME LA BREBIS A OCCIS IONA”. The baptism scene on the right edge. With an unusual and detailed grotesque border, the left part of which is a later addition. With repaired insect damage, primarily to the lower section, four banderoles replaced without inscriptions. H 375, W 344 cm. Attributed to Brussels, second half 16th C. In 1552, the printer and publisher Robert Estienne (1499 or 1503 - 1559), born in Paris, published what is thought to be the first Latin-French edition of the New Testament. Several quotations in French from this edition can be found within this tapestry. The quotes are drawn from Acts 8, which describes the Apostle Philip's mission to Samaria. In the King James Version of the Bible, the story reads as follows: “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: And the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: And he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.” The patron of this tapestry requested a conservative subject which, in a subtle manner - namely through the addition of the French inscriptions - was to be placed in a more modern context. The way in which the story is told from left to right with figures shown repeatedly on different planes of a landscape is an old medieval narrative convention. However, this intellectual reinterpretation of the theme is framed by a border based on the newest Italian engravings made by artists from the circle and following of Raphael. The tapestry weavers of Brussels first began using motifs based on designs by Pietro Buonaccorsi (1501 - 1547) in the 1540s at the latest, as evidenced by the series of tapestries with grotesques and ancient gods in the Rijksmuseum. Buonaccorsi was a pupil of Raphael and was thus also involved in the decoration of the Stanze di Raffaello. In 1515, the Brussels manufactory of Pieter van Aelst III (around 1495 - around 1560) began producing tapestries after Raphael's cartoons for the Sixtine Chapel at the request of Pope Leo X. Pieter van Aelst was not the only one to bring grotesque décor to Brussels, where it was often used as a border motif for other depictions. Another possible source was the “Livre de Moresques”, published for the first time in around 1543 by Cornelis Bos (1506/10 - 1555). A second edition was published by Jérôme de Gourmont in Paris in 1546. These volumes feature numerous motifs similar to those used in the borders of this tapestry: Demi-figures entwined by strapwork, mascarons, scrolls, and draperies. The engravings of Hans Vredemann de Vries (1527 - 1604), first disseminated in around 1555, also combined real and imaginary elements in similar symmetrical arrangements. There were numerous sources of inspiration for the design of the narrow border strips, which lent themselves especially to repeating ornament. The Antwerp ceramicists producing majolica at the time also began framing their panels with similar motifs. Thus, the Flemish canon of ornament gradually moved towards the Renaissance, incorporating modern and revolutionary motifs through which patrons and designers could demonstrate their education and cosmopolitan ambitions. Provenance German art market. Austrian private ownership. Literature Cf. a tapestry in the Rijksmuseum attributed to the master with the geometric mark, Brussels, from an extensive series of grotesque tapestries with gods designed to be used in the interior of the palace of Andrea Doria in Genoa (inv. no. BK-1959-83, in: Hartkampt-Jonxis/Smit, European Tapestries in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 2004, no. 22). For more on the grotesques, cf.: Göbel, Wandteppiche, part I, vol. II, Leipzig 1923, illus. 416. For more on contemporary majolica, cf.: Dumortier, Céramique de la Renaissance à Anvers, Brussels 2002, Cat. 14 ff. and Cat. 57 as well as: Lahaussois, Delft - Faience, Paris 200, fig. 6, p. 28. Tapisserie "Leve toi et va vers le midi" Wirkerei aus Wolle und Seide, mit Leinen hinterfangen. Von oben links nach unten rechts zu lesende Anordnung von Szenen mit Spruchbändern in einer Etagenlandschaft mit vielen Details. Rechts oben spricht der Engel des Herrn mit Philippus: "LEVE TOI ET ...MIDI". Weiter rechts Philippus mit dem Engel des Herrn: "APPROCHE ET TADIOINS A CE CHARIOT". Ein nach links fahrender Wagen, gezogen von drei Pferden, mit Lenker und zwei weiteren Assistenzfiguren, darin sitzend ein Mann, den Finger hebend: "COMMENT LE P...SI AVCVNNE ME LE MONSTRE". Derselbe Wagen größer im Vordergrund, jetzt nach rechts gezogen, darin Philippus und der Orientale. Dieser mit einem aufgeschlagenen Buch auf den Knien, auf einen Schriftzug weisend: "IL FVT MENE COME LA BREBIS A OCCIS IONA". Am rechten Rand die Taufszene an einem Fluss. Auffällige, detailreiche Groteskenbordüre. Der linke Bordürenstreifen später angefügt. Reparaturen über Insektenschäden, vor allem im unteren Bereich, vier Spruchbänder vakant ersetzt. H 375, B 344 cm. Brüssel, zugeschrieben, zweite Hälfte 16. Jh. Der in Paris geborene Drucker und Verleger Robert Estienne (1499 oder 1503 - 1559) publizierte 1552 die wohl erste lateinisch-französische Ausgabe des Neuen Testaments. In dieser Ausgabe lassen sich die französischen Zitate der Tapisserie finden, nämlich in der Apostelgeschichte 8, die