Abraham Receives Rebecca
tapestry weaverAttributed to
Jan van Tiegen
(active about 1550)
Date1550-1600
Place MadeBrussels, Brabant, Belgium, Europe
MediumWool warp (6 yarns per cm); wool and silk wefts
Dimensions345.4 x 541 cm (136 x 213 in.)
ClassificationsFurnishings
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberT19n21
eMuseum ID729689
EmbARK ObjectID12926
Alt. No. 1 (Siple)047
Original NumberT19n21-s
TMS Source ID1969
Last Updated8/9/24
Status
Not on viewWeb Commentary
Based on the story of Abraham as told in the Book of Genesis, this tapestry shows Abraham (at right) extending his hand to welcome Rebecca, the young woman chosen to be his son Isaac’s wife. Isaac, wearing armor, stands behind his father. Look for the next part of this story behind Isaac, where the couple’s wedding feast is taking place in a grand palace. The figures are set in a verdant landscape surrounded by a border of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. An avid gardener herself, Isabella Gardner may have enjoyed the connections between these woven landscapes, the plants in the museum’s courtyard, and the parkland of the Emerald Necklace just outside. In her typical eclectic fashion, Gardner intermingled the two tapestry cycles and hung them in seemingly random order. You can tell the two cycles apart by looking at the top of each scene: the Abraham tapestries have a Latin inscription, while the Cyrus tapestries do not.
BibliographyNotesMorris Carter. Isabella Stewart Gardner and Fenway Court (Boston, 1925; Reprint, Boston, 1972), pp. 215, 230, 241.
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), pp. 157-58, 160, no. V. (as by Johann van Tiegen, Brussels, about the middle of the 16th century)
Betty Chamberlain. “Tapestry Room” in Alfred M. Frankfurter (ed). The Gardner Collection (New York, 1946), p. 35.
Corinna Lindon Smith. Interesting People (Norman, Oklahoma, 1962), pp. 164, 167.
George L. Stout. Treasures from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1969), pp. 140, 142-43. (as Brussels, 16th century; discusses the Emily Chadbourne affair and difficulties during export)
Gail Black. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 13 (25 Nov. 1962), p. 2. (as woven in Brabant, second half of the 16th century)
William N. Mason. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 37 (12 May 1963), p. 2. (discusses a tapestry in this set, museum no. T19w48-s)
Jean-Paul Asselberghs. Les tapisseries flamandes aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique (Brussels, 1974), p. 13. (as Brussels, third quarter of the 16th century; mark attributed to Jean van Tieghem)
Adolph S. Cavollo. "An Introduction to the Textile Collection at Fenway Court." Fenway Court (1981), pp. 8-9. (as Flemish, Brussels, 1550-1600)
Adolph S. Cavallo. Textiles: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1986), pp. 58-65, no. 11e. (as Flemish, Brussels, 1550-1600; Jan van Tieghem as "the putative weaver" of the series)
Alan Chong et al. (eds.) Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 2003), p. 113.
Pascal-François Bertrand. Les tapisseries des Barberini et la décoration d'intérieur dans la Rome baroque (Turnhout, Belgium 2005), pp. 72, 90, 93-94, 102, 135, figs. 131-32, app. A.10.644, 655, A.12.741. (as workshop of Jean van Tieghem?, second half of the 16th century; alternatively as, school of Bernard van Orley)
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), pp. 157-58, 160, no. V. (as by Johann van Tiegen, Brussels, about the middle of the 16th century)
Betty Chamberlain. “Tapestry Room” in Alfred M. Frankfurter (ed). The Gardner Collection (New York, 1946), p. 35.
Corinna Lindon Smith. Interesting People (Norman, Oklahoma, 1962), pp. 164, 167.
George L. Stout. Treasures from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1969), pp. 140, 142-43. (as Brussels, 16th century; discusses the Emily Chadbourne affair and difficulties during export)
Gail Black. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 13 (25 Nov. 1962), p. 2. (as woven in Brabant, second half of the 16th century)
William N. Mason. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 37 (12 May 1963), p. 2. (discusses a tapestry in this set, museum no. T19w48-s)
Jean-Paul Asselberghs. Les tapisseries flamandes aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique (Brussels, 1974), p. 13. (as Brussels, third quarter of the 16th century; mark attributed to Jean van Tieghem)
Adolph S. Cavollo. "An Introduction to the Textile Collection at Fenway Court." Fenway Court (1981), pp. 8-9. (as Flemish, Brussels, 1550-1600)
Adolph S. Cavallo. Textiles: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1986), pp. 58-65, no. 11e. (as Flemish, Brussels, 1550-1600; Jan van Tieghem as "the putative weaver" of the series)
Alan Chong et al. (eds.) Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 2003), p. 113.
Pascal-François Bertrand. Les tapisseries des Barberini et la décoration d'intérieur dans la Rome baroque (Turnhout, Belgium 2005), pp. 72, 90, 93-94, 102, 135, figs. 131-32, app. A.10.644, 655, A.12.741. (as workshop of Jean van Tieghem?, second half of the 16th century; alternatively as, school of Bernard van Orley)
MarksNotesInscribed (tablet, upper center): DVCITVR HIC REBECCA DOMV COMITATE MINISTRO / IN DOMINI THALAMOS EXCIPIENDA SVI. GENESIS 24 (Here Rebecca is led courteously homeward by the servant to be received into her master's chamber," a summary of Genesis: 24:61-67)
Inscribed (left end, bottom outer guard): Brussels mark
Inscribed (lower right, outer guard): Jan van Tieghem's (?) mark
Inscribed (left end, bottom outer guard): Brussels mark
Inscribed (lower right, outer guard): Jan van Tieghem's (?) mark
ProvenanceNotesTraditionally, said to have been commissioned by Pope Urban VIII Barberini (1623-1644).
Aquired by the Barberini family probably after 1644 as a set of eight History of Abraham tapestries.
Included in the inventory of Palazzo Barberini ai Giubbonari, Rome, 9 August 1671 (see Bertrand, Appendex A.10.644, 655). Three tapestries were installed in the Vicolo dei Balestrari and five in an antechamber probably used as a reception hall.
Included in the inventory of Palazzo Barberini alla Quattro Fontane, Rome, 1686. (see Bertrand, Appendex A.12.741.
Five of the Abraham tapestries remained with the Barberini family until the late nineteenth century.
These five tapestries were purchased by Mrs. Charles Mather Ffoulke (Sarah Adeline Cushing, 1852-1926), Washington, DC from the Principessa Barberini, Rome in 1889, through her husband the tapestry collector and scholar Charles Mather Foulke (1841-1909).
Isabella Stewart Gardner agreed to purchase the five Abraham tapestries, as well as the Life of Cyrus series (museum nos. T19w2-s, T19e4-s, T19w18-s, T19e57-s, T19e36-s), the Chateau and Gardens series (museum nos. T18s5-s, T18w1-s, T18e5-s, T18e35-s) and one additional tapestry (museum no. T22s3) from Sarah Adeline Cushing on 24 December 1903.
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from Sarah Adeline Cushing, Washington, DC for $33,750 (for the set of five tapestries) over a series of payments made from 1905 to 1906, through Charles Mather Ffoulke.
Due to the high cost of import duties, two of the Abraham tapestries remained in Europe until 1908 in the care of Mrs. Thomas Lincoln Chadbourne (Emily R. Crane, 1871-1964). Their arrival to Boston was delayed further by a customs dispute (for more information, see Carter, pp. 231-32).
Aquired by the Barberini family probably after 1644 as a set of eight History of Abraham tapestries.
Included in the inventory of Palazzo Barberini ai Giubbonari, Rome, 9 August 1671 (see Bertrand, Appendex A.10.644, 655). Three tapestries were installed in the Vicolo dei Balestrari and five in an antechamber probably used as a reception hall.
Included in the inventory of Palazzo Barberini alla Quattro Fontane, Rome, 1686. (see Bertrand, Appendex A.12.741.
Five of the Abraham tapestries remained with the Barberini family until the late nineteenth century.
These five tapestries were purchased by Mrs. Charles Mather Ffoulke (Sarah Adeline Cushing, 1852-1926), Washington, DC from the Principessa Barberini, Rome in 1889, through her husband the tapestry collector and scholar Charles Mather Foulke (1841-1909).
Isabella Stewart Gardner agreed to purchase the five Abraham tapestries, as well as the Life of Cyrus series (museum nos. T19w2-s, T19e4-s, T19w18-s, T19e57-s, T19e36-s), the Chateau and Gardens series (museum nos. T18s5-s, T18w1-s, T18e5-s, T18e35-s) and one additional tapestry (museum no. T22s3) from Sarah Adeline Cushing on 24 December 1903.
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from Sarah Adeline Cushing, Washington, DC for $33,750 (for the set of five tapestries) over a series of payments made from 1905 to 1906, through Charles Mather Ffoulke.
Due to the high cost of import duties, two of the Abraham tapestries remained in Europe until 1908 in the care of Mrs. Thomas Lincoln Chadbourne (Emily R. Crane, 1871-1964). Their arrival to Boston was delayed further by a customs dispute (for more information, see Carter, pp. 231-32).
Jan Moy
about 1535-1550
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