The Martyrdom of Santa Barbara - Bruges, 1530-50

The Martyrdom of Santa Barbara
Wool and silk tapestry
Bruges, 1530-50
270 x 198 cm
Expertise by Professor Guy Delmarcel
 
 
This Flemish tapestry is a remarkable example of 16th-century craftsmanship, distinguished by its exceptionally well-preserved color palette.
 
The medaillon-shaped center stands out against a background of dark blue roses and acanthus leaves. It depicts the martyrdom of Saint Barbara, identified by the tower where she was imprisoned. According to legend, her father, Dioscorus, is about to behead her with a scimitar, while an angel descends from the heavens to strike him with lightning.
At the bottom, beneath Saint Barbara, two fantastical creatures. On the left is a griffon depicted with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. On the right is a creature with the body of a leopard, the head of an elephant adorned in a fancy blue cloak. Both animals face each other standing either side of a green hill top in the middle of the tapestry.
The lavish scene of the tapestry is framed by a border which is embellished with foliage, flowers and fantastical elephant heads in blue and white on a red background. The corners and center of the edges display goldsmith-objects. The vibrant brick-red colour and striking bluish-green leaves create a stunning visual impact, showcasing the outstanding state of conservation.
 
Professor Guy Delmarcel connects this tapestry to a series of textiles produced in Bruges after 1530, characterized by their fantastical nature scenes populated with imaginative creatures. Most feature similar roses and acanthus-leaves as well as other vegetation, with wild animals appearing ready to attack. Two almost identical pieces preserved at the Art Institute of Chicago (Bruges, 336 x 599 cm) and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam ("Tournai," 285 x 490 cm) serve as prime examples. The entire surface is filled with greenery, along with birds and fantastic animals.
 
This tapestry exemplifies the rich decorative style of the time, merging naturalistic and poetic elements with exotic animals that spark the imagination.
Other works of this type follow the theme of the "Closed Garden." In the lower register, fantastical creatures occasionally appear, as seen in the exquisite Bruges Tapestry displayed at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, and in the example from the Burrell Collection in Glasgow. The Parisian tapestry from Bruges features a mythical animal in the lower register, dressed in blue fabric, which closely resembles the animal in our tapestry.
If Enghien or other centers produced similar pieces, several elements suggest a stronger connection to Bruges for two formal reasons:
The overall colour-palette of our tapestry fabric characterized by pronounced brick-red colours and bluish-green leaves, aligns more closely with Bruges than with Tournai or Enghien.
 
The intricate border design with the warm brick-red background, adorned with floral motifs, goldsmith-inspired elements such as incense burners and small bells, can be traced back to Bruges around 1530. This style, often associated with heraldic imagery, underscores the tapestry's connection to the city's rich artistic heritage. A comparable example is the tapestry featuring the Arms of Paolo Giovio, now part of the Prince of Liechtenstein's collection in Vaduz. This piece, set against a brick-red background, depicts arms and armors, cornucopias, boys riding grotesque dolphins, as well as various flowers and leaves.
 
All available literature dates this group of tapestries to the second quarter of the sixteenth century. A key formal element further supports this dating: the executioner, depicted preparing to behead Barbara, wields a Turkish scimitar, a reference to the frequent Ottoman incursions into Central Europe beginning with the 1529 siege of Vienna. The historical significance of our work is further enhanced by the absence of the town mark on our tapestry. This indicates that it was woven before May 2, 1547, when the guild mandated its use.
 
Bruges was a preeminent weaving center during this period, with numerous tapestries documented in contemporary inventories. Unfortunately, very few have survived, which makes this work particularly rare and valuable. The exquisite craftsmanship of Bruges tapestries, witnessed in ours, has left a lasting impact on textile production throughout Europe, establishing high standards of artistic innovation.