The Elephant, a French impressionist jacquard woven tapestry wall hanging shows an exotic Asian elephant covered with rich carpets and ornaments. This panel is inspired from a famous 19th century tapestry on display in the Louvre Museum in Paris. It was woven at a carpet factory in Aubusson established by Alexis Sallandrouze, 1808-67. The design, attributed to Jean-Baptiste-Amedee Couder, 1797-1864, draws on a number of different sources. By introducing these exotic influences, the tapestry contributed to a revival of the decorative arts in France in the 1840's. The luxuriant landscape is framed by pairs of twisted columns. The ornamental border is very rich, composed of a dense complex tracery recalling the decorative vocabulary of Islamic architecture. Beyond this architectural frame lies a luminous landscape in which an Asian elephant decorated with carpets and ornaments can be seen passing between a palm and a banana tree. This fine art tapestry complements any home decor motif.
