LARGE TAPESTRY FROM AN EIGHT-PIECE SERIES ABOUT THE LIFE OF MARCUS AURELIUS,
Workshop of Michiel Wauters (1648 -1679) or one of his successors, after a drawing by A. van Diepenbeeck (Bois-le-Duc 1596-1675 Antwerp) and P.P. Rubens (Siegen 1577-1640 Antwerp), Antwerp ca. 1655/70.
From the eight-piece series about the life of Marcus Aurelius: A battle scene, featuring the Roman general on horseback in the middle of the action, surrounded by fighting soldiers on horseback and on the ground. Extraordinarily broad border with a central coat-of-arms cartouche. Border, trimmed on the side.
H 405 cm, W 546 cm.

Restored, some losses and repairs, slightly faded.

Provenance:
- Private collection, Italy.

The eight-part series of tapestries on the life of Marcus Aurelius includes The Coronation of the Emperor, The Procession, The Plague, The Emperor Leading His Son to the Philosophers, The Triumph of Marcus Aurelius and the Battle Scene on offer. Since a great triumph was celebrated in Rome after his successful campaign in Syria and Egypt, it seems obvious that the battle scene on offer refers to the previous campaign. Identical battle scenes but with a different border with opulent floral and leaf patterns are exhibited in the Museu de Arte Antiga, Lisbon, in the Reiss Museum, Mannheim, and in the Palazzo Venezia, Rome.

This tapestry is depicted in Guy Delmarcel, La Tapisserie Flamande as L'Empereur Marc-Aurèle sur le champ de bataille, Anvers, atelier de Michiel Wauters d'après Abraham van Diepenceeck, troisième quart du XVIIème siècle.

Literature:
- Guy Delmarcel, La Tapisserie Flamande du XVième au XVIIIième siècle, Tielt 1999; p. 258 (with illustration).
- M.J. de Mendoça, As tapeçarias da historia de Marco Aurello, in: Boltim dos Museus Nacionais de Arte Antiga 1, 1936; pp. 57-67.
- N. Forti Grazzini, Museo d'arti applicate - Arazzi, Milan 1984; pp. 32-37 (Ill. 44-56).