Art Institute of Chicago

Procession of the Fat Ox from a Teniers Series

After a design by Jan van Orley (Flemish, 1665–1735)

Date

1729-1768

Medium

Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave Warp: Count: 6 warps per cm; wool: S-ply of three Z-spun elements; diameter: 0.8 mm Weft: Count: varies from 22 to 48 wefts per cm; wool: S-ply of two Z-spun elements; diameters: 0.5–0.8 mm; silk: pairs of S-ply of two Z-twisted elements; diameters: 0.3–0.8 mm; wool and silk: three yarns, one yarn of S-ply of two Z-spun wool elements and two yarns of S-ply of two Z-twisted silk elements; diameters: 0.6–0.9 mm

Culture

Brussels

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This tapestry depicts peasants and townspeople leading an ox to be butchered for a feast in celebration of Shrove Tuesday (also known as Fat Tuesday), the last day before the start of Lent. A barmaid distributes refreshments outside a tavern named the Sign of the Cross, musicians lead the procession, and people skate and sled on the frozen ice, giving the scene a general atmosphere of revelry and mirth. Genre scenes of rural life were a popular theme for tapestries in 18th-century Europe, emphasizing the rustic charm of country living.

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