Charles Le Brun (d'après) (France, 1619 - 1690) - Royal Manufacture of Gobelins - Tapestry from the series "Les Enfants Jardiniers" France, early 18th century wool and silk 320 x 255 cm This splendid silk tapestry, depicting a child spading and a boy shaking a cherry tree, is part of the series known as 'Les Enfants Jardiniers', made in Lille by the Gobelins Manufactory (founded by Jean Baptiste Colbert under Louis XIV) at the beginning of the 18th century. The first designs for this series were made by Charles Le Brun in 1664, who, as director of the Gobelins tapestry manufactory from 1662 to 1690, supervised the various weavings in the series.The first weaving, dating from 1664, consisted of eight horizontal scenes depicting putti engaged in various gardening tasks, which can today be seen in the Pavillon de l'Aurore in the Parc de Sceaux in Paris. Le Brun later developed this concept differently and transformed the first series into allegories of the Four Seasons depicting children, rather than putti, engaged in gardening work in elaborate gardens. Several series of tapestries called 'Les Enfants Jardiniers' were made from these drawings. Three versions of 'Les Enfants Jardiniers', designed by Sève le Cadet, were produced at Gobelins under Le Brun's direction, based on the Director's drawings. Two of these weavings, completed by 1685, originally intended for Minister Colbert, were requisitioned by the king who used them as diplomatic gifts. However, the first exclusively royal commission of this series dates back to 1703: this weaving, now exhibited at Versailles, consisted of 6 tapestries: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, an additional version called 'Grand Pieces du Printemps' and a version called 'Petite Piece d'Automne'. The Gobelins' archives trace eight different weavings of the series designed by Le Brun, made between 1685 and 1720.The tapestry presented here depicts two children intent on working in the heart of a magnificent French garden. In the background, one can see architecture reminiscent of classical gardens, rich vegetation and a fountain on the left. The child, portrayed three-quarters back, dressed in red, appears identically in the tapestry Le Printemps (Spring) of which there are several in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence. The other child appears intent on picking cherries from the tree, and is taken from the composition for L'Été (Summer), a specimen of which is in the Mobilier National in Paris. The side border of the tapestry is enriched with acanthus leaves intertwined with floral garlands and in the centre, above, two lions hold the heraldic coat of arms of Bardo dei Bardi Magalotti (1630-1705), lieutenant general of the French Guards (from 1676) and governor of Valenciennes. Bardo was able to unite his surname with that of his maternal uncle, Lorenzo Magalotti, from 1645 onwards by royal authorisation, the latter therefore being the obvious post quem date for the creation of the tapestry, as can be seen from the gonfalon in which the two family coats of arms appear united in a single heraldic coat of arms. From sources, we know that as a teenager he was able to acquire deep familiarity with both the king, Louis XIV, and Mazarin, a relationship that was consolidated thanks to his numerous victories and military participation in the services of the French crown. It is therefore possible that the tapestry was a royal gift, sealing the decades-long friendship and loyalty always shown by Bardo Magalotti.A remarkable aspect of this tapestry is the freshness of its colours, which remained extraordinarily vivid thanks to the quality of the weaving. The work is in an excellent state of conservation and has benefited from maintenance restoration.Provenance: Galleria Piero Betti, Via del babuino, Rome; purchased there by the current owner.Bibliography: M. Fenaille, État général des tapisseries de la manufacture des Gobelins, Paris, 1903, p. 92, ill. 1; J. Vittet, A. Brejon de Lavernée, La collection de tapisseries de Louis XIV, Dijon, 2010. "Le Printemps. Spring. Tapestry. 1700 - 1799 (?)", Palazzo Pitti, Florence, in Catalogo generale dei Beni Culturali, URL: https://catalogo.cultura.gov.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/0900646553.