A rare summer tapestry in mottled taffeta with a large-scale branch motif, Lyon, c. 1780–1789, featuring a monumental design of large arches of foliage punctuated by knotted bouquets and garlands of flowers. Three large panels made up of several joined strips, lined (with a few minor imperfections, restorations and signs of fragility), measuring 233 x 147 cm, 267 x 138 cm, 230 x 143 cm, and a large offcut. Given their fragility, examples of summer furnishings in mottled taffeta with branch motifs that have survived to the present day are extremely rare. Highly fashionable, the Grande Fabrique supplied large quantities of this fabric in the second half of the 18th century, notably for Compiègne, Choisy and Versailles. Bibliography Arizzoli-Clémentel (P., ed.), *Soieries de Lyon, Commandes royales au XVIIIe siècle*, 1988, cat. no. 25 for a comparable branch-patterned taffeta.