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Retailers of Magnificent
French woven & Silkscreen Tapestries using traditional Jacquard looms,
fully woven, numbered & signed by master weavers |
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Fleur de Lys Tapestries
can be contacted on:-
Phone 03 9803 4419
Mobile 0407 526 186
Leave a message for Fleur De Lys Tapestries at our e-mail address Tapestries
e-mail
home catalague
about tapestries hanging
& care prices
Fleur de Lys Tapestries
Specialising in French woven tapestries, Fleur de Lys Tapestries is the largest importer of tapestries to Australia. Tapestries conjure to mind medieval castles, marvellous churches and grandiose designs, but these lovely portable artworks aren’t just for the grand homes of Europe. A tapestry can look just at home in your house, teamed with everything from French-provincial to traditional country furnishings. Tapestries create a versatile platform for decorating, featuring a range of colours that tie-in with existing fixtures and cover bare walls with a pictorial story. Tapestries are perfect wall hangings for large walls and curved large stair-wells.Tapestries are a wonderful form of ‘portable art’ that you can roll up and move around the house when you feel like a change without the risk of breakages! Fleur de Lys Tapestries have made these works of art affordable and are providing an easy way of viewing these tapestries in your home without any obligation to buy. By viewing tapestries in your home, before any purchase, you would ensure that the tapestry fits in with your décor. Also the size of the tapestry has to fit in with the space and size of the wall. All this, before any purchase or obligation to buy! We are in the area and would love to show you these works of art for no obligation.
Fleur de Lys Tapestries is now offering specially designed tapestry hanging rods and tapestry cushions free with every tapestry sold. Please see more details below or call us on 0407 526 186 for an obligation free viewing.The Beauty of Tapestries
These tapestries have been hand picked as being the most beautiful and most artistic of all the tapestries made by French weavers. Tapestries are magnificent and are suitable for entrance halls, dinning areas, lounge rooms and other areas of your home where an object d'art can be appreciated.
The tapestries are either silk screen or woven. Silk Screen tapestries are reproductions of the original tapestries hanging in places such as the Louvres, Chateaux in the Loire Valley and in private homes in Europe. These tapestries are quality tapestries with the emphasis on recreating the atmosphere and visual impact of the classic masterpieces.
The woven tapestries are actual woven tapestries of the original tapestries with an emphasis to the Renaissance period.
Both types of tapestries are ideal investment and heirloom pieces, which are major talking points in any house or office. Due to the nature of tapestries, nobility and scholars throughout history have collected and preserved these works of art. Now you can see these works of art in palaces and museums throughout the world. Or you can own a piece of history and culture to savor and preserve for yourself. Here are most of history's finest tapestries reproduced for you. Each tapestry comes in different sizes as detailed in the enlargements. These tapestries are the finest made in the world. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
The Silkscreen Process
This method of reproducing
the original tapestries enables very authentic replicas to be created,
with a genuine patina or "aged' appearance. Tapestries produced by
this method are particularly effective in period properties and in situations
where an ancient look is required.
The woven fabric of which the tapestry is composed has an irregular texture
which closely simulates the antique tapestry stitch. The design is then
produced by means of each colour being individually applied through silkscreen
by hand. Approximately sixteen colours are used in this process, commencing
with the lightest colours in the tapestry, gradually working through to
the darker colours, thereby building up many subtle shading effects and
colour-tone gradations.
Tapestries created in this way are entirely made by hand, involving a
very lengthy production time, and the results are undoubtedly the most
authentic copies of the original tapestries as we know them today.
The Weaving Process
Hand woven tapestries are produced on Jacquards looms. These ancient oak-framed
looms are replicas of the loomsbuilt in 1757 by Jacques de Vaucanson (1709
- 1782). The operation is entirely by hand, demanding great skill on the
part of the master weavers.
Tapestries are composed of wool, cotton and silk. The wool provides an
ancient appearance, the cotton is used to give strength, and the silk
is used to create highlights in various parts of the tapestries such as
clothing and the flowers. The composition of these materials differs depending
on the tapestry being woven.
The final product has a unique lustre and beauty, and is the result of
much patience, skill and attention to detail on the part of the master
weavers who continue this tradition.
History
Tapestry is one of
those French traditions which, through the centuries, has made a rich
contribution to the beauty of French heritage.
In the Middle Ages (13th and 15th centuries), until the Hundred Years
War, the Ile-de-France was the leading producer of tapestries with Paris
the undoubted capital. Then the war and the systematic plundering of towns
sent the tapestry makers fleeing northwards where they founded the Ateliers
d'Arras (Arras studios). When Arras was pillaged, they went on towards
Flanders which became their new centre.
These tapestry makers, true craftsmen worked in family concerns, wove
mythological scenes and later on, medieval scenes, taking their inspirations
from the translations of Greek and Latin texts.
Medieval Age
Towards the end of
the 15th century, the Val de Loire became a popular place for tapestry
makers, and it was in this "cradle of French kings" that the
most prestigious works were made, now found in museums. This wasthe period
of the "Mille Fleur" tapestry, with rural scenes overflowing
with freshness and charm, where gentle ladies, lords and peasant folk
frolic on a background of "bord de Loire" flowerets. Perhaps
some of the finest examples are the series of the Lady with the Unicorn
tapestries, which hang at the Cluny Museum in Paris.
The Age of Chivalry.
The end of the Middle Ages saw appearance of epic scenes. Kings and princes had tapestries woven of their tournaments, combats, victories and even their hunting parties. This period remains the most prolific for unrivalled masterpieces.
Renaissance
With the Renaissance and the arrival of the Italian artists, tapestry radically changed style. Associating painting and tapestry, Raphael introduced the art of compositions, order, clarity, perspective, décor and the rich borders and arabesques that characterized the highly coloured style of the Renaissance period.
Around 1530 in France, Francois 1 foundered the first royal tapestry factory in Fontainebleau, near Paris. Around 1660 Colbert established the royal factory of Les Gobelins, then Beauvais 4 years later, under the protection of Louis XIV. More than 800 tapestry makers could be seen at the Gobelins in Paris, under the direction of Chares Le Brun, whose idea was to group the artists according to their various talents and tastes. This is why it was not unusual to find panels signed by several different artists.
After the death of Louis XIV, the official formal subjects disappeared to give way to more imaginative subjects. Tapestry weaving became more romantic with beautiful landscapes. This style reach its peak with Boucher.
The French Revolution put a stop to the creative genius of the tapestry makers, but in 1795, Beauvais,Aubusson and Gobelins reopened, and until the 19th century reproduced the designs of great artists of the royal factories.
To-day, although there are more than five centuries between us and the first major works woven by these tapestry makers, we are proud to be able to offer all art lovers, genuine collector's items to decorate a room, whatever the style or the size of the interior.
These works of art, painstakingly created by these artists are presented in our gallery.
Price Guarantee.
Fleur de Lys Tapestries is the largest wholesaler and retailer of French, Flemish and English tapestries.We love these tapestries and have brought together a large selection of the best woven and silkscreen tapestries. We pride ourself on superior level of service and shopping experience. But we also take great care to ensure our prices are competitive. We set our prices against our competitors and keep regular checks on what is happening in the market place especially overseas. Of course, we appreciate you may want to shop around and look for the best possible price. That is why we offer you our Price Guarantee. If you happen to find a cheaper price on any of these tapestries in any retail outlet we will match the price and beat it by a further 10%. Simply notify us, and after we have verified the lower price, we will reduce our price and take off another 10% of the lower price. That's our Price Guarantee. And that's why it costs no more to shop at Fleur de Lys.
Free Hanging Rod or matching tapestry cushions with any tapestry sold.
Fleur de Lys Tapestries is offering, free of charge, tapestry hanging rods or matching tapestries cushions with any tapestry sold. These Tapestries Hanging Rods, especially designed for tapestries, are flush mounted against the wall using the brass screws and plugs provided. This way the tapestry sits perfectly against the wall with no gaps between the tapestry and the wall. These unique rods are expandable to any size and will fit any tapestry. The finials, as seen in some of the images in our catalogue, come in two styles and six sizes, ranging from 35cm to 300cm.
The 'Fleur de Lys' finials are cast by hand in solid brass then 'antiqued' to give an authentic aged appearance. The 'Spear' finials are also cast by hand in solid brass then finished in matt-black to give an aged wrought iron effect. The woven tapestry cushions, approximately 48 by 48cm, would be matched to your chosen tapestry.
The Offer - small sized tapestries (200cm in width) come with a choice of a tapestry hanging rod (with finials) or a woven cushion. Medium sized tapestries (up to 250cm in width) come with a choice of a tapestry hanging rod and one woven tapestry cushion. Larger tapestries (250cm - 300cm) come with a large tapestry rod with finials and two matched woven tapestry cushions.
These Tapestry Hanging Rods and cushions and can viewed during your obligation free viewing. Please call us for more details.