32: A FINE LATE 17TH EARLY 18TH CENTURY WOOL SILK TAPESTRY

The fine, smaller, easier to place Flemish or French Baroque wool and silk mythological tapestry, depicting a landscape with Atalanta and Hippomenes in a foot race while her father King Schoeneus looks on and two lions fight in the background, all enclosed by a laurel wreath border.

Possibly form a series of tapestries from the life of Atalanta, the story depicted here goes as follows: According to Ovid, before her adventures, Atalanta had consulted an oracle who gave her a prophecy that marriage will be her undoing, as a result Atalanta chose to live in the wilderness. After the Calydonian boar hunt, Atalanta was discovered by her father who had accepted her as his daughter, and began to arrange a marriage for Atalanta. To prevent this, she agreed to get married only if a suitor could outrun her in a footrace, which swift-footed Atalanta knew was impossible to achieve. If the suitor was unsuccessful, he would be killed. Her father agreed to the terms and many suitors died in the attempt until Hippomenes, who fell in love with Atalanta immediately upon seeing her. Hippomenes knew he could not best Atalanta even with the advantage of starting ahead, so, he prayed to the goddess Aphrodite for her assistance. Aphrodite gave Hippomenes three golden apples, and because of their irresistibility would slow Atalanta enough for him to win the race. As the race began, Atalanta (who was wearing armour and carrying weapons) quickly passed him but was soon diverted off the path as Hippomenes tossed an apple; each time Atalanta caught up with Hippomenes he would toss the remaining apples, effectively winning the race and Atalanta herself.

According to Wikipedia, Atalanta and Hippomenes were turned into lions by Cybele as punishment after having sex in one of her temples they entered to take a rest during their journey to Hippomenes' home (the Greeks believed that lions could not mate with other lions, but only with leopards).
Measures 85 x 121.5 inches.
Very good condition, two areas of separation, surface spotting and dryness and a large separation lower left corner when facing, one other small separation, otherwise good and sturdy, one small touch of house paint, powdery surface residue where it hung behind a sideboard rubs off, no particular odor beyond staleness.
Provenance: The multi-generation collection of an early Kansas City family in the same home since 1962.
$2,000 - $3,000