14x12 French Aubusson Gouache Art Tape Featuring Bathing Women Dog Trees Border Scene

Description

Welcome to The Textile Trunk ~ Thank you for over 25 wonderful years of helping bring these beautiful antique textiles and decorative items to life again! This piece is part of a rare collection of original French gouaches and textile design drawings I was so fortunate to acquire in France. Many of them are stylistically attributable to the Aubusson tradition, one is attributed to Aubusson though the group as a whole reflects a broad scope of European design influences. Some have stamps or markings, and others (like this one) speak for themselves with the delicacy of their brushwork and the pastoral beauty they capture. Some names and marks—including Italian design house Pietro Lauro, and others with White, Allom & Co., London, a well-known firm of decorators and historic interior designers. The presence of different stamps and numbering systems, as well as archival notations, suggests that these designs were originally produced by multiple ateliers, and later gathered into a single collection, likely during the early to mid-20th century when these historic works were preserved and reused for design reference and reproduction. I purchased from a dealer who had purchased from another dealer that had purchased them at auction. You will see on some a white contemporary sticker, most likely from the auction catalogue! To see all of the others in this collection, just search my store for the word drawing and they will appear! ~ ITEM SPECIFICS: Date: c.1790–1820 Origin: France Medium: Gouache on paper Style: Aubusson tapestry design Dimensions: approx. 14 x 12 inches Subject: Three bathing women in a forested setting, with a loyal white dog and an ornate floral border Condition: Some creasing, especially through the center, and light signs of age This extraordinary antique French gouache drawing likely served as a working design for a woven Aubusson tapestry. It captures a serene scene of three women at a woodland water source, one seated with drapery loosely covering her body, another tending to her hair, and a third filling a jug. A white dog watches calmly nearby, and the whole composition is enclosed by an ornate floral and latticework border. The artistry is superb, with saturated hues of coral, blue, and gold that have mellowed beautifully over time. Gouache and ink drawings like this were essential studio tools for tapestry designers and weavers in France, especially during the golden age of Aubusson production. Their artistic quality and technical clarity served as vital visual guides in translating vision to loom. These one-of-a-kind works often disappeared over time, lost in the archives of dissolved firms or simply discarded. Their rediscovery today offers a rare and beautiful link to the artistry behind French textile history. The craftsmanship and artistic designs are not just decorative but also reflect a rich textile heritage of France and Europe. Inventory: G33