Aubusson Carpet and Tapestry History

Aubusson carpet, floor covering, usually of considerable size, handwoven at the villages of Aubusson and Felletin, in the départementof Creuse in central France. Workshops were established in 1743 to manufacture pile carpets primarily for the nobility, to whom theSavonnerie court production was not available. Aubusson carpets were, however, also made for the royal residences. Soon after the production of carpets began at Aubusson, the pileless tapestry technique previously in use in this district was adopted for so many of the carpets that the word Aubusson has become synonymous with a flat-woven French carpet, and it is not generally realized that piled rugs in numbers have been made there.

Many of the early Aubussons were made in modified Oriental designs, some resembling Ushakmedallion carpets. Taste soon changed to a range of Renaissance floral and architectural patterns similar to those in use at the Savonnerie and continued to reflect court and republican fashions up to the modernistic painterly concepts of the 20th century.

http://www.britannica.com/topic/Aubusson-carpet

Collection of Aubusson Rugs and Antique Carpets From France

Aubusson Rugs - Aubusson is a town on the Creuse River in central France. It has been famed for its carpets as well as Tapestries since the 15th century. Antique Aubusson rugs made in tapestry technique are among the most elegant and luxurious antique floor coverings. The true date when the production of flat woven tapestry Aubusson carpets in France began is not known. With that said, examples of Aubusson carpets with Rococo designs have led most of us in the field to speculate that it probably began in during the mid 18th century when the taste for Oriental rugs started to shift in favor of European design. We do know that Louis the XV, Louis the XVI and Napoleon the I had all ordered flat woven Aubusson carpets (the latter two ordering far more than the former).

A 1786 inventory lists more than one hundred Aubusson carpets at the palace of Versailles and a 1789 inventory of all royal palaces describes a great many more. The fact that Aubusson carpets were easier to manufacture is the leading reason why so many rugs from this manufacturer were ordered by the aristocracy for their castles and chateaux enabling them to custom make rugs for unusually large spaces in a fraction of the time it would take to weave in pile (all the time maintaining the beauty, grace, elegance and aesthetic appeal which was demanded by the ruling class at the time). With their grand designs of frames and cartouches hung with garlands, they have a clear, Neo-classical almost architectural monumentality and soft coloration reminiscent of Greco-Roman decorative arts. These qualities still establish Aubusson rugs as one of the more effective alternatives in traditional interior decor.

http://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/antique-rugs/aubusson/

http://www.touchofclass.com/aubusson-rugs/c/20201/

History[edit]

Local lore previously held that the community was settled by defeated Berbers following the 8th-century Battle of Tours,^[1] but it is now established that Aubusson has existed at least since the Gallo-Roman period.^[2] The Camp des Châtres, within the town’s boundaries, for a long time considered a Roman fort, actually dates back a little further, to the Iron Age.

The town was known as Albuciensis in 936 and under the name Albuconis in 1070. The name possibly originates from a name of a man, Albucius ^[3] Other scholars claim the name is from a Celtic word meaning craggy. In the Middle Ages the town was ruled by viscounts. The vicecomital family also produced a troubadour named Joan d'Aubusson.

Aubusson tapestry in the Musée Nissim de Camondo, Paris.

Tapestry[edit]

Main article: Aubusson tapestry

Aubusson is well known for its tapestry and carpets, which have been famous throughout the world since the 14th century. Its origins were born with the arrival of weavers from Flanders, who took refuge in Aubusson around 1580. There is a famous collection of Aubusson tapestries at Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. The style of the tapestries produced has changed through the centuries, from scenes of green landscapes through to hunting scenes. In the 17th Century, the Aubusson and Felletin workshops were given "Royal Appointment" status. A downturn in fortunes came after the French revolution and the arrival of wallpaper. However, tapestry made something of a comeback during the 1930s, with artists such as Cocteau, Dufy, Dali, Braque, Calder and Picasso being invited to Aubusson to express themselves through the medium of wool. Aubusson tapestry still thrives today, preserving a range of traditional skills. In 1983, l’Atelier Raymond Picaud chose Burhan Doğançay's Ribbon Series as a tapestry subjects. Coventry cathedral's famous Christ in Glory tapestry, designed by artist Graham Sutherland, was woven in nearby Felletin. Installed in 1962, this was the world's largest vertical tapestry up until the 1990s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubusson,_Creuse

Description:

Aubusson rugs are named after their place of origin: Aubusson in France. They were especially in vogue at French courts of the 18th century. Since the middle of the 20th century they have been celebrating their comeback and set a new trend worldwide. Hand woven in China, they still match the French originals in technique, coloring, design and quality. Aubussons are handmade from pure wool. Their common features are pastel hues, geometric patterns, and flowered designs. Hues vary from soft to strong tones. A specialty is their extra thin weaving, since they have no pile. Still they are fit for use on the floor, since they are extremely durable. These rugs go very well with wooden furniture in classical environments. https://www.kilim.com/shopping/productdetail/10697/Aubusson-Rug ================= ================ Aubusson Carpet and Tapestry History Aubusson carpet,  Aubusson carpet [Credit: The Hali Archive] floor covering, usually of considerable size, handwoven at the villages of Aubusson and Felletin, in the départementof Creuse in central France. Workshops were established in 1743 to manufacture pile carpets primarily for the nobility, to whom theSavonnerie court production was not available. Aubusson carpets were, however, also made for the royal residences. Soon after the production of carpets began at Aubusson, the pileless tapestry technique previously in use in this district was adopted for so many of the carpets that the word Aubusson has become synonymous with a flat-woven French carpet, and it is not generally realized that piled rugs in numbers have been made there. Many of the early Aubussons were made in modified Oriental designs, some resembling Ushakmedallion carpets. Taste soon changed to a range of Renaissance floral and architectural patterns similar to those in use at the Savonnerie and continued to reflect court and republican fashions up to the modernistic painterly concepts of the 20th century. http://www.britannica.com/topic/Aubusson-carpet Collection of Aubusson Rugs and Antique Carpets From France Aubusson Rugs - Aubusson is a town on the Creuse River in central France. It has been famed for its carpets as well as Tapestries since the 15th century. Antique Aubusson rugs made in tapestry technique are among the most elegant and luxurious antique floor coverings. The true date when the production of flat woven tapestry Aubusson carpets in France began is not known. With that said, examples of Aubusson carpets with Rococo designs have led most of us in the field to speculate that it probably began in during the mid 18th century when the taste for Oriental rugs started to shift in favor of European design. We do know that Louis the XV, Louis the XVI and Napoleon the I had all ordered flat woven Aubusson carpets (the latter two ordering far more than the former). A 1786 inventory lists more than one hundred Aubusson carpets at the palace of Versailles and a 1789 inventory of all royal palaces describes a great many more. The fact that Aubusson carpets were easier to manufacture is the leading reason why so many rugs from this manufacturer were ordered by the aristocracy for their castles and chateaux enabling them to custom make rugs for unusually large spaces in a fraction of the time it would take to weave in pile (all the time maintaining the beauty, grace, elegance and aesthetic appeal which was demanded by the ruling class at the time). With their grand designs of frames and cartouches hung with garlands, they have a clear, Neo-classical almost architectural monumentality and soft coloration reminiscent of Greco-Roman decorative arts. These qualities still establish Aubusson rugs as one of the more effective alternatives in traditional interior decor. http://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/antique-rugs/aubusson/ http://www.touchofclass.com/aubusson-rugs/c/20201/ History[edit] Local lore previously held that the community was settled by defeated Berbers following the 8th-century Battle of Tours,[1] but it is now established that Aubusson has existed at least since the Gallo-Roman period.[2] The Camp des Châtres, within the town’s boundaries, for a long time considered a Roman fort, actually dates back a little further, to the Iron Age. The town was known as Albuciensis in 936 and under the name Albuconis in 1070. The name possibly originates from a name of a man, Albucius [3] Other scholars claim the name is from a Celtic word meaning craggy. In the Middle Ages the town was ruled by viscounts. The vicecomital family also produced a troubadour named Joan d'Aubusson. Aubusson tapestry in the Musée Nissim de Camondo, Paris. Tapestry[edit] Main article: Aubusson tapestry Aubusson is well known for its tapestry and carpets, which have been famous throughout the world since the 14th century. Its origins were born with the arrival of weavers from Flanders, who took refuge in Aubusson around 1580. There is a famous collection of Aubusson tapestries at Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. The style of the tapestries produced has changed through the centuries, from scenes of green landscapes through to hunting scenes. In the 17th Century, the Aubusson and Felletin workshops were given "Royal Appointment" status. A downturn in fortunes came after the French revolution and the arrival of wallpaper. However, tapestry made something of a comeback during the 1930s, with artists such as Cocteau, Dufy, Dali, Braque, Calder and Picasso being invited to Aubusson to express themselves through the medium of wool. Aubusson tapestry still thrives today, preserving a range of traditional skills. In 1983, l’Atelier Raymond Picaud chose Burhan Doğançay's Ribbon Series as a tapestry subjects. Coventry cathedral's famous Christ in Glory tapestry, designed by artist Graham Sutherland, was woven in nearby Felletin. Installed in 1962, this was the world's largest vertical tapestry up until the 1990s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubusson,_Creuse Description: Aubusson rugs are named after their place of origin: Aubusson in France. They were especially in vogue at French courts of the 18th century. Since the middle of the 20th century they have been celebrating their comeback and set a new trend worldwide. Hand woven in China, they still match the French originals in technique, coloring, design and quality. Aubussons are handmade from pure wool. Their common features are pastel hues, geometric patterns, and flowered designs. Hues vary from soft to strong tones. A specialty is their extra thin weaving, since they have no pile. Still they are fit for use on the floor, since they are extremely durable. These rugs go very well with wooden furniture in classical environments. https://www.kilim.com/shopping/productdetail/10697/Aubusson-Rug