Beauvais (France), ca. 283 x 207 cm, ca. 1700, after a design by Charles le Brun (1619–1690). (MA) This tapestry shows the arms of the Count von Magalotti, the Florentine general and nephew of Bardo Bardi di Magalotti, the arms are often wrongly shown as being the same as those of his uncle but in fact there is a clear difference (see the upper left-hand corner of the portrait) because it has in addition the heart-shaped shield of the Albergotti. In between there is a banner with the inscription “Libertas”, slogan A. Above, two winged putti carry a Count’s crown. This is flanked by two female figures representing the allegory of “Renommé” (fame). At their feet are a hen and a lion, symbolising vigilance and strength.

This Portière des Renommées is one of a series based on designs by Charles le Brun during his time as director of the tapestry workshops of Nicolas Fouquet in Maincy, near Vaux-le-Vicomte. The series contains numerous designs, known as Renommées, Lion, Licorne (unicorn), Mars, and Char de triomphe. After Fouquet‘s dismissal in 1661 the tapestry manufacture was moved to the Hôtel des Gobelins outside Paris.

A drawing by Le Brun, related to the tapestry being auctioned, is in the Musée de Besançon (inv. D 1786): It shows Fouquet’s coat of arms – a growing squirrel – but this is however covered by the arms of Louis XIV‘s minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683) - a wounded snake. A second version by le Brun with Fouquet’s crest can be seen in a more complete draft in the Hermitage in St Petersburg (inv. 18959); on the Hermitage draft the figures have no legs, but are growing out of cornucopiae. The composition of this tapestry is a hybrid of the two sketches.
Various versions of this Portière tapestry have survived with a mixture of the two le Brun drawings, but either with the arms of Colbert or of the French Dauphin, hitherto incorrectly indicated as being the royal arms of France and Navarre. The present one is the only known version with the arms of Albergotti.

Portraitpicture: © Musée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes / Photo Claude Thériez

Lit.: Bremer-David, Charissa French Tapestries and Textiles in the J. Paul Getty Museum , Los Angeles, 1997, no. 1, pp. 4 - 8)
M. Fenaille, Etat Général des Tapisseries de la Manufacture des Gobelins, Paris, 1903, vol. II, pp. 9 – 15
H. Göbel, Die Wandteppiche and ihre Manufakturen, in France Italy Spain and Portugal, Leipzig, 1928, vol. I, pp. 120 – 121

Provenance: François-Zénobe-Philippe, Comte d‘Albergotti (1654-1717)
French & Company, New York 1929
Jean Mikaelof, 1961
Simon Mikaeloff, Straßburg
private collection, 1974 acquired by the above-named
European private collection.

François Zénobe Philippe, Comte d’Albergotti
(Florence 1654 – Paris 1717)

Florentine Nobleman in the service of France. He was the maternal nephew of Bardo di Bardi Magalotti and followed him in 1671 as Commander of the ‘Royal Italian’ regiment.
br>He served in numerous campaigns under Louis XIV. From 1711 he was Chevalier du Saint-Esprit (Knight of the Order of the Holy Ghost)