MAURICE OF NASSAU, FORMER GOVERNOR OF THE DUTCH PART OF BRAZIL, HAD GIVEN LOUIS XIV IN 1679 A SERIES OF PAINTINGS BY ALBERT EECKHOUT AND FRANS POST, WHICH ILLUSTRATED THE LIFE OF ABORIGINES IN THE AMAZON REGION. THESE PAINTINGS OF THE WEST INDIES WERE USED IN THE DESIGN OF THE CARTOONS FOR THE EIGHT-PIECE TENTURE DES INDES. THE FIGURES WERE EXECUTED BY SEVERAL ARTISTS, AMONG WHICH WAS FRANÇOIS DESPORTES. THE DESIGNS OF THE ORIGINAL PAINTINGS WERE COMPLEMENTED BY AFRICAN ANIMALS THAT WERE REPRESENTED IN THE KING’S ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION. THE SERIES WAS FIRST WOVEN IN 1687 AND WENT THROUGH EIGHT VERSIONS UP UNTIL 1730.

AFRICAN ROYALTY

18TH CENTURY DESPORTES PAINTING GOBELINS DESIGN