Tapestry: Vénus aux forges de Vulcain, from Les Tentures de François Boucher Series

An oval <span class="text-link" onclick="javascript:link(84, 637, event);">roundel imitating a framed painting fills the center of this tapestry. In a scene from <span class="text-link" onclick="javascript:link(84, 883, event);">Virgil's <span class="text-link" onclick="javascript:link(84, 416, event);">Aeneid, the goddess <span class="text-link" onclick="javascript:link(84, 528, event);">Venus approaches her husband <span class="text-link" onclick="javascript:link(84, 531, event);">Vulcan, trying to coax him to make weapons for her mortal son <span class="text-link" onclick="javascript:link(84, 415, event);">Aeneas. She has just descended from her chariot in the clouds on the left, accompanied by six white doves and a <span class="text-link" onclick="javascript:link(84, 440, event);">cupid. Vulcan sits with his hammer and sword, while two cyclopes work in his forge on the right.
 
The designers expanded the size of the wide border, known as the <span class="text-link" onclick="javascript:link(84, 123, event);">alentours, to fill the required space on a particularly long wall. The floral garlands, metal vases, and exotic birds are elements common to several of the other tapestries in this set, but two new trophies hanging from blue ribbons were added. To the left hangs an ornament symbolizing pastoral music by incorporating a horn, a book of music, and two tambourines. To the right, a straw basket, shepherd's horn, a drum, and floral headbands symbolize pastoral activities.

This tapestry comes from a series called Les Tentures de François Boucher, which depicts scenes of classical mythology. Three others from this set appear in the Getty collection: Jupiter transformé en Diane pour surprendre Callisto avec Vertumne et Pomone, Vénus sortant des eaux, and L'Aurore et Céphale.