Tapestry with the combined coat of arms of Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Augustus

The impressive tapestry, its background and borders decorated with vegetal, architectural and geometric motifs, masks and lions՚ heads, has in the centre of the composition the combined coat of arms of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Augustus (1544/1548–1572), crowned with the great crown of the Lithuanian grand duke. The centre of the combined coat of arms features the arms of Bona Sforza (1494–1557), the mother of Sigismund Augustus and daughter of the Duke of Milan – the Serpent swallowing the Infant. The first field has the Polish Eagle – the arms of Sigismund Augustus՚ father Sigismund the Old (1506–1548) with the initials of Sigismund Augustus on the Eagle՚s chest. The second field has the heraldic symbol of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Vytis. The arms in the three bottom fields feature the heraldic symbols of important lands in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (the Angel – Kyiv, the Cross – Volhynia, the Bear on all fours – Smolensk). This heraldic composition, according to the interpretation by Dr Edmundas Rimša, could be read as follows: Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Augustus is the son of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund the Old and Bona Sforza, and the ruler of Lithuania and its lands (Kyiv, Smolensk and Volhynia). This kind of combined coat of arms was minted on coins of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during Sigismund Augustus՚ reign, and also appeared on the state great seal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The first emission of coins from the Vilnius mint with this coat of arms on the reverse was released in 1547, when the young ruler began to introduce administrative reforms in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1547–1571, this combined coat of arms appeared on the ducat of the Lithuanian auksinas [złoty]. The identical composition of heraldic symbols appearing on the tapestry owned by the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania clearly testifies that this early artistic textile was commissioned by Sigismund Augustus as the Lithuanian grand duke, and was intended for his residence in Vilnius, perhaps the New Wing (Domus Novum super Fluvium Vilna), construction of which ended in 1548. Furbishment of the interiors was already taking place here from the summer of 1545. It could have also been intended for the North West wing of the Lower Castle that was built at a similar time. An entire series of armorial textiles was commissioned for this new residence; heraldic textile cartoons cannot be sold to other clients, and were thus very expensive. They would be woven in large series. We cannot dismiss the possibility that the cartoon of this tapestry could have been created by Sigismund Augustus՚ court painter Erardas (Erhard, Gerhard). He appears in Vilnius court documents from 1534. In the court accounts of Sigismund Augustus՚ treasurer Jan Lutomirski dating to 1546–1548, August 5 and 7 of 1574 contain entries about the payment of 15 florins to this master for various armorial designs, for example, for golden ducat and silver groschen coats of arms, as well as for three tapestry coats of arms (3 insiggniorum pro tapeciis). The mentioned artist was also paid for painting the battens used to hang these textiles. He was similarly paid for the creation of an armorial shield (insignis); it was meant to be engraved on a signet ring by Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio (1500/1505–1565), who worked in Sigismund Augustus՚ court from 1545 as an engraver and goldsmith. It is not possible to determine or discuss whether Erhard's heraldic cartouches were intended specifically for the acquired tapestry. However, even if they were not, these entries do tell us that in 1547 this combined coat of arms started being officially used in parallel on state coins, a signet ring and on textiles decorating the Vilnius Lower Castle. In the tapestry being described here, the heraldic cartouche is incorporated on a sand-colored background with ornamental motifs comprising of compositions of figures, flowers and fruits. Above the grand ducal crown composition in the centre there is a lion head amid a backdrop of drapery. Flower bouquets are at either side, upon which long-necked birds with long beaks are perched (the one on the right is similar to a heron), symmetrically turned to face the centre of the textile. Bunches of fruit hanging by a blue ribbon are held by simplified half-figures. The one on the left is a soldier with Roman armour (florica musculata) and a helmet decorated with an ostrich feather, the one of the right is a woman with a lightly draping tunic tied at the waist. A diadem decorates her head. Both are holding olive branches. Such treatment of the figures is characteristic of Dutch grotesques. The side fields of the central part are filled with large-scale flower and fruit ornaments, typically found on 16th-century Flemish tapestries, comprising of bunches of grapes, pears, apples, pomegranates and acanthus leaves, one ornamental motif merging into the other. Decorative flower blossoms with pistils are incorporated into the corners of the lower central field. The acanthus leaves surrounding them form the support for the heraldic cartouche. According to Piwocka, this particular composition is similar to the early Italian ornamental compositions and to cartoons by Cornelis Bos (1506/1510–1556) created in around 1540. The author associates the border ornamentation with the latter artist and Cornelis Floris (1514–1575). Similar fruit compositions are repeated on the border surrounding the heraldic textile, intertwining with architectural elements, elaborate ribbons and lion heads. The top border field is much wider than the side and lower border. Both in the central field and the borders, an ornamental element reminiscent of an elongated pear or horn clearly stands out. Such elements were popular in textiles originating from Antwerp. Even though the auction catalogue indicated that the tapestry was woven in the dʼAngen or Gerardsbergen workshop, well-known heraldic textiles manufactured there exhibit completely different stylistics and color palettes. Also, there is no data suggesting that Sigismund Augustus would have ever commissioned textiles from these centres. According to Guy Delmarcel, both the textile ornamentation and the colors used are similar to tapestries from the Oudenaarde and especially the Antwerp weaving houses. The curved horn motif became widespread in tapestries from Antwerp in around 1547. The first tapestries known to have been commissioned by Sigismund Augustus were ordered at a similar time. Nonetheless, with no signatures indicating the weaving house or city of origin, it is impossible to determine at which specific workshop the described tapestry was woven.