Mythological tapestry, 1600-50 (wool & silk)

Woven in wools and silks, depicting an episode from 'The Story of Celadon and Astrée' with Celadon courting Astrée and Celadon being rescued from the river, amidst trees with herds and villages in the background, within a foliate border headed by the armorial shield of the Monestay de Chazeron family, areas of restoration and reweaving especially to the light threads and including a large section to the top left corner and within the borders, now visible as light discolourations The story of Celadon and Astrée is based on the epic work by Honorée d'Urfé, marquis de Valrome and comte de Châteauneuf, published between 1601 and 1628. The story narrates the loves of the shepherdess Astrée and the shepherd Celadon. The armorial shield to the centre of the foliate border is that of the Monestay de Chazeron family, and more specifically that of Maximilien Seigneur de Chazeron who married Anne de la Mer. Maximilien was the son of Gilbert de Monestay, Seigneur de Forges and of Claude de Chazeron, Dame de Chazeron (b.1591), who married in 1611.