17th Century Brussels Flemish Figural Tapestry Pillow

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This unusual 17th-century Brussels tapestry pillow is fashioned from an antique Flemish woven textile featuring an expressive animal-inspired design surrounded … Read more This unusual 17th-century Brussels tapestry pillow is fashioned from an antique Flemish woven textile featuring an expressive animal-inspired design surrounded by elaborate botanical ornamentation. Brussels was one of Europe's most distinguished tapestry-weaving centers during the seventeenth century, producing sophisticated decorative textiles celebrated for their craftsmanship, detailed compositions, and imaginative imagery.
The most striking feature of this pillow is its central figural motif, which resembles two overlapping animal faces, distinguished by four dark blue eyes, elongated facial markings, and a combination of golden-brown and ivory-colored woven details. The arrangement creates an intriguing visual effect, with the faces appearing almost intertwined within the surrounding foliage. Their stylized features give the composition a distinctive character that is both decorative and expressive.
Around the central motif, large scrolling leaves, curved botanical forms, and rounded floral elements create a densely arranged composition. These decorative details appear in antique gold, mustard yellow, ochre, warm camel, tobacco brown, ivory, dusty blue, slate blue, muted teal, olive green, and burgundy red. The dark blue eyes provide particularly strong contrast against the lighter facial details, while small red accents add definition to the surrounding ornament.
The antique tapestry has been fashioned into an 11 × 7-inch rectangular pillow, preserving the most visually distinctive section of the original woven design. Its textured tapestry face is complemented by a neutral beige fabric backing, creating a simple presentation that emphasizes the historic textile.
The unusual animal imagery, expressive woven details, and rich seventeenth-century Flemish decorative character make this pillow an especially interesting accent for collectors of antique textiles and distinctive European decorative arts. See less