c. 1540-1550

Tapestry with a scene of Hercules Shouldering the Heavens for the Giant Atlas

The design on this tapestry--consisting of a central event surrounded by elaborate, but thematically unrelated, decoration-demonstrates the grotesque style. Inspired by ancient Roman painted murals, such compositions became internationally popular during the course of the sixteenth century. A complete series of these tapestries would have constituted a portable room decoration suitable for a princely patron, comparable to permanent painted frescoes found in Italy.