Violin and Lute Players from a set of five Grotesques 1683 - 1716

Editor: This tapestry, “Violin and Lute Players from a set of five Grotesques,” was woven between 1683 and 1716 by Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer. The detail is stunning! I am immediately drawn to the juxtaposition of refined musical performance with what feels like a somewhat bizarre, almost grotesque, decorative surrounding. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It is certainly a captivating work. What strikes me is how this tapestry reflects the complex social landscape of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The "grotesque" elements—those figures on the periphery—weren't simply bizarre decorations, but served to amplify, and in some ways satirize, the courtly scene of music making. How does the idealized image contrast with this setting? Editor: Well, it makes the music-making seem… almost performative? Like it’s staged in contrast with the seemingly wild abandon in the borders? Curator: Precisely! Consider who these tapestries were made for: powerful figures looking to assert their dominance. But what does it mean to depict images of pleasure while the lives of so many are not pleasurable, or equal, and relegated to margins? Think about this juxtaposition: musical harmony and these decorative, fantastical – even unsettling – elements. It is more than decoration. What do you think this commentary achieves, situated where it is? Editor: Maybe the tension shows a subtle awareness of inequalities even within these lavish displays. Curator: Yes, exactly. We can view tapestries like this one as sites of contestation where prevailing social hierarchies are simultaneously reinforced and, perhaps unconsciously, questioned. Editor: So looking beyond just aesthetics opens up discussions about gender and class… That is such a helpful lens! I see so much more now.