Swiss, Basel, circa 1510

With Blumka Gallery, New York, October 1997;

From whom acquired.

The present tapestry illustrates the Fountain of Life (fons vitae), an emblem of Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. Christ is shown crucified within the fountain, while water appears to spring from His wounds and flow into the vessels of the faithful below, symbolizing the outpouring of His divine grace. In the foreground, a regal woman, holding a palm frond, a traditional symbol of martyrdom, crowns a young boy. A lamb rests its hooves on her lap, evoking Christ as the sacrificial Lamb, while an open book on her knees alludes to her wisdom.

The figures are shown here in contemporary, anachronistic dress rather than the historical garments of Christ’s time.¹

¹Guy Delmarcel, Flemish Tapestry, New York 1999.