Tapestry 'The Ambush' woven in silk and wool, from the series 'The Art of War', designed by Philipp De Hondt, woven by Judocus de Vos, Brussels, 1718-1719

Tapestry woven in silk and wool. The tapestry is framed with borders of military trophies, with a larger trophy of flags and lances at the centre top surmounted by trumpets crossed through a laurel wreath. The trophy in the centre of the lower border is of weapons, flags and guns. The centre of the scene is filled with a confused heap of mounted and fallen men desperately attempting to stave off an ambush in a wood to the right. On the left, a little further off, are more soldiers firing on a column of wagons passing along the road between the trees.

Given by Mrs Josa Finney, in memory of her late husband, Oswald James Finney

The first 'Art of War' series was designed by Lambert de Hondt and woven by Jerome Le Clerc and Gaspar van der Borght. This tapestry is from the second series woven by de Vos and designed by Phillipe de Hondt. Some sets of the second series include scenes and figures borrowed from the cartoons of the 'Battles of the Duke of Marlborough'.

The 'Art of War' tapestries belonging to Mr Finney were reputed to be the set which was made for Augustuss the Strong of Saxony in 1708. This date, given by Schmitz in Bildteppiche (3rd ed., p.256) is probably a mistake for 1718 as a scene taken from the 'Battle of Blenheim' in the Dresden set could not have been used until after 1717. 'The March', 'The Camp' and 'CuttingFascines'' are illustrated in Ackerman. 'The Siege' and 'The Ambush', not known to Ackerman, appear to be part of the same set, which Bernheimer stated was of eight pieces. Of the two further pieces illustratedd by Ackerman, 'The Halt' is now in the National Museum, Warsaw, and the tapestry after 'Blenheim' was on the art market in 1964. The eighth, missing piece may have been similar to Marlborough's tapestry of 'Malplaquet' for the Dresden set was known as 'Die Schlachten bei Höchstädt und Malplaquet'

T.285-1972