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Heads of Menelaus and Agamemnon

Watercolour Drawing
ca. 1790-1810 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Watercolour drawing depicting the heads of Menelaus and Agamemnon in a 15th century tapestry that once hung in the Palace of Westminster

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleHeads of Menelaus and Agamemnon (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour drawing
Brief description
Drawing with inscription 'Head in No. 2 Tapestry' by John Carter F.S.A., ca. 1790-1810.
Physical description
Watercolour drawing depicting the heads of Menelaus and Agamemnon in a 15th century tapestry that once hung in the Palace of Westminster
Dimensions
  • Height: 20.75in
  • Width: 13.875in
Dimensions taken from departmental notes
Credit line
From the Gardner and Coates collections
Object history
The tapestries depicted were woven in Flanders in the last half of the 15th century. The five depicted were originally part of a series of eleven, known as 'The Great History of Troy'. Each panel contained two or three episodes taken from the 'Roman de Troie' by Benoit de Saint-More, published ca. 1164.

In 1789, several architects including Adam, Wyatt, and Dance, had reported to a committee of the Commons in favour of rebuilding the Palace of Westminster. By way of protest against this proposal, involving the removal of the tapestries, John Carter published a series of articles in 'Gentleman's Magazine' entitled 'The Pursuits of Architectural Innovation', under the anonymous nom de plume 'An Artist'. In spite of his protest the tapestries were removed and some years later were sold in 1820 for £10 to the late Charles Yarnold. After his death in 1825, they were included in a catalogue of Yarnold's curiosities and were bought by a Mr Matheman for £7. In the catalogue they were described as Plantagenet tapestries. Those depicted in E.2252 to 2254-1924 were bought for 60 guineas by a Mr Teschemacher and nothing is known of them after 1829.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design & Department of Paintings, Accessions 1924, published under the Authority of the Board of Education, London, 1926.
Collection
Accession number
E.2237-1924

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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