Drawing with inscription 'Head in No. 2 Tapestry' by John Carter F.S.A., ca. 1790-1810.

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

From the Gardner and Coates collections

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.

E.2237-1924