Gobelins Salon

Once we have exited the Salón de Goya, we walk through the Gallery of the Salón de Goya towards the Salón de los Gobelinos.

This room owes its name to the Gobelins manufactory, founded during the reign of Louis XIV and located in the Parisian suburb of Saint Michelle, from which all the tapestries displayed here originate.

The Tapestries of the New Indies

All the tapestries are part of an original series, believed to date from the early 18th century, composed of eight pieces. The series is called The New Indies, which replicate paintings by Albert Eckhout, gifted to the French crown in 1678 by Prince of Orange, Maurice of Nassau.

The tapestries exhibited here are The Fruit Gatherers, The Indian Hunter, Animal Fight, and Transport and Milling of Sugar Cane. The subjects represented are human, animal, and plant allegories of the New World, seen through a romantic and perhaps unrealistic lens; everything is wrapped in lush and exuberant nature, where the outside light plays an important role.

History and Adaptation of the Room

The tapestries were brought from Madrid by Sofía Amelia de Lancaster y Bleck, the third and last Marchioness of Viana; they belonged to the Ballroom, a place where we believe they would have been displayed in all their splendor.

In order to house such large compositions, the Marchioness decided to renovate this room, which at the time was part of the administrator’s residence, giving it greater height. Nevertheless, the Salón de los Gobelinos still feels somewhat small, since due to the considerable size of its tapestries, the lack of perspective prevents them from being viewed under the best conditions and, therefore, from being enjoyed as works of their quality deserve.

Furniture and Decoration

Beneath the mentioned tapestries, there are a total of four benches and eight stools of similar characteristics, also brought from the Ballroom in Madrid, featuring neo-baroque shapes and upholstered in light beige fabric. The decor is completed with a beautiful oriental rug on the floor.

Visit to the Salón de los Gobelinos

If you wish to visit the Salón de los Gobelinos at the Palacio de Viana, do not hesitate to book one of our guided tours. We are experts in the interpretation of Córdoba’s historical heritage.

If you have chosen to do tourism in Córdoba, choose a quality option — choose ArtenCórdoba.

Text: J.A.S.C.