Guillaume Werniers and Tapestry-Making in Eighteenth Century France.

In 1700, Brussels-born Guillaume Werniers took over the tapestry factory founded a dozen years earlier in Lille by his father-in-law Jean de Melter. He took on local commissions (from the Etats de Flandres, churches and convents) and specialized in tapestries depicting scenes of daily life in the manner of the Flemish painter David Teniers. These tapestries were known as “Tenières” and were destined for wealthy international costumers. On his death in 1738, his widow Catherine Ghuys took over the company until 1778, ensuring its prosperity for some forty years.

The aim of the study day is to bring together a group of professionals and researchers specializing in the art of tapestry and its history (museum curators, restorers, academics, antique dealers, collectors,
as well as enthusiasts) and to present the latest advances in research on the subject. It will also show that tapestry occupied a place of choice in the most refined interiors during the Early Modern Times, even though this art form is today little-known by students and the general public
alike.

The proceedings of the study day will be published in the Revue du Nord with the support of the Manufacture royale De Wit.

9h30 Accueil

9h45 Ouverture
Charles MÉRIAUX (Directeur de l’IRHiS, ULille)
Soersha DYON, Gaëtane MAËS (IRHiS, ULille)

10h00 Introduction
Pascal-François BERTRAND (UBordeaux Montaigne)

10h15 CONTEXTE ET APPROCHE HISTORIQUE DE LA TAPISSERIE LILLOISE - Modérateur Jérémie CERMAN (CREHS, UArtois)
Hélène LOBIR (Musée de l’Hospice Comtesse)
La collection de tapisseries des musées de Lille
Martine VANWELDEN (KULeuven, Belgique)
Contacts et comparaisons entre les centres de tapisserie de Lille et d’Audenarde
Dominique DELGRANGE (Société française d’héraldique et de sigillographie)
Evrard VAN ZUYLEN (Développeur de la base de données webaldic)
Lecture et identification des armoiries présentes dans plusieurs tapisseries de Werniers
Discussion

12h00 Déjeuner

13h30 PEINTURE ET TAPISSERIE - Modératrice Juliette SINGER (Palais des Beaux-Arts, Musée de l’Hospice Comtesse)
Jean VITTET (Château de Fontainebleau)
Le peintre Arnould de Vuez (1644-1720) et la tapisserie
Koen BROSENS (KULeuven, Belgique)
Teniers, Teniers, Teniers. And Teniers. The European market for tapestries ‘à la manière de Teniers’
around 1700 Pause
Pascal-François BERTRAND (UBordeaux Montaigne)
Les Tenières de la manufacture De Melter et Werniers de Lille

15h15 TABLE RONDE : AUTOUR DES ATTRIBUTIONS AUX ATELIERS DE LILLE ET DU NORD DE LA
FRANCE - Modératrice Florence RAYMOND (Musée de l’Hospice Comtesse)
autour de Guy DELMARCEL (KULeuven, Belgique),
les intervenants, le public

16h15 Conclusion
Gaëtane MAËS (IRHiS, ULille)

16h30 Fin de la journée