Dream of Rinaldo

design and cartoon by François Boucher; woven under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Oudry and Nicolas Besnier at the Beauvais manufactory

National Gallery of Art

This is a tapestry of people in flowing garments in a pastoral landscape. At the center of the tapestry, a man in a red garment reclines, his eyes closed. He holds a plumed golden helmet on his knee and wears golden sandals. Around him, a crowd of people sitting or lounging on the ground turn to look at him, some pointing. All of the people have light skin and pale-yellow hair. The scene includes musical instruments, white sculptures, vessels spilling water, and many pink flowers among green leaves. Some sections of the tapestry, especially around the center, are bright white. The scene is surrounded by a golden border.