Abstract
This article draws on new research, documentary evidence, and technical analysis to provide a detailed account of the Gideon tapestries at Hardwick Hall. The tapestries are dated 1578 and consist of thirteen panels, each nearly 20 feet high and over 230 feet in total length. They were woven for Sir Christopher Hatton, and after his death in 1591 were bought by the Countess of Shrewsbury and installed at Hardwick Hall. The tapestries are based on an earlier set woven for Cosimo I de’ Medici in Brussels, but the designs are significantly expanded. The tapestries were made in Oudenaarde, confirmed by a newly discovered maker’s mark. Recent conservation has revealed the use of paint on the front of the tapestries, and poor-quality dyestuffs that have faded. Both features can be linked to documented workshop practices in Oudenaarde. The imagery of the tapestries also engages in unexpected ways with Reformation thinking on idolatry.
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