Triumph of Pompey
from the series The Story of Pompey the Great. Flanders, Brussels, second half of the 16th century. Based on a cartoon by the artist from M. Coxey's circle. Wool, silk; tapestry weaving. 345 × 455 cm. Inventory II.2.d. 135.
"... no Roman, except Pompey, has ever enjoyed so much love of the people, -
a love so early in life, so swiftly increasing in happiness and so reliable in adversity".
Comparative Biographies. Plutarch
This tapestry was probably part of a series of tapestries dedicated to the deeds of Pompey the Great (106 BC-48 BC), the great Roman general and politician. It is now difficult to say how many tapestries were part of the series, with the other tapestries in the series being unknown.
The tapestry depicts Pompey's triumph in Rome. His first triumph was in 81 BC, when the young Pompey, the first in Roman history not to be a senator, received a triumph for his military service. Emperor Sulla called Pompey Magnus (the Great) and allowed him to celebrate his triumph on his return to Rome. Pompey's second triumph took place in 71 BC, and he celebrated his third triumph in 61 BC.
Research
Technical and technological research is nesessary before conservation. During microscopic examinations, we examine the parameters of the sampled threads, their nature and state of preservation. High-performance liquid chromatography and molecular spectroscopy are used to determine the nature of the dyes used in the dyeing of the fibres and threads. The results are taken into account in the designing the conservation programme.
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