Tapestry of the Battle of Knights and Wild Men
In two fragments (the left fragment, known as the culverin, and the right fragment, known as the Melusine)
Wool and silk
Lille circa 1470
Listed as a Historic Monument on April 14, 1904
Loaned to Saumur, Château - Museum
Inv Nos. D965.2.1-2a and D965.2.1-2b
The Battle of Knights and Wild Men is actually part of an ensemble of tapestries titled Tenture des Sauvages (Hanging of the Wild Men) which included another monumental tapestry: Le bal des Sauvages (Ball of the Wild Men). This hanging depicts combat between and the union of two peoples and was woven in Lille in the second half of the 15th century.
The wild man, always very hairy, symbolises the power of untamed nature. This theme, inspired by Ancient literature, was very common in the arts at the end of the Middle Ages and was found in tapestries, sculptures and illuminations, etc. The theme was also widely used for the scenography of festivals and royal entries, as evidenced by the terrible episode of the Bal des ardents (Ball of the Burning Men). During a masquerade in 1393, King Charles VI, disguised as a wild man, caught fire from a torch.
The cartoon (the initial drawing) for this tapestry is attributed to a very renowned illuminator who was known as Maître du Champion des Dames. He was associated with the court of Burgundy in the 15th century. This high-quality hanging comes from a princely commission or collection.
The Battle of Knights and Wild Men depicts a clash between two fictitious peoples in the historical setting of the period in which it was created. It offers us an image of war that is both traditional and innovative. On the one hand, it portrays a range of very classic weapons, still in common use in the 15th century (bows, spears, scimitars and swords of every kind). On the other, it offers us an image of the art of war in full mutation by including elements of early artillery such as the culverin and the small cannon). It was these pieces of artillery that enabled the knights to come away victorious. As the 15th century drew to a close, superiority was held by those who had mastered the new tools of war.