In 1743 the Bâtiments du Roi commissioned Jean-François de Troy to make a series of tapestries for the Gobelins Manufactory. The theme of the series The story of Jason and Medea is taken from the VII book of Ovid's Metamorphoses. The entire cycle is made up of seven tapestries representing scenes from the Greek myth: Jason promises faith to Medea; Jason tames the bulls; Dragon-toothed soldiers turn their weapons against each other; Jason takes the Golden Fleece; The marriage of Jason and Creusa; Creusa is killed by the magical robe that Medea gave her; Medea stabs her two sons by Jason, sets fire to Corinth and leaves for Athens.
Several series have been made with the same theme. The first complete series, woven from wool and silk between 1750 and 1754, was requested from the Gobelins by the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne (Royal Depot of Furniture) in 1758. In 1770, the tapestries were used to decorate the pavilion erected in Strasbourg for Marie Antoinette's entry into France as wife of Louis XVI. In 1775 the entire series was donated to Archduke Maximilian of Austria, son of Maria Theresa of Austria and brother of Marie Antoinette, by Louis XV. The archduke, in turn, sent him to the Palazzo Reale in Milan.
The series remained in Milan under the rule of Eugene de Beauharnais, nephew of Napoleon and viceroy of Italy. During the Restoration period the tapestries of Jason, except one - Jason Taming the Bulls - still attested in the Royal Palace in 1900, were temporarily moved to the Royal Villa of Monza to make room for the series of the Acts of the Apostles by Raphael, at least until 1908 when they returned to the Tapestry Halls of the Royal Palace and were kept there until 1943. The entire series was then moved to the Green Marble Table Hall (then the Tapestry Hall) on the second floor of Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo, to protect it from bombing by the allies. In 2000, the tapestries returned to the Royal Palace as part of the Royal Palace Museum project, which saw an initial reorganization of the historic rooms.
Title: Tapestry cycle of Jason and Medea
Author: Anonymous
Date: 1750-54
Technique:
Displayed in: Royal Palace of Milan
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