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Royall Tyler to Mildred Barnes Bliss, July 20, 1931 [2]

29, rue d’Astorg
Paris
F Anjou 16–88
20.VII.31Monday.

Those Trémoille tapestries,Probably two of the three “mille fleur” tapestries made in the southern Netherlands or northern France ca. 1500 that were acquired by the Musée du Louvre, Paris, in 1945. They were in the collection of the Duc de La Trémoille, Château de Serrant (Maine-et-Loire), and then in the collection of Édouard Larcade, who gave them to the Louvre in 1945. One tapestry (OA 9408), known as the Noble Pastorale has figures processing wool from sheep against a background carpeted with sprays of flowers. The tapestries also have the coats of arms of Thomas Bohier (died 1524), administrator of the royal finances under Charles VIII, Louis XI, and François I, and his wife Catherine Briçonnet (died 1526), which were added to the tapestries. dearest Mildred, I’m afraid are what you’ve been looking for. I hate to say it, as I’d much rather see you buy other things which seem to me to be both of more profound interest and beauty, and also better value—but that’s really not my business, and I’m obliged to admit that if you want 2 tapestries 18–20 ft. long, Gothic, with mille fleurs, animals and people, you aren’t likely to find anything better, or as good. They really are charming, and in amazing condition. There’s just one bad restored patch, the lower part of a rose-bush, which shows up crudely, but it might be filled with bits of other mille fleurs so as not to swear with its surroundings. The rest is practically perfect—only tiny bits of restoration here and there, the size of franc pieces.

As to date, I should think they were just before 1500—perhaps 1490.

The price doesn’t seem altogether unreasonable, considering what they are.

Brüning’sHeinrich Brüning (1885–1970), a German politician who served as chancellor of Germany from 1930 to 1932. going to mass at N-D des VictoiresNotre-Dame-des-Victoires, a seventeenth-century Baroque church at 6, rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, Paris. was a stroke of genius—I think it was spontaneous, but it made me gulp and blink; it suggested the same promise that was conveyed by the Introit of the day on which the Armistice was concludedNovember 11, 1918. ‘ego cogito cogitationes pacis, et non afflictionis; invocabitis me, et ego exaudiam vos, et reducam captivitatem vestram de omnibus [sic] locis.’“I think thoughts of peace, and not of affliction: you shall call upon me, and I will hear you; and I will bring back your captivity from all places.” I understand B. made the deepest sort of impression on Laval,Pierre Laval (1883–1945), a French politician and prime minister of France in 1931. of sincerity and singleminded devotion—to the fury of Tardieu,André Pierre Gabriel Amédée Tardieu (1876–1945), a French politician who had been prime minister of France before Pierre Laval. who said in a Cab. meeting l’Allemagne a un pétard attaché au derrière. Laissons-le éclater. On verra toujours où tomberont les morceaux.“Germany has a firecracker attached to its behind. Let’s explode it. We’ll forever see where the pieces fall.”

Love, blessings

R. T.

Tardieu also said to Laval: Si tu vas à Londres avec les allemands, dans huit jours tu auras les Chambres que te balayeront.“If you go to London with the Germans, in eight days you will have the Chambers sweep you away.” Laval replied Si on me balaye sur le rapprochement avec l’Allemagne, je reviendrai.“If they sweep me away over rapprochement with Germany, I will come back.”

 
Associated Places: Paris (France)