Artemisia The Herald

This herald tapestry is from a set of tapestries called Artemisia depicting the life and triumphs of Artemisia, the queen of Halicarnassus. Famous for her bravery and military accomplishments she was said by the Persian king Xerxes I to have "fought like a man" whilst the rest of his fleet had "fought like women" during the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. This, as well as her rule of the ancient city of Halicarnassus, guaranteed her place in history. Since she was female her prominence captured the attentions of many artists throughout the ages, and it is no surprise that the tapestry above was commissioned by Marie de Medicis (1573 - 1642), the then queen consort of France, herself a formidable figure despite the disadvantages many women faced in the 17th century.

Les Herauts tapestry

The piece shows the heralds of Halicarnassus calling the assembly at the queens' command, with Artemisia at the front and the local Halicarnassians looking on.

This fine quality French tapestry, sometimes called Les Heraults tapestry, is woven in a high quality wool and cotton weave. It is lined and has a tunnel for ease of hanging - we enclose tapestry hanging information with each order.

Here is this medieval tapestry looking very effective in a modern setting:

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