The Twelve Ages of a Man: The Last Three Ages (54-72), or Winter 1510 - 1520

Bernard van Orley wove this tapestry depicting "The Last Three Ages" around 1535 in Brussels. It visualizes the final stages of life as winter, but what can we say about how older age was viewed in the early 16th century? Brussels was a center for tapestry production, and this work would have been commissioned for a wealthy patron, likely to adorn a grand hall. The figures are dressed in the finery of the time and engaged in courtly activities. In the tapestry's different scenes, we see men in their fifties and sixties as learned scholars, advisors, and judges, while men in their seventies are depicted sick in bed, surrounded by loved ones. This tapestry likely reflects a humanist interest in the stages of life, but also the social realities of a society with an aging elite. Historical archives, records of tapestry production, and studies of period costume can reveal more about the place of this work in its cultural moment. By understanding these contexts, we can better appreciate the tapestry's significance as a social document.