The Concert from a pair of Indo-Chinese scenes 1690 - 1715

John Vanderbank the Elder created "The Concert," a tapestry now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The initial impression is of a dense, layered composition. Dark tones provide a backdrop, allowing lighter figures and intricate floral patterns to come forward. The weaving gives the tapestry a palpable texture, enhancing the visual complexity. The tapestry is organized into distinct visual zones, with groups of figures arranged in a landscape that blends fantasy with observed detail. Vanderbank plays with perspective, creating a flattened picture plane that challenges traditional Western notions of depth. This flattening encourages us to consider the tapestry not as a window onto the world, but as a constructed surface. The figures, with their stylized gestures and costumes, evoke a sense of theatrical performance. By combining the visual languages of East and West, Vanderbank invites us to question fixed categories and embrace the fluidity of cultural exchange. This tapestry offers a complex interplay of vision and culture.