Following the Stag's Trail (From Incidents in a Stag Hunt)

Art Historical Context

Step into the thrilling world of a late medieval hunt with *Following the Stag's*, a magnificent South Netherlandish tapestry from around 1495–1515. This woven panel, part of a larger series titled *Incidents in a Stag Hunt*, captures the of the chase, featuring men and their loyal dogs tracking a stag through lush landscapes. Measuring an impressive 94½ × 57 inches, it would have adorned the walls of a grand noble hall, transforming spaces into vivid scenes of aristocratic leisure. Crafted on a wool warp with wool wefts—a hallmark of South Netherlandish weaving excellence—this tapestry showcases the era's masterful high-warp loom techniques. Produced in the prosperous workshops of Flanders or nearby regions during the Renaissance's dawn, these textiles were luxury goods symbolizing wealth and status. Stag hunts, a favorite theme, evoked chivalric ideals, blending realism with narrative drama in intricate details of motion and nature. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art Department, thanks to the 1944 bequest of Helen Hay Whitney, this anonymous masterpiece invites us to ponder the artistry of forgotten weavers who brought epic tales to life in thread. A window into 16th-century elite culture, it reminds us how tapestries wove history into everyday splendor.