Verdure Tapestry

This tapestry reflects a period when patrons were beginning to demand illusionary vistas to pierce their walls. The composition is clearly thought of in painterly terms, and bears more than a slight resemblance to contemporary landscapes. As such, the design relies heavily on broad areas of flat color and tinted shadows. The figures on the trompe l'oeil border engage the intellect as well as the eye, creating an architectural framework that invites the viewer to contemplate the scene as if one could walk out into it. Shadows are cast everywhere, even on the side of the inner frame where the light falls on the left (though the light source in the central scene is on the right).