Tauromachie (Bullfighting)
Aubusson tapestry woven by the Rivière des Borderies workshop.
1946.
First a poster artist, then an artist-ethnographer during the war, Perrot began his career as a cartoon designer at its end, making almost 500 cartoons, most of which were woven at Aubusson, including numerous commissions from the state (with 33 cartoons, Perrot is the most prolific tapestry designer in the Mobilier National’s collection!). His style which is particularly rich and decorative is eminently recognisable : he illustrates in flat colours (with neither shading nor picking) an abundance of animals (most often birds), standing out with no perspective, against a background of vegetation, in a style reminiscent of the mediaeval mille-fleurs tapestries.
An unusual tapestry in Perrot’s oeuvre: a bold, strident colour palette; an unusually minimalist treatment; a singular, almost choreographed theme involving the human figure; it is reminiscent of Saint-Saëns. But perhaps this is a commissioned design?
Bibliography : Tapisserie, dessins, peintures, gravures de René Perrot, Dessein et Tolra, 1982
