Size:m. 3,20 H x 2.50 L -10’6” H x 8 ’3” W
Age: second half of XVII century.
Condition: very good. Minor restorations probably made in the early XX century.

The subject’s source is the Roman History by Titus Livius (59 b.C. – 17 a.C.). It depicts the Roman army in the act of marching against the Sabini. In the foreground a young general , wearing a scarlet mantle, holds up a spear. Just behind him a soldier waves a standard decorated with the she wolf , symbol of Rome. On the right side of the field there is an old building and behind it, in the background, a hilly landscape.

The tapestry is framed by a marvellous border adorned with winged putti and flowers and leaves garlands.
Even in absence of town marks or inscriptions, the weaving finesse,   the type of border,  colours and  style indicate the famous French Gobelins Manufacture as the home place for this tapestry.

The subject theme makes us thinking to the figurative Italian culture arrived in France in the early XVI century at the time of the constructions of the castle of Fontainebleu,  during Francis the I kingdom.  In particular the soldiers are on the style of Giulio Pippi’s  (so called Romano, 1499-1546) paintings and of his pupil Primaticcio who worked in France and was one of the founders of the famous Fontainebleu school.