Fine Flemish Wool Tapestry

Fine Flemish Wool Tapestry, 16th century, rectangular, depicting an elaborate allegorical scene of Avarice, with a royal procession of courtly men and women on foot and on horseback to lower section, including a lady riding side saddle toward a king on horseback, with smaller vignettes to upper left and right corners, depicting a charge on horseback, and a courtly group of including a woman picking up golden orbs before an angel holding a chalice, the whole centered by a figure of a woman riding a griffin and holding aloft a money purse, with foliate vine border centered at lower band with a Latin motto reading 'Placing the lowest of aims before the loftiest 'Avarice' breaks from the path and knows not of honor of the highway," approx. 18 ft. 3 in. x 14 ft. 1 in. Provenance: Gifted to consignor from William Randolph Hearst. Overall in very good condition. Throughout the tapestry are small areas where the dye became ephemeral or they represent small re-woven areas. If they are repairs, they are exceptionally well constructed as they are seamlessly physically blended into the tapestry. The color difference is the only way these are noticeable. There are a very few small separations in the weave and the colors are still strong and fresh. Taken from the center of the inscription panel, the left side measures 120 inches and the right side measures 104 inches. There is NO evidence of a reduction on the right side.