THE TECHNOLOGIST. 
ON THE MANUFACTURE OF GOBELINS TAPESTRY AND OF 
SAVONNERIE CARPETS. 
BY A. L. LACORDAIRE, 
Director of that Establishment. 
The Imperial manufactory of Gobelins includes two distinct works : 
that of historical tapestries or mural hangings, and that of carpets in 
fine wool called Savonnerie, from the name of the house where they 
were first made. (" La Savonniere") 
These two textures appear to have been in use from the most remote 
period of time ; they are mentioned in the most ancient documents 
transmitted to us by history and by monuments ; the art of manu- 
facturing them was imported from the East into Europe at a period 
difficult to determine, but which for France does not appear to be 
further back than the ninth century. Saint Angelure de Norvege, 
Bishop of Auxerre, who died in 840, had a great number of carpets 
executed for his church ;(a) about 985, the Monks of the Abbey of Saint- 
Florent de Saumur manufactured themselves in their enclosures, ta- 
pestries and different stuffs,(&) Matthew de Loudun, Abbot of this 
Monastery, nominated in 1133, had an entire suite of hangings executed 
by them for his church ; on one of the pieces which ornamented the 
choir was represented the four and twenty elders of the Apocalypse ; on 
another piece a subject taken from the same book, and on that of the 
nave, the hunting of wild deer.(c) Towards the year 1060, Gervin, Ab- 
bot of Saint-Riqrier, was remarkable for his liberality in the purchase of 
(a) Le Boeuf, Histoire d' Auxerre, torn. 1, page 173. Le Pere Labbe, Histoire 
de l'Eglise d' Auxerre, chap. xxxv. 
(b) DD Martenue et Durand, Historia Monasterii Sancti Florenti Salmuriensis 
.Ampl. col., torn. v. 
(c) Ibid. 
VOL. VI. G G 
