<b>Object Type</b><br>This tapestry is from a set that was intended to be portable. It would have been carried between the palaces of Charles I (ruled 1625-1649) when he changed his current residence. In this period they would have been attached to the walls by their top edge only.<br><br><b>People & Places</b><br>The tapestry workshop at Mortlake near London was established by Francis Crane (1579-1636) under the patronage of James I (ruled 1603-1625). Fifty Flemish weavers and their families were brought there in 1620. Through their skill and the advantages of Royal involvement, during its first twenty years the workshop produced some of the finest tapestries in Europe.<br><br><b>Subjects Depicted</b><br>The scene is from the mythological story of Vulcan, the god of fire, and Venus, the goddess of love. The tale was told in <i>The Odyssey</i> by the Greek poet Homer. Venus and her lover Mars, the god of war, have been imprisoned by her husband Vulcan, who sits in judgement. Neptune, god of the sea, and Cupid, god of love, plead for the lovers, while the Three Graces weep for them.<br><br><b>Materials & Making</b><br>The areas of flesh on the figures were the most skilled and therefore the most expensive parts of the tapestry to weave. The V&A has a tapestry with another version of this scene in which Neptune and Cupid are both clothed. Presumably this was commissioned by a client who could not afford so much expense.