Brussels Wall Tapestry depicting The Plundering, attributed to Jérome le Clerc and Jacques van der Bocht I

In the workshop of Jérome le Clerc and Jacques van der Bocht I this tapesty was woven after a design of Ignace de Hondt. It’s the fourth tapestry in a series of eight. The ‘editio princeps’ of this series was commissioned by Elector Maximilan Emmanuel of Bavaria (viceroy to the southern Netherlands) in 1696. The Elector had the wall hangings manufactured to commemorate his succesfull battle with the Turks. Tapestries like these, that depict contemporary historic events, are very rare, not in the least because they were without exception especially commissioned. This explains why there are so few similar series. Copies of these series; ‘les Arts de le Guerre’ were commissioned by Stadtholder-King William III (William & Mary), margrave Ludwig von Baden and the first duke of Marlborough. One of the tapestries from this last series is still to be seen at Blenheim.
The later series were all made with minor variations in detail and size. Furthermore there are two versions woven; one with trophees of war, another with floral motives.
The entire series of ‘les Arts de la Guerre’ consisted of; the Encampment, the Cavalry in Action, the Ambush, the Plundering, the Foraging, the Attaque, the Encounter and the Fascine Covering.