The Camel

An Eastern king enjoys musical entertainment while exotic marvels are presented to him—peacocks, leopards, rope-walking acrobats, and a camel. While not an accurate depiction of Eastern culture, this tapestry is a truthful representation of Western fascination with the lands beyond the borders of Europe. This tapestry is an example of a style of composition known in the 1600s as “grotesque.” Grotesque scenes incorporated fanciful combinations of strange characters and imaginary hybrid creatures intended to delight the viewer. The disparate elements were unified by a symmetrical design of slender architectural features and scrolling ribbons and vines that seem illogically suspended in midair or applied to a flat surface.