Lille's Hospice Comtesse unveils restored 18th-century wool and silk tapestries

The "Trésors de laine et de soie" exhibition is on display at the Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse in Lille until October 11. This showcase includes eleven meticulously restored tapestries from both the museum and the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille. It emphasizes the work of Guillaume Werniers, who took over the workshop in 1701, and Catherine Ghuys, who managed it after Werniers passed away in 1738. The workshop, known for its wool and silk tapestries illustrating everyday life, employed as many as fifty artisans. Featured are two large tapestries from 1703 created by Arnould de Vuez and six religious pieces crafted between 1735 and 1737 for the Saint-Sauveur church. The restoration, supported by DRAC Hauts-de-France, included dusting, consolidation, and visual integration. Researchers believe that around a thousand tapestries were made in Lille during the 18th century.