The Story of Abraham (tapestries)

One set was delivered to Henry VIII of England in 1543; it now hangs in what was probably the original intended location, the Great Hall in Hampton Court Palace near London.

The upper section of each border features a Latin summary of the story depicted; for example, in the upper section of the Sacrifice of Isaac, a central cartouche, among scrolling acanthus leaves, bears the inscription "abraham divino oracvlo ivbetvr immolare vnigentivm svvm filivm issac" ("Abraham, at God's command, sacrifices his only begotten son, Isaac").

The side and lower sections are divided into a series of architectural niches, featuring allegorical figures with an accompanying Latin description.

[3] Originally hung in the great hall of Hampton Court Palace and delivered sometime in December 1543 or early 1544, several years after the design process began in 1537.

He may have used the Old Testament imagery of Abraham's Covenant with God in attempt to legitimise his new position as head of an independent church, and the story of The Circumcision of Isaac to represent his desire for a much awaited male heir.

[6] They were frequently displayed in the following centuries and Charles I hung them at a number of state occasions, including the celebration of St. George's Feast in April 1635, and the receptions of the Moroccan and of the Spanish ambassadors in 1637 and 1649.

[4] In 1656, he ordered the artist Francis Cleyn to make designs for new tapestries based on the set, and one of these suites survives at Blickling Hall.

Both the queen and Prince Albert took an interest in improving standards at the palace and a new scientific approach to conservation was emerging.

[2] By 1884 the condition of a number of tapestries at Hampton Court, including the Story of Abraham series, had reached parliament and the Treasury granted a sum of £400 for 13 needle-women to complete restoration on some 37 works.

The works were first covered in a protective material, before specially commissioned copies were hung over, allowing the Great Hall to keep its previous appearance.

[5] Detailed photographs were taken of both the front and the back, allowing a high-quality digital archive of the current condition of the tapestry to be created.