The Harvesting of Pineapples

This 18th-century French tapestry was woven from wool and silk threads by master weavers at Beauvais, one of France’s finest tapestry workshops. It is part of the highly celebrated series “The Story of the Emperor of China,” which illustrates scenes from the life of Emperor Shun Chih (reigned 1644–1661) and his successor, Kang Hsi (reigned 1661–1722).

The imaginative composition, designed by leading artists of the period, illustrates members of the Chinese royal court harvesting pineapples. Brightly hued chinoiserie elements are employed for evocative and decorative ends: Fields of pineapples intermix with spectacular banana, pine and palm trees, exotic flowers, colorful textiles and whimsical pagodas.