This tapestry was woven in the early 16th Century, probably around 1520, at the beginning of the reign of Francis I, who was King of France from 1515 to 1547. A brilliant and courageous King, he protected literature and the Arts, and founded the College of France. He also established the first Royal Tapestry Workshop at Fontainbleau around 1530. The scene is of a noble party who are hunting by means of crossbows and falcons, which was highly popular in the 16th Century among the nobility. Against a naive background of castles and rolling hills, the group of noble folk assemble on the bank of a river to set off on their expedition. Some have crossbows, a missile weapon which consisted of a bow fixed across a wooden stock, having a mechanism for holding and releasing the string; while some have falcons which they hold by jesses (short strips of leather) in their gauntleted fists. The original tapestry was woven in Tournai and forms part of a series known as La Chasse au Hron, and may be seen today at the Mobilier National Museum in Paris. This beautiful tapestry is Silkscreened (also known as serigraphed) onto an irregularly woven fabric made from wool, cotton or linen. Considerable labour is required with this process including hand-painting to finish the details. Silk screen tapestries appear antiqued and aged giving them the look and feel of tapestries that hang in museums today. Composition: Silk Screened Finish on reverse: This tapestry is fully backed with luxury cotton lining incorporating a sleeve along the top for hanging purposes.