Collecting Netherlandish Tapestry in Germany during the 16th Century

Tapestry has long been associated with the rich and powerful European rulers of the 16th century. A luxury item, durable, easily transportable, it was an excellent medium for princely propaganda. In recent years, one of the most prolific approaches in this field is the history of collections. Within German-speaking territories, the numerous tapestries collected by the Habsburgs have widely caught the attention of researchers. Stimulated by the example of the sovereigns, the leading nobility were also fervent enthusiasts for tapestry, especially Flemish ones. We have been given a glimpse of some of these owners’ collections, but most of them have not yet been closely examined. This paper presents a quick overview of the wealth of these owners and their collections, the character of the works they commissioned or bought, their means of collecting, their agents, their likely reasons or intentions in collecting, and the use to which they put Netherlandish tapestry. The aim is to point out potential issues needing further detailed studies.