Creighton University

In the 1980's I visited, among other New Orleans antiques stories, Wirthmore Antiques, specializing in French country antiques.  I noticed a tapestry.  I asked the owner, Gay Wirth, if she knew that its panels represented the fables of La Fontaine, and I walked through the fables pictured there.  Was the tapestry, I asked, for sale?  "No," she answered.  "It is for now part of our décor.  But I will be happy to get in touch with you when we change the décor."  I was happy to look forward to that day!  In 2018, I happened to be visiting New Orleans again.  In the midst of an enjoyable visit, I wondered whatever had happened to Wirthmore Antiques.  It turned out that they still were in business, though they had moved from their original venue.  I called, and Ms. Wirth was delighted that I did.  "Oh, Father, we had lost your name.  We still have the tapestry.  Could you come tomorrow?"  I came and she laid out that lovely tapestry that I had loved at first sight.  Ms. Wirth said she was impressed with the fable collection and wanted to contribute the tapestry!  What a great gift!  On the train ride home, when I needed to move to visit the dining car, I remember carrying the tapestry, nicely bundled at the antiques store, on my shoulder.  I would not let it out of my sight!

Each of these long, slender, exquisite tapestries contains six fable scenes.  The style is similar to that on our wider tapestry, but strangely none of the twelve scenes presented here are the same as the seven there.  Two of the images here are unclear to me.  I would love to have help in deciphering them!  The first image here shows them as they stood at the entrance to an on-campus exhibit of the fable collection, "Thundering Tortoises and Horrified Hares," in January, '18.