A review of the main natural dyes (particularly yellow flavonoids and red anthraquinones) and proteinaceous substrates used in Historical Tapestries and North American porcupine quill work was undertaken, and is summarised in Chapter 1. The analysis of natural dyes which have been used on museum artefacts other than textiles has received little systematic study, particularly those of non-European origin. In this research, the use of Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) for study of natural dyes found on historical textiles and ethnographical objects decorated with porcupine quill work is explored; this required a transfer of existing analytical protocols and methodology. The advantages of using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) was evaluated through a method development based on the separation and quantification of ten flavonoid and anthraquinone dyes as described in Chapter 2. These methods were then applied to the characterisation of the dye sources found on a group of sixteenth century historical tapestries which form an important part of the Burrell Collection in Glasgow and are believed to have been manufactured in an English workshop (Chapter 3) and also to the analysis of some late nineteenth century North American porcupine quill work from a collection owned by National Museums Scotland (Chapter 5); allowing exciting conclusions to be drawn in each case about the range of dyestuffs used in their manufacture. The second aim of this research was the development of methodology for the non-invasive quantification of metal ion residues on porcupine quill substrates. This was achieved through a comparative study of reference porcupine quills prepared in-house with dyebaths containing a range of metal ion concentrations (copper and tin). The concentration of metal ions sorbed by the porcupine quills was then quantified with Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) coupled to Optical Emission Spectrometry (OES) and non-invasive Particle Induced X-Ray Emission analysis (PIXE) coupled with Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) as described in Chapter 4. The responses provided by the different methods were compared and they were then applied to the study of micro-samples collected from mid-nineteenth century Northern Athapaskan porcupine quill work. Unexpectedly, the use of UPLC analysis and RBS-PIXE analysis allowed the characterisation of traded European natural dyes used with metallic mordants (copper and tin) on these samples, highlighting how European contact impacted on traditional Athapaskan porcupine quill work in the late nineteenth century (Chapter 5).

Anne de Bretagne a largement retenu l'attention des historiens et des historiens de l'art. Pourtant une approche globale de ses collections d'art restait à faire. L'examen de la constitution de ces collections a permis de mettre au jour l'importance des héritages ducal -de son père François II -et royal - de son premier époux Charles VIII -, et de mieux déterminer la part de ses propres commandes. Grâce à ces enrichissements successifs, Anne de Bretagne possédait d'extraordinaires collections d'art, parmi les plus riches du royaume. Les textiles, indispensables à l'ameublement des logis royaux, y tiennent une place considérable que ce soient les tissus d'ameublement ou les tentures historiées. Les arts de la table et l'orfèvrerie religieuse constituent une autre part importante de toutes collections princières médiévales. Anne de Bretagne sut aussi exprimer un goût plus personnel par son penchant pour les bijoux, les verres vénitiens ou la peinture. Cette étude s'attache aussi à replacer ces objets précieux dans leur contexte quotidien. Entre transports et mises en dépôt, leur vie était mouvementée, à l'instar de la cour itinérante dont ils constituaient le décor. L'examen de cet aspect permet de mieux appréhender le rapport qu'Anne entretenait avec ses collections. Les arts tenaient un rôle de premier plan dans l'affirmation du prince et Anne en eut bien conscience. Elle sollicita les artistes les plus réputés et se montra soucieuse de l'entretien de ses objets, Elle exprima aussi son attachement au duché breton en les entreposant au château de Nantes. Elle veillait enfin à l'exposition de ses plus belles pièces, notamment lors des grands événements de la vie de cour. / Anne of Brittany has received much attention from historians and art historians alike, and yet a comprehensive review of her art collections never been done. An examination of the composition of these collections helped to uncover the importance of both her ducal heritage -from her father Francis II-and her royal heritage -from Charles VIII. This examination also helped to better understand the importance of her own commissions and sponsorships. Through these successive endowments, Anne of Brittany amassed an extraordinary collection of art, among the richest in the kingdom. As an essential decor for the royal apartments, textiles hold an important place in these collections, whether it be silk fabric or tapestry. Tableware and religious gold work also represented an serious part of the collections, Furthermore, Anne own personal-taste is better expressed through be r affection for jewelry, Venetian glass and paintings. This study also sought to place these precious objects in their everyday context. Between placement, transport and storage, these pieces were in constant' movement as the backdrop to the itinerant court. The examination of this aspect provides further insight into the relationship between Anne and her collections, She was well aware that art held a prominent role in the affirmation of the Prince. She sought out the most renowned artists and appeared careful about the maintenance of their work. She also expressed her commitment to the duchy of Brittany by regularly storing her artwork in the castle of Nantes. Anne endeavored to exhibit her best pieces, particularly during major events of court life, again proving her dedication to the arts.

René de Longueil hérita de façon imprévue et presque simultanée de la seigneurie familiale de Maisons en 1629 et de l’héritage provenant de la famille de sa femme en 1630 qu’il sut par son habileté tourner à son avantage. Il entreprit dès lors la construction d’un château neuf, confié à François Mansart ainsi qu’à l’équipe de Jacques Sarrazin, célébré comme l’une des plus belles demeures de France. Mais il ne vit l’achèvement du projet que dix années avant sa mort, faisant de Maisons un chantier permanent, celui-ci ayant été conduit en plusieurs phases successives. A Paris, il habita rue de Béthisy, dans un hôtel hérité de Nicolas Chevalier, son oncle par alliance. Sa femme Madeleine, disparue très tôt, reste une figure mystérieuse, inspirant une partie du décor du nouveau château. Il eut également à coeur d’agrandir la seigneurie par l’achat de fiefs qui constituèrent un vaste territoire dans le Pincerais, entourant quasiment le domaine royal de Saint-Germain. Descendant d’une famille de robe, il acheta les charges de président de la cour des Aides, puis de président à mortier. Durant la Fronde, il joua un rôle important d’intermédiaire entre le Parlement et la Régence. Il eut l’honneur de servir le roi comme capitaine de ses châteaux de Versailles et Saint-Germain, avant d’être nommé surintendant des finances en 1650. Exilé quelques années en Normandie, il put, à son retour en grâce, accéder au rang de marquis en 1658 et recevoir le roi et la Cour. Ses demeures de Maisons et de Béthisy renfermaient un mobilier très riche et précieux, ainsi que de nombreuses oeuvres d’art. Homme de goût, dans l’esprit de son temps, il s’intéressa aux tapisseries, aux porcelaines et aux orangers. Les poètes célébrèrent les jardins de Maisons. Il fit de l’excellence une règle en n’employant que les meilleurs artisans et domestiques. Homme puissant, riche, célèbre, il transmit un patrimoine très important et son titre de marquis. / In an unexpected manner, and in a short time, Rene de Longueil inherited to the family seigneury of Maisons in 1629 and the heritage of his wife’s family in 1630 which he took advantage by his cleverness. Ever since Rene de Longueil undertook the construction of a new chateau, trusted François Mansart and Jacques Sarrazin’s team, and celebrated as one of the most beautiful residence in France. But he saw the finishing of the project only ten years before his death: Maisons was an endless building site, done one stage at a time. In Paris, he lived at rue de Béthisy, in a town house, inherited from Nicolas Chevalier, his uncle in-law. His wife, Madeleine, dead too early, stays a mysterious person who inspired the decoration of the new chateau. He had one’s heart set on extending the seigneury with the purchase of fief which constituted a huge territory in le Pincerais, surrounding nearly the crown estate of Saint-Germain. Descendant of a noble family, he baught the charges of la Cour des Aides and Président à mortier. During the Fronde, he played an important role as an agent between the Parlment and the Regency. He had the honour of serving the king as captain of his chateau in Versailles and Saint-Germain, before he’s promoted Superintendent of Finances in 1650. He lived in exile in Normandy a few years. Back in favour, he could assent to rank of Marquis in 1658 and welcoming the king and the Court. His places of residence in Maisons and Bethisy contained sumptuous and precious furniture, as well as many works of art. Man with a lot of taste and moving with the times, he took an interest in tapestries work, chinas, and orange trees. The poets celebrated the gardens of Maisons. Excellence became his rule employing the best craftmens and the best servants. Powerful, rich and famous man, he transferred a considerable heritage and his title of Marquis to his descendants.

The luminous, famous and enigmatic The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are timelss objects at the center of heated scholarly discussion. There are six tapestries, created circa 1480-1500 (figures 1 – 6), and were commissioned by the le Viste family of Lyon, whose heraldic arms appear in each tapestry. This paper seeks to connect the tapestries conceptually to contemporary courtly, feminine ideals, the image of woman in late fifteenth-century Paris, and most importantly to Christine de Pizan's writings, particularly City of Ladies and The Treasury of the City of Ladies, both written in 1405. Through her texts, Christine de Pizan (1363 – 1434) created a noble, dignified image of women that may have influenced the way viewers were intended to perceive The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. While recent scholarly studies have connected the tapestries to contemporary texts, there has not been a discussion regarding Christine de Pizan's influential writings, their surrounding discourse, or the image of a woman as the visual embodiment of the le Viste family in connection to the tapestries. Specific passages in Christine's texts resemble motifs, objects, and underlying messages in The Lady and the Unicorn. While Christine's works may not have been the direct inspiration for the tapestries, both are a part of the visual and textual make-up of the abstracted feminine ideals that were circulating in Paris and France at large in the fifteenth century. The Lady and the Unicorn may also have had a didactic purpose similar to Christine's Treasury of the City of Ladies, displaying for the le Viste daughters through a visual medium the attributes of the ideal maiden. Exploring the cultural context in which The Lady and the Unicorn was created, specifically as it relates to women in society, the upper class, expectations for young maidens, visual and written moral messages for women and their artistic manifestations provides a new understanding of these exceptional tapestries.