Conservation: Cleaning Of A 17th Century Tapestry

The archives team at Hatfield have been busy cleaning this late 17th century tapestry as part of a conservation project.

The tapestry was made by Henrik Reydams, a Flemish weaver, in Brussels. It is woven showing the Roman Goddess Diana at a hunt, with attendant figures. The tapestry which usually hangs on the wall of the Grand Staircase measures over 19 feet wide and 14 feet high.

It was carefully cleaned, front and back, which took two days. Soft brushes were used to gently loosen the dust and a museum vac (gentle specialist vacuum cleaner) was used to to remove it.