SPIERING, François

François Spiering (also spelt Spierincx) was a Flemish weaver, active in Delft. He arrived in Delft 1591, became member of the GuildGLOSSARYAn association of the masters of a particular craft, trade or profession (painters, goldsmiths, surgeons, and so on) set up to protect its members' rights and interests. Such guilds existed in virtually every European city in the 16th century. The guild also monitored standards of work, acted as a court for those who brought their trade into disrepute, and provided assistance to members in need. in 1613. In his successful tapestryGLOSSARYAs historical climatologists have not shown that Renaissance Italian winters and springs were warmer than they are now, it is puzzling that Italy did not fabricate tapestries to decorate and draught-proof the stony rooms of its palaces until 1545, when Cosimo I set up a manufactory in Florence. To hardiness or stinginess (tapestry was by far the most expensive form of wall decoration) we owe the existence of such secular frescoed decorative schemes as the labours of the months in the castle at Trent (c. 1407), the Arthurian scenes of Pisanello and the courtly ones of Mantegna in the Ducal Palace of Mantua, the delicious calendar fantasies of Cossa and others in the Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara - and, doubtless, many others that await liberation from whitewash or later panelling. These are all in situations where northern patrons would have used tapestries. These were imported, chiefly from Flanders, into Italy. The influence of their hunting and ceremonial scenes in particular registered on Italian 'gothic' painting or illumination and stained glass, and in literature. But the Italians did not make them. The most famous of all 'Italian' tapestries, those for the Sistine Chapel designed by Raphael, were made in Brussels from the full-scale coloured patterns, or cartoons, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Nor is it clear whether imported tapestries were used habitually or simply to add grandeur to special occasions. Even when Cosimo's manufactory was in being, and working from designs by court artists of the calibre of Bronzino, Salviati and Allori, his own headquarters, the Palace of the Signoria (now the Palazzo Vecchio), was being decorated with frescoes. The subject is underexplored. workshop he produced figurative (pictorial) tapestries. He was visited in 1598 by the diarist Aernout van Buchell (1565?-1641) who in his diary raved about the pictorial quality and colour which was - he wrote - nearly as good as that of oil paints.

From 1592 onwards Spiering's workshop was located at St Agnes convent or Agnietenklooster - alias Spierinxklooster - at the last block of houses of Oosteinde, south side, near East gate. This building measured 6 by 8 meters, having bare walls. It was given to him free of rent as the Town of Delft valued his workshop activities. From 1599 onwards he rented a yard connected to the St Agnes convent. He employed, each for a certain time, the painters/designers Hendrick Cornelisz. Vroom and Karel van Mander the Elder. The workshop was continued by his sons Aert Spiering and Pieter Spiering.

Spiering owned an art collection which boasted fine prints and drawings including works from Italy and a superb collection of Lucas van Leyden. This collection was transferred by his sons to The Hague in 1638.