Gobelins

One of the most important tapestry factories in Europe in the 18th century.

It derives its name from the Gobelins, a family of dyers who, in the mid 15th century, established a dyeing workshop in the Faubourg Saint Marcel in Paris. In 1662 the works, with the adjoining grounds, were purchased by Jean-Baptiste Colbert on behalf of Louis XIV and made into a general upholstery factory, in which designs both in tapestry and in all kinds of furniture were executed under the superintendence of the royal painter, Charles Le Brun. On account of Louis XIV's financial problems, the establishment was closed in 1694, but it was reopened in 1699 for the manufacture of tapestry, chiefly for royal use, and rivalled the Beauvais tapestry works. In 1826 the manufacture of carpets was added to that of tapestry. The factory is still in operation as a state-run institution.