Simon Vouet
French, 1590 - 1649Manufactory of Raphael de la Planche
French, active 1629 - 1661Carlo and Ubaldo at the Fountain of Laughter, ca. 1633-1637
On view
Wool and silk (modern cotton lining)
Dimensions177 × 151 in. (449.6 × 383.5 cm)
Gift of Viola E. Bray, 2005.124.4
This tapestry moves several episodes ahead in the story. Fellow Christian knights Carlo and Ubaldo are on a quest to recover Rinaldo and have reached the enchanted island of Armida in a boat guided by Fortune. They have fought a guardian monster and are now confronting the temptation posed by the nymphs at the Fountain of Laughter. Bathing in the pool of water, the lovely females encourage the men to refresh themselves at the table of food nearby and to drink from the fountain water. Thanks to the counsel of Hermit Peter, the two knights are able to pass by and avoid the peril of that water, which renders the drinker eternally helpless in a fit of endless laughter.
