Fragment of a Flemish verdure tapestry depicting a duck on a pond; borders of flowers at the top and bottom. Probably woven in an Oudenaarde workshop, which specialised in verdures - otherwise known as "garden" tapestries - in which rich foliage and landscapes were depicted. This piece, together with RCIN 28526, may have been portions of the same panel.

Verdures, or "Forest Work" tapestries were by far the most popular of woven wall hangings in Scotland, judging by the numbers and fragments that have survived. Although they appear to have been woven in most centres, verdures such as these, without marks, are usually ascribed to Oudenaarde, and this is borne out by accounts at Cawdor Castle listing the cost of transporting tapestries from Oudenaarde to Findhorn by sea and thence to Cawdor.

These panels may be survivors of the "Landskip Hangings 8 pieces" bought in London for the palace in 1668.

Text adapted from Margaret Swain, Tapestries and Textiles in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, London, 1988.