A Game of Hot Cockles

The scene features a game of "hot cockles" (Fr. "la main chaude"). This game, which originated in the middle ages, involves a blindfolded person bent over with his head in the lap of a woman. The other players slap him on the hand that is tucked behind his back, and he has to guess who it is. When the person guesses correctly who slapped him, that person takes his place. The game is depicted in a contemporary painting (1767-1773) by Fragonard (National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1946.7.6) which includes a similar garden setting. One stage of the tapestry's composition is preserved in a drawing by Oudry on blue paper (Stockholm National Museum, no. 2890 / I863). This panel belonged to a series of "amusements champêtres" (see series info). The border is composed of linear gold bands with small flower bouquets at regular intervals.