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JOHNCOBURN1925-2006TreeofLifecirca1974wooltapestryedition23183x219cmwovensignaturelowerleftmonogramlowerrightPFPintonFrresworkshopdAubussonFrancelabelattachedversowoveneditionnumber23ProvenanceJudyandPeterWolfeSydney.JohnCoburnsinterestintapestrystemmedfromseeinga1953Frenchexhibitionthatincludedonetapestryandthenlaterin1956hesawanentireexhibitionoftapestries.Howeveritwasnotuntil1966whenanexhibitionofdAubussontapestrieswasbroughttoAustraliabytheFrenchfirmPintonFrreswhowerelookingforAustralianartiststodesignforthemandaskedCoburntodosomedesigns.TheTreeofLifetapestrywaswovenbythefamousweavingcentreatAubussonwhichhadbeenoperatingsincethe8thcentury.AFrenchartistJeanLucartrevivedthetapestryindustryatAubussoninthe1930sbydesigningfortheweaversandencouraginghisfriendsPicassoMatisseandothergreatFrenchmodernstodothesame.TapestryistheidealdecorationformodernarchitectureJohnCoburnsayswiththevastareasofglassmarbleandgeneralstarknessitneedsthewarmthandrichnessoftapestry.1From1969-72CoburnwenttoliveinParisandtravelledtoAubussontooverseethetapestrieswhichincludedtheSydneyOperaHouseCurtains.1JohnCoburnquotedinTheAustralianWomensWeekly2August1972pp.4-6.5