The History of Unicorn Tapestries

The origins of unicorn tapestries remain unknown.

While there is still debate regarding the origins of unicorn tapestries, many archaeologists and curators postulate that the tapestries were first woven in the 15th century. There are two popular theories about the history of unicorn tapestries. The first is "The Hunt of the Unicorn" and the second is "The Lady and the Unicorn." Both provide vivid insight regarding the art of tapestry making and demonstrate the use of symbolism during the Middle Ages.

Function

Tapestries were visual storytellers.

Digs at Egyptian tombs and Inca burial grounds have unearthed bodies wrapped in ornate tapestries. During the Middle Ages, tapestries had numerous purposes. One was purely utilitarian; they were layered on the walls of castles or manors of the nobility to keep the cold at bay. Tapestries were also a way to tell stories to a largely illiterate populace. The Church relied on tapestries to tell Biblical stories and values, while wealthy households hung them to entertain with mythological yarns such as the adventures of Odysseus, as reminders of important historical events, to bear the family's crest or to create a symbolic tableaux of chivalric beliefs of honor and courtly love.

Time Frame

A textile hotspot, Brussels was a main producer of tapestries in the 1500s.

While the first known tapestries date back to Ancient Greece in the 3rd century, B.C., there is evidence that tapestries also hung in the Pantheon, according to tapestry-art.com. By the 1500s, cities known for textile production, such as Brussels and Bruges, became manufacturing oases for tapestries. During the French Revolution, the majority of tapestries were destroyed, burned in order to recover the gold thread interwoven with the other fabric.

Types

Floral embroidery distinguishes The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry.

"The Hunt of the Unicorn" consists of seven tapestries. The tableau vivant, (French for living picture), displays noblemen pursing a unicorn, with the first image showing only the hunters and not the unicorn. In the second panel, the hunters stand in awe as the unicorn uses the water to magically heal itself from a snakebite. In the next panel, the unicorn defends itself against the hunters, while in the fourth a maiden in repose in a garden tries to save the unicorn. The unicorn is captured and killed in the sixth tapestry, but, in the seventh, it is resurrected.

It is estimated that 15,000 people were involved in weaving "La Dame a la licorne", French for "The Lady in the Unicorn." Woven from wool and silk, the style of the tapestry is known as mille-fleurs. Translated to mean "thousand flowers," the technique involves embroidering numerous flowers and plants in the background. Consisting of six tapestries, the first shows the lady dining on sweets while a unicorn stands at her side. Juxtaposing that is a panel where the unicorn is again at her side while she plays an organ, followed by a picture of the lady gazing in a mirror while the unicorn kneels with the hoofs in her lap. The last two tapestries show the lady weaving a wreath of flowers, again with the unicorn at her side, followed by a panel where the lady has her hand on the unicorn's horn.

Significance

The unicorn is a symbol of Christ.

Throughout the Medieval era, the unicorn represented Christ. This is especially evident in "The Hunt of the Unicorn" when the unicorn rises from the dead. The horn was emblematic of the union between Jesus Christ and the Holy Father, as it was believed to hold mystical, sacred powers. In "The Lady and the Unicorn," the unicorn is a constant companion to the virgin woman, underlining the fact that the noble creature is only drawn to the innocent and pure. The woman's virtue is emphasized by the panels, which are thought to depict her separating herself from the physical world, as each picture demonstrates her interaction with the five senses.

Theories/Speculation

"The Hunt of the Unicorn" was supposedly in honor of Anne of Brittany's marriage to Charles VIII.

It is believed that Jean Le Viste commissioned "The Lady and the Unicorn" to honor his family. Though not a noble, he distinguished himself when he became a counsellor to King Louis VI of France. In 1475, he married Genevieve De Nanterre, a woman of noble birth. Some theorize that she is the lady being attended by the unicorn. It is widely speculated that "The Hunt of the Unicorn" was in honor of the marriage between Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII of France.

References

• Tapestry Usage
• The Hunt of the Unicorn
• The Lady and the Unicorn
• Unicorn Mythology

Resources

• "Gardner's Art Through the Ages"; Fred S. Kleiner, Christin J. Mamiya & Richard G. Tansey; 2001