Measuring more than 12 feet by 8 feet, this tapestry is a monumental achievement that dominates the space in which it hangs.
Craftsmen wove the tapestry in the Netherlands in an area known as Flanders (today’s Belgium and northeastern France). This region was famous in the 15th and 16th centuries for craftsmanship of this kind. Royalty, aristocracy, churches, and government representatives purchased tapestries like this one, which were very expensive. This tapestry is from a series called the “Hunt of the Unicorn.”
To make this tapestry, an artisan stretched plain wool yarns on a loom and wove them with dyed wool to create the design. The artisans created texture in the picture by using a wide range of colors and adding silver and gilt (gold) thread, which adds bright, sparkling highlights.
Artisans in Paris probably designed this tapestry for the marriage of the widow of the French King Charles VIII to Louis XII of France in 1499. The initials “AE,” repeated four times in the design, probably refer to the widow’s name or motto.
A unicorn is a mythological animal with cloven hoofs, the beard of a goat, and a long twisted horn. Many believed the creature’s prized horns carry special powers that could cure physical ailments or act as an antidote to poison. Historians think the unicorn was a symbol of someone deeply loved, often called “beloved.” In mythology, the swift beasts could not be captured by hunters. But they would willingly approach maidens. In this scene, the unicorn appears to be trapped.
A closer look reveals that the chain from the tree to the collar is incomplete. The unicorn sits within a circular fence in a field of lush flowers, probably representing an enclosed garden.
The artisans rendered the flowers with enough accuracy that experts can identify them today. The flowers’ dense placement, unbroken by a horizon line, creates a decorative pattern. Their rich color contrasts with the dark background, emphasizing the decorative nature of the pattern.
Flowers carried rich symbolism in the Middle Ages. The ripe pomegranates in the tree, which symbolize fertility and marriage, drip on the unicorn’s body. The blue periwinkles scattered throughout the composition were considered a cure for jealousy, and the pansy represents remembrance. The entire web of objects supports the theme of love and marriage.