Unicorn Tapestries
ARTIST UNKNOWN
UNKNOWN ARTIST, 1495–1505
The greatest inheritance of the Middle Ages, The Unicorn Tapestries are shrouded in mystery. Their meaning and origin have been long unknown but numerous theories persist. The Unicorn has dual symbolism, representing both Christ and Virginity, and the story told in the seven works can be read as either. The Unicorn Rests in the Garden, however, is a stand-alone work. Caged and bound, surrounded by a bountiful garden and below a pomegranate tree, the Unicorn seems content. The fence is low enough to jump and the chain unsecured. The Unicorn, perhaps, is content in his confinement.