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Licorne a la Fontaine

Licorne a la Fontaine, medieval unicorn tapestries

Licorne a la Fontaine tapestry, also known as the Unicorn at the Fountain, is a reproduction of one of the La Chasse de la Licorne, The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries dating from early 16th century France. This tapestry shows the unicorn cleansing the water from a fountain after being poisoned by serpents. This alludes to the purification that unicorns were often used to symbolise, a concept that also gave rise to the myth that unicorn horns had healing properties. Other animals are also present, each representing important medieval preoccupations, such as dogs (trust and fidelity), and rabbits (fertility). The presence of these leads to the view that these unicorn tapestries were intended for a recently married couple.

It is believed the original tapestries were commisioned as a wedding present to celebrate the marraige of Anne of Brittany (1477 - 1514) to Charles VIII in 1491. They depict a series of scenes ostensibly involving a hunt of the unicorn. Steeped in medieval symbolism they hint at the suffering of Christ and alude to the purity of the virgin, an important virtue in medieval times. Given the importance of unicorns in medieval myth, and the obvious quality of these pieces, they rank alongside La Dame a la Licorne as one of the finest examples of art from the medieval era. The originals of these medieval unicorn tapestries are now housed in The Cloisters Museum in New York City.

This French tapestry is fully lined and has a tunnel for ease of hanging. The Unicorn at the Fountain is also available without the border. Please note that the above image shows the larger size. The smaller size has a slightly lighter colour for the central tapestry although the border is unchanged.

 

Licorne a la Fontaine

ME055AL

$175.00

Licorne a la Fontaine tapestry, also known as the Unicorn at the Fountain, is a reproduction of one of the La Chasse de la Licorne, The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries dating from...MORE

*All prices are in USD