The Lady and the Unicorn - Historic Tapestries

| Posted: 08-03-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 10 | Rating: (50)

(?)

The Cluney Museum in Paris, also known as the National Museum of Medieval Arts, is home to many examples of magnificent medieval tapestries, including the famous Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries a set of six tapestries create in the Middle Ages and known world wide for their beauty. The Cluney Museum is also home to tapestries and weavings from many different countries including Iran, Egypt, Italy, Spain, and Great Britain. There are a variety of different decoration styles as well as production types and while all of the Museums tapestries are beautiful, the Lady and the Unicorn series is by far the most popular.

The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries were discovered in 1841 in the Chateau de Boussac and thanks to the writings of George Sand immediately gained entrance into history. The municipality of Boussac had purchased the Chateau and all of its contents in 1837 but it was not until 1841 that the tapestries were discovered. In 1882 the tapestries were presented to the Cluney Museum by the French government. The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries were woven around 1460 probably in Tournai for the Lord of Fresne.

There are six tapestries in total belonging to the set and they are all displayed side by side in a room specially designed to house them. The Tapestries are said to represent the five human senses with the sixth tapestry representing understanding, intuition, or the sixth sense. Unicorns were popular subjects of Tapestries in the Middle Ages as they represented chastity and holiness.

The tapestry that represents tasting features a maiden holding a parakeet in her left hand while surrounded by a lion and a unicorn. The Maiden is taking something from a chest of drawers which is handed to her by her servant. There is also a dog in the picture that is eating from the floor. The tapestry that represents sight features a unicorn kneeling on the legs of the maiden and gazing into a mirror which the maiden holds. The tapestry of touch depicts the maiden caressing the unicorn while holding a squadron banner. The tapestry that represents smell shows the lady making a flower crown while behind her a monkey sniffs a scented rose. The tapestry of hearing shows the maiden playing an organ with the lion and unicorn appearing as decorations on either side of the organ.

The sixth tapestry, the one of understanding, is the hardest to interpret. Some believe it represents intuition of the sixth sense, and many scholars still debate whether it is the introduction of conclusion to the series. It depicts the maiden in front of a tent with the inscription “A Mon Seul Desir” meaning To My Sole Desire, while placing a collier in a box held by her servant.

The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries are world famous for their size and beauty, and although their meaning is always open to interpretation there is no denying the skill and intricacy that went into creating them. The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries were created by hand in a time before looms and undoubtedly took hundreds of hours to create.

http://www.touchoftapestry.com

Rate this Article:

Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Tags: Tapestries, Wall Tapestries, Lady And The Unicorn Tapestries, Cluney Unicorn Tapestries

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/shopping-articles/the-lady-and-the-unicorn-historic-tapestries-354295.html

Print article

Send to friend

Publish this Article

Author feedback

About the Author:
Hello, I appreciate that you have taken the time to read my articles. I hope you found these articles interesting and informative. Your interest in tapestries indicates that you have an eye for some of the finest art work in the world. Tapestries are a fine artistic addition to any home or business and come in all sizes and artistic expressions. I would like to tell you a little about myself. I am from the Philadelphia area and after graduating from college I began a career as a Dental Hygienist. After many years in the profession, I decided to continue my career working just part time, and pursue a second career in the arts by starting my own online business selling tapestries. My love of art drove me to visit Philadelphia\'s Historic Art Museum frequently. During my visits I found that I loved the beauty and elegance of fine tapestries. I began to research their history and found that they represent some of finest historical art work that is available for people to buy for their homes, businesses, or for investment. My findings have guided my specializing in art tapestries of all periods. For over two years I have been assisting customers select tapestries for their homes, businesses, and restaurants; enjoying every minute. I have excellent interpersonal skills as a consultant and love to work with people in helping them select that special tapestry. The Internet is an excellent method for communicating with people all over the world and facilitates communication with my customers. My website allows me to provide timely responses and help for those that need my expert assistance. My goal is to maintain a professional level of service for all my customers and be available as necessary to provide only quality service, second to none. Thank You Connie http://www.TouchofTapestry.com

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Add new Comment

Wall Tapestry – a Fresh Breath in Time
By: Barbara Tobiasz | 19/06/2008 | Remodeling
My advice is if you have any open space why not fill it with a bit of history...

History of Tapestries
By: Connie Wallace | 08/03/2008 | Shopping
Tapestries had both decorative and utilitarian uses back in the middle ages when they became popular.

William Morris and Edward Burne-jones - Revival of Tapestries-
By: Connie Wallace | 08/03/2008 | Shopping
The revival of medieval tapestries in the 19th century.

Creating Tapestries Using a Jacquard Loom
By: Connie Wallace | 08/03/2008 | Shopping
A Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom that was invented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard early in the 19th century. It revolutionized the way tapestries were woven and made the process much faster and easier.

The allure of historical wall tapestries
By: Godfrey Bazalgette | 18/11/2005 | Home and Family
Explores the growing appreciation of historical tapestry wall hangings as both art and as a home decor option.

Using Oriental Tapestries To Make Your Home Interesting
By: Chris Hinde | 14/04/2007 | Advice
Usually those things that we use to decorate an oriental style home are very colorful and ornate in color and design. Oriental tradition touches can be seen throughout these pieces. These pieces can be sometimes found on walls in the form of artwork, displayed like statues, or other ornamental pieces,...

Up To Date Tapestries Can Be Exceptionally Gorgeous
By: Opal Victoria | 22/09/2007 | Home Improvement
Humans have been employing textiles for a quantity of reasons from the ancient times. Textiles have been used in virtually all aspects of life such as to produce warmness in the form of blankets, involved woven fabrics for trade, etc. Our wish to Adorn our houses as well as the...

Try A Southwest Table Runner For Native Style Home Decor
By: Craig Chambers | 12/03/2008 | Interior Design
Southwestern table runners, with warm earth tone colors and unique southwestern designs make them a great choice for rustic home decorating.

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Q&A Powered by:

Latest Shopping Articles

The Rolex Flagship Model - the Datejust
By: Scott Parham | 22/08/2008
Datejust Rolex was introduced in 1945 to mark the 40th anniversary of Rolex. Over the years, many changes were made to this model to keep up with the technological advancements in the watch industry.

The Most Common Accessory for Women – the Wrist Watch
By: Scott Parham | 22/08/2008
Lady Rolex watches are unique and beautifully crafted to perfection. Most of the women's watches are made from solid 18k yellow gold, white gold or platinum. Precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds and many more are also used, making them a perfect jewelry gift for women.

Make Your Lady Love Feel Like a Celebrity
By: Scott Parham | 22/08/2008
Rolex adds a touch of class to the wearer’s style, and is more than just a watch. Over 200 small and delicate parts put together by hand in more than a year, ensure that Rolex remains the epitome of precision in the watch industry.

The Ladies Watch Collection by Rolex
By: Scott Parham | 22/08/2008
Each Rolex watch is meticulously refined and crafted with a superb attention to detail. This makes it one of the most prestigious luxury watch brands for both men and women. Rolex offers a fantastic line of ladies watch.

Gold Watch: Preowned Rolex Watches
By: Scott Parham | 22/08/2008
A gold watch is an ultimate accessory that you can wear on a daily basis. While it helps you to keep your commitments in a timely manner, you also feel on top of the world as you get the attention of every onlooker.

Get Rolex at Wholesale Price
By: Scott Parham | 22/08/2008
Rolex watches that are available at wholesale prices are basically pre-owned watches. These are offered for sale only when they have been thoroughly polished, lubricated, refurbished, adjusted, and pressure proof tested.

Office Furniture for Efficiency and Style
By: Ron Mark | 20/05/2008
In order to complete our activities with maximum efficiency we ordinarily employ a variety of means. We make use of furniture, for instance, both at home and at office. In fact, we are so familiar with tables and chairs, desks and shelves and whatnot that we can not even imagine how our lives might be without them. These pieces of furniture are natural parts of our lives and work.

More Flexibility With Proper Office Furniture
By: Ron Mark | 20/05/2008
In our everyday lives we constantly make use of different objects designed to enable our work or to provide us the necessary means in achieving certain goals. The variety of such tools or instruments is incredible, and it is no overstatement if we said that we are actually surrounded by them with the purpose of performing even the most common activities with a maximum efficiency. Furniture is a type of tool able to assist us in our activities.

More from Connie Wallace

William Morris and Edward Burne-jones - Revival of Tapestries-
By: Connie Wallace | 08/03/2008 | Shopping
The revival of medieval tapestries in the 19th century.

History of Tapestries
By: Connie Wallace | 08/03/2008 | Shopping
Tapestries had both decorative and utilitarian uses back in the middle ages when they became popular.

Article Categories

Article Marketing

Article Notepad

Stop Duplicate Content

Term Papers

Follow ArticlesBase at http://twitter.com

Need Help?

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.08, 3)

The Lady and the Unicorn - Historic Tapestries

Article Comments

Related Articles

Got a Question? Ask.

Latest Shopping Articles

More from Connie Wallace

Need Help?

Site Links

Webmasters

Business Info

Sign up for our email newsletter