Back in April of this year my sister Paula, our niece Penny and myself – Bree went to the exhibition of the The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries at the Art Gallery of NSW.
Designed in Paris around 1500, these tapestries are considered to be some of the greatest surviving masterpieces of medieval European art. They depict a lady with a Unicorn on her left and a lion on her right. In some there is even a monkey. They are surrounded by enchanted animals, flowers and trees.
This was only the third time in 500 years the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries had left France. A generous loan of the collection of the Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge in Paris.
The Lady and The Unicorn
The Lady and The Unicorn
The Lady and The Unicorn
The Lady and The Unicorn
When you first walk in there is a long passageway with photographs of excerpts about the tapestries. See above
There are 6 large tapestries. Some say they depict the five senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell – as well as a sixth sense – heart or will – represented by the phrase ‘mon seul désir’ or ‘my sole desire’.
The Lady and the Unicorn – Taste
The Lady and the Unicorn – Sight
The Lady and The Unicorn – can you see the little dog?
The Lady and the Unicorn – Desire
The Lady and The Unicorn – Smell
Unfortunately I somehow missed getting a photo of the tapestry for Touch and Hearing. Hopefully one day I can see these again perhaps in their home of Paris at the Musee de Cluny.
Note’s from ” Wikipedia
- The Lady and the Unicorn is the title of a 1970 album by the English folk guitarist John Renbourn, comprising arrangements of early music. It shows the tapestry À Mon Seul Désiron its cover.
- These tapestries are depicted in the novel The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier.
- Several of the tapestries can be seen hanging on the walls of the Gryffindor Common Room in the Harry Potter series of films.
- The six tapestries have inspired the six movements of Kaija Saariaho‘s clarinet concerto D’om le Vrai Sens: the title is an anagram of “A mon seul désir”.
- The tapestries are featured heavily in the novel Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn and its anime adaptation. The Lady, Lion, Unicorn and chest are symbolized by various characters, mecha and items in the series.
- One of the tapestries can be found hanging in the Musée Crune in the game Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars.
- The tapestry Sight is the cover art of Anonymous 4‘s 1994 early music album Love’s Illusion: Music from the Montpellier Codex 13th Century.
- The tapestries’ orange trees were adapted and redesigned by artist Leon Coward for the mural The Happy Garden of Life in the 2016 sci-fi movie 2BR02B: To Be or Naught to Be.[6]The mural also makes use of the millefleur style.
- The tapestries appear briefly in a scene of the 2016 movie Alice Through The Looking Glass
- Rumer Godden’s 1938 novel ‘The Lady and the Unicorn’ is based around a run-down 18th Century house built by French emigres in Calcutta, where the chapel (now converted into an apartment) bears the coat of arms with the unicorn and a French sundial in the garden is inscribed ‘Mon Seul Desir’. The ghosts of the first inhabitants appear to the current residents, principally Rosa, who is having a love-affair with a young Englishman
- After discovering them in a book, the tapestries become an obsession of the protagonist in the 2018 film “The Escape”. “
To me these tapestries are the epitome of romance and a magical time of love and life.
As my sister Paula said -” A treat of the senses”
Travel and Lifestyle with Bree 
“A treat of the senses.” I love that. Thanks for sharing this treat, Bree.
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Your welcome x
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This exhibition certainly does look like it would be a ‘treat for the senses’. I hadn’t heard of this so thanks for the post.
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This is really interesting! I didn’t know the history about these tapestries but I had seen some photos floating around. I love the idea of a feminine but powerful woman being protected and served by some of these fierce or rare or mythical animals. Wish I could see this in person. Thanks for sharing
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Perhaps in Paris one time xx
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That’s brought back some wonderful memories. My mum – responsible for my love of things medieval – took me to see them in France many decades ago. I love that the exhibition has the poetry too.
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Oh you did see them, how wonderful. I plan on visiting them again when in Paris. One day
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Truly beautiful. I went to the Musée de Cluny on my honeymoon in 1967 and saw such gorgeous tapestries, what an amazing art form!
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Oh you did how wonderful to see them on your honeymoon!
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These are just gorgeous! I’m also a big fan of the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, so seeing the wall panels with his text was great too.
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oh how wonderful xx
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I’m fascinated by tapestries. The hours of work and planning to produce such an exquisite masterpiece!
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love the lady and the unicorn. Another reason to go to Paris/Musee de Cluny again and again and again.
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oh yes for sure. You know back in 2016 It was suggested we go there. For some reason we didn’t. So in 2020 I will be thats for sure.
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I love the old style tapestries. Looking into our history 🙂
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My mother in law would loove these! She often takes us to see amazing tapestries in old houses! Have you ever been to Haddon Hall? I have a feeling you would love it there too! ❤
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No I haven’t been there…I love them also.
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Loved seeing this with you
Beautiful
A treat of the senses
xx
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It was such a treat
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I can’t believe they have only left France 3 times. Quite a collectible piece. 🙂
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Oh it is amazing
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