The Lady with the Unicorn tapestries
Medieval tapestry wall-hangings
The Lady with the Unicorn tapestries are a truly awesome series of medieval tapestries; a high point of earlierFrench art. If you doubt this, visit the wonderful Cluny Museum in Paris, the Musée National de Moyen Âge (see a link to a video here). You’ll enter the circular room devoted to these six tapestries where you’ll be greeted by a magnificent spectacle. Then you realise that everyone is absorbing them in hushed reverence.
These awe-inspiring medieval tapestry wall-hangings were woven in Flanders in about 1511 with each tapestry celebrating one of the senses except for the final enigmatic ‘A Mon Seul Desir’. All were woven in wool and silk, showing a richly dressed lady flanked by a lion on her right and a unicorn on her left both bearing a banner, with a mille fleurs (thousand flowers) background containing animals and birds. They allegorically illustrate taste, hearing, touch, smell and sight. We have a comprehensive selection at Tapestry Art Designs of each tapestry; some full designs, others partial.
Sometimes called the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, these 12’ high masterpieces were lost until the novelist Georges Sands found them in 1844 at Boussac suffering damage dampness and rats. The Cluny Museum purchased the tapestries in 1863, later restoring them.
Here’s a good introduction to the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries by Rick Steves (begin at 4:29):
Ordering the Lady with the Unicorn tapestries
To order any of these tapestries simply click on a photograph below for full details and a larger image. Then click on the Add to Cart button to enter the securely encrypted shopping cart (as safe as online banking) and we will confirm your order. Please note that this selection includes tapestries from four different European weavers three of whom have several qualities and types of weaves and of yarn combinations – we can advise which match if you are considering a group display.
We hold many tapestries in stock for prompt shipping which is free to North America or sent worldwide from $30 USD. We make no charge on credit cards until we ship, and there are no sales taxes for customers outside Canada. All are woven in France, Belgium or Italy and they are lined with a rod pocket for easy hanging. We have been selling European tapestry wall-hangings for over 20 years.
If you are interested in the Lady with the Unicorn tapestries you might also like to view these other sections of medieval wall art:
Showing all 51 results
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Majestic Lion tapestry
$155.00 Add to cart -
Lady of Cluny tapestry
$155.00 Add to cart -
Licorne tapestry
$155.00 Add to cart -
A Mon Seul Desir wall tapestry
$1,750.00 – $4,500.00 Select options -
A Mon Seul Desir tapestry
$345.00 – $950.00 Select options -
A Mon Seul Desir with no border
$105.00 – $255.00 Select options -
A Mon Seul Desir tapestry with border
$180.00 Select options -
To My Sole Desire tapestry wallhanging
$190.00 – $360.00 Select options -
Small A Mon Seul Desir
$80.00 Add to cart -
A Mon Seul Desir square tapestry
$180.00 Add to cart -
Hearing tapestry
$1,405.00 – $3,445.00 Select options -
Hearing tapestry wallhanging
$180.00 – $360.00 Select options -
Hearing tapestry wall-hanging
$265.00 Add to cart -
Hearing small tapestry
$80.00 Add to cart -
Taste wall tapestry hanging
$1,405.00 – $3,445.00 Select options -
Sale!
Taste tapestry – Only 1 left!
$575.00 Add to cart -
Taste – no border
$105.00 – $255.00 Select options -
The Taste
$180.00 – $325.00 Select options -
Le Gout
$400.00 Add to cart -
Taste tapestry wallhanging
$180.00 – $585.00 Select options -
Taste small tapestry
$80.00 Add to cart -
Smell tapestry
$180.00 – $360.00 Select options -
L’Odorat
$400.00 Add to cart -
Smell small tapestry
$80.00 Add to cart -
Sight tapestry
$180.00 Add to cart -
La Vue tapestry
$400.00 Add to cart -
Sight tapestry wallhanging
$180.00 – $360.00 Select options -
Sight small tapestry
$80.00 Add to cart -
The Touch tapestry
$1,405.00 – $3,445.00 Select options -
Touch square tapestry
$180.00 Add to cart -
Touch wallhanging tapestry
$360.00 Select options -
Touch small tapestry
$80.00 Add to cart -
Rampant Lion tapestry
$420.00 Add to cart -
Rampant Unicorn tapestry
$420.00 Add to cart -
Lion tapestry
$345.00 Add to cart -
Unicorn tapestry
$180.00 – $345.00 Select options -
Lady with a Dog tapestry
$105.00 Add to cart -
The Maid with the Unicorn tapestry
$105.00 Add to cart -
Medieval Oak Tree tapestry
$435.00 Add to cart -
Medieval Orange Tree tapestry
$435.00 Add to cart -
Beige Oak Tree tapestry
$435.00 Add to cart -
Beige Orange Tree tapestry
$435.00 Add to cart -
Unicorns throw
$135.00 Add to cart -
Lady with the Unicorn throw
$135.00 Add to cart -
Lion and Unicorn bellpull
$85.00 Add to cart -
A Mon Seul Desir table runner
$75.00 Add to cart -
Short Unicorns table runner
$75.00 – $145.00 Select options -
Unicorn table runner
$75.00 – $145.00 Select options -
Orange Tree table runner
$75.00 – $145.00 Select options -
Short Orange Tree table runner
$75.00 – $145.00 Select options -
Rabbits table runner
$75.00 Add to cart