The Tapestry Cycle - Lady and the Unicorn

The Tapestry Cycle, more popularly known as The Lady and the Unicorn, is composed of six Flemish tapestries said to be woven during the latter part of the 15th century. These works of art are generally considered as some of the greatest of its kind in Europe during the Middles Ages.

There is a general consensus as to interpretation of the first five tapestries of the Tapestry Cycle. They are interpreted as representations of the five basic senses: taste, hearing, sight, smell, and touch. As for the sixth and last of these (A Mon Seul Desire or in its English translation, To My Soul Desire), there have been quite a few debates and discussions as to what it represents. Some groups say that it represents Love and/or Understanding; others say it is the culmination of the five senses; still others say it represents the so-called "sixth sense."

In the first, known as Taste, the lady is taking some kind of food out of a dish or a bowl held by a servant girl. She is looking at a bird perched on her left hand. There is a unicorn on the lady’s left side, a lion on her right side, both creatures sitting upright on their hind feet, and a monkey at her feet, feeding on the crumbs of the food from the dish that has probably fallen to the ground.

In the second, Hearing, the lady appears to be playing some sort of musical instrument similar to an organ. The servant girl, the lion, and the unicorn are still present, although here, the unicorn is seen lying down, seemingly calmed and relaxed by the sound of the musical instrument that the lady is playing.

In the third, Sight, the lady is sitting down and is looking at her reflection in a hand-held mirror. The unicorn is kneeling down on the ground with his front legs resting on the lady’s lap and seems to be looking at its own reflection in the mirror being held by the lady.

In the fourth, Smell, the lady is standing up again, making a wreath or a bouquet of flowers. The lion and the unicorn provide the frame for the lady and the monkey appears to smell one of the flowers that it has gotten its hands on.

In the fifth, Touch, the lady touches the unicorn’s horn while the lion sits to the side, just looking on. This seems to signify that the unicorn has been tamed by the lady’s touch. The lady’s other hand is holding a pennant showing the coat of arms of Jean Le Viste, the sponsor of the series and a powerful nobleman in the court of King Charles VII.

The sixth, To my Soul Desire, the lady is standing in front of what looks like a tent with the words A Mon Seul Desir written above it. She is putting jewelry inside a chest that is being held open by the servant girl. The lion and the unicorn are present as usual on opposite sides of the lady.

It is one of the finest European tapestry series from Medieval times, The Tapestry Cycle, woven in the mille-fleurs (thousand flowers) style. Enjoy it's myth and magic in this legendary story.

Classic Wall Tapestries from Medieval Times
Medieval tapestries are filled with myth, legends, and historical scenes woven into works of art.