| agent |
unknown (Netherlandish tapestry weaver) |
| culturalContext |
French Flemish Netherlandish |
| date |
ca. 1495-1505 (creation) |
| description |
As early as the seventeenth century, the Unicorn Tapestries were documented as having
been displayed as a group. Surely they were collected and exhibited together because
together they illustrate the pursuit of the elusive unicorn completely, despite the
likelihood that the seven individual hangings may come from two or more sets of tapestries.
Little is known about their early history, though the seven hangings are thought to
have been designed in Paris and woven in Brussels (then part of the Netherlands) between
1495-1505. They include the depiction of 101 species of plants, of which over 85 have
been identified. The vibrant colors still evident today were produced with three dye
plants: weld (yellow), madder (red), and woad (blue). The earliest document listing
the seven tapestries is a 1680 inventory that details the possessions in the Paris
residence of François VI de La Rochefoucauld. They were purchased from the Rochefoucauld
family by John D. Rockefeller.
Metropolitan Museum of Art [website]; http://www.metmuseum.org (accessed 5/29/2009) [description source] |
| inscription |
|
| location |
Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Cloisters (New York, New York, United States) |
| material |
wool; metallic threads; silk |
| measurements |
|
| relation |
|
| rights |
|
| source |
Core 4 Sample Database (VCat) |
| stateEdition |
|
| stylePeriod |
Medieval |
| subject |
allegorical; animals; cycles or series; decorative arts; literary or legendary; plants;
Animals, Mythical; Hunting in art; Unicorns; botanical studies; flowery mead; flowery
mede; Mediaeval gardens; Middle Ages
|
| technique |
tapestry (process) |
| textref |
|
| title |
The Hunt of the Unicorn [cited, true, en]
Unicorn Tapestries [series] [repository, false, en] |
| worktype |
furnishings; wall hangings; tapestries |
|
|
