The Unicorn Tapestries in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

by Adolph S. Cavallo

The unicorn tapestries are one of the most popular attractions at The Cloisters, the medieval branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Traditionally known as The Hunt of the Unicorn , this set of seven exquisite and enigmatic tapestries was likely completed between 1495 and 1505. The imaginatively conceived scenes―displaying individualized faces of the hunters and naturalistically depicting the flora and fauna of the landscape―are beautifully captured in silk, wool, and metal yarns. Written by one of the world’s leading authorities on medieval textiles and illustrated with many lovely color reproductions, The Unicorn Tapestries traces the origins of the tapestries as well as possible interpretations of their symbolic meaning. This is an essential book for any lover of medieval art and textiles.

Published in association with The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Genres: Art, History, Nonfiction, Art History, 15th Century, Medieval, World History

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 1998

About the author

Adolph (or Adolfo) Salvatore Cavallo was elected at the first Chairman of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in 1970. Previous to his election, Cavallo had worked as Curator of Textiles in the collection of textiles and costumes at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Previously he had held positions at the Detroit Institute of Arts in Education and as Curator of Decorative Arts at the Brooklyn Museum.

Reviews

[maggie (taylor’s version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love art history and museums

[erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

so interesting!!

["Cyril' (David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book is awesome... and greatly enhances the viewing of my favorite exhibit at one of my favorite museums, The Cloisters. It is not in depth, but gives a nice general overview of the symbolism of the Unicorn, along with other animals and plant life depicted in the tapestries. I gives a nice comparison to The Lady with the Unicorn, in a Paris. It also gives an interesting article on how tapestries are made. And it is replete with beautiful illustrations.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very detailed.

[Lamadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was incredibly interesting. I learned so much and it was a very good read. It didn't drag like academic articles can sometimes do, but was consistently interesting.

[Lada Moskalets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Чудове ретельне дослідження кожної деталі на французьких гобеленах з Метрополітен музею. Гарно і з додаванням контексту пояснено, що сюжет полювання на єдинорога це розповідь про жертву Христа. Теорії підкріплені багатьма схожими сюжетами, наприклад з полюванням на оленів, з інших європейських прикладів. В гобеленах також зображено 102 види рослин і дуже різні тварини, і додатки в кінці також їх роз'яснюють

[Mbgale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've seen the Unicorn tapestries at The Cloisters and was hugely impressed by them. This book is full of good illustrations, but the order of the illustrations is a bit confusing. I never realized that the tapestries were looted from the owner's French castle during the French Revolution and discovered in the 1850s in a barn. Nice explanation of the technique of creating a tapestry.

[Elizabeth Finley · Rating 4 out of 5]

During this National time of mourning, I took up a very different book. The detail covered in this book is fantastic. I found that the section on how the tapestries were made particularity fascinating, from coloring to weaving and the detailed photos of the recreated tapestries that now hang in Stirling castle are really moving.

[Holger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stood in front of the tapestries at The Cloisters and couldn't understand them. I didn't find them pretty or interesting, yet people were fawning over them.

This book delivered: It explained everything so well that I will go back and see the tapestries (and others like them) with fresh eyes.

Enlightening!

[maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love art history and museums

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which I first saw in the opening sequence of the animated adaptation of The Last Unicorn. It includes a history of the tapestries, the history of the unicorn in Western culture, and interpretations of the story and meanings of the symbolism depicted on the tapestries. It also discusses tapestries as a medieval art form. Of course, no discussion of unicorn tapestries would fail to mention the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries in the collection of the Musée national du Moyen Âge in Paris. For a fantastic book imagining their creation, read The Lady and the Unicorn.

I thought the plates could have been arranged and labeled better. There are a lot of fragmented closeup images from the seven tapestries, but it confusing if you just want to look at the entire tapestries in order. As the illustrations were what I was after, this was disappointing. I thought they should have begun with the long shots and then done the closeups. The text was also on the dry side.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have seen the Unicorn Tapestries three times. I never get tired of visiting The Cloisters to see them. I finally read this book I bought the last time I visited The Cloisters. I learned so much about how the tapestries were made and details in them that I did not notice on my three previous visits. I definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in these tapestries. When I go to New York City again I will go back to see the tapestries and look for the details I learned about in this book.

[Lori Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read...I have a tapestry from Belgium of "Touch", so I was very happy to learn more about it and the entire "set" of The Lady with the Unicorn tapestries. Informative about the allegories represented by various items woven into the tapestries. Also, great photos.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whet my appetite for more medieval iconography! This book had a great mix of text and visual representation to include two great additions in the appendix about vegetation and animal representations in Middle Ages. Also provides a reading list for further information.

[Richelle Dupont · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book advanced my knowledge and enjoyment of the Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters. My memory may be faulty, but some of the information in this 18 year old publication seems to contradict what is said in the museum's audio guide. Perhaps it is time for a new edition of the book?

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book - well-written and beautifully illustrated.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

text and beautiful photos about this art treasure