Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries: Medieval Mystery at Cluny Museum

The Lady and the Unicorn series, commissioned in the 1500s, is a masterpiece of Renaissance textile art housed at the Cluny Museum in Paris. The six tapestries feature a noblewoman, a handmaiden, a lion, a unicorn, and other animals on a red millefleur background, with the Le Viste family coat of arms—a red field with a blue sash and three crescent moons—appearing throughout. Five tapestries allegorically represent the five senses: touch (the lady holds the banner and touches the unicorn), taste (she takes a sweet from a bowl), smell (she makes a carnation wreath), hearing (she plays a portative organ), and sight (she holds a mirror reflecting the unicorn). The sixth tapestry, inscribed "À mon seul désir" ("To my sole desire"), depicts the lady with her handmaiden and a treasure chest, possibly symbolizing the heart, moral good, or carnal desire. The tapestries' exact provenance is unknown, but the Le Viste family—prominent in the Parisian parliament—likely commissioned them. Possible patrons include Jean IV Le Viste (head of the family from 1457 to 1500) or his cousin Antoine, who may have ordered them to celebrate his leadership or engagement to Jacqueline Raguier, as their initials "A" and "I" appear in the sixth tapestry.