The Unicorn in Captivity (also The Unicorn Rests in a Garden) is a late Gothic era tapestry. It was made in the Southern Netherlands between 1495 and 1505. It is the seventh and final tapestry in The Unicorn Tapestries series. The tapestry depicts a unicorn chained to a tree in a small circular enclosure against a background of various vegetation. It is now on permanent exhibition at The Cloisters in New York City.
The Unicorn Tapestries , the series that contains The Unicorn in Captivity, were created in the Southern Netherlands between 1495 and 1505 using woven fabric. The conservation of these tapestries is sophisticated. [1] In the Middle Ages, woven tapestries were more admirable and of higher status than paintings. They were immediate signifiers of the wealth of their patron. [2] The series was tied with an extensive story of the hunting and the mythical creature, the unicorn. [3] Each individual tapestry portrays a different key moment of the unicorn's story. The seventh and final tapestry is titled The Unicorn in Captivity.
Some believe that The Unicorn in Captivity could have been created at a different time, by a different artist, and could never have been part of the series to begin with. [4] This tapestry, widely known to be the seventh and final of The Unicorn Tapestries, could have actually been an independent work. [5]
In September of 2024, The New York Times chose The Unicorn in Captivity for their "10 Minute Challenge". [6] In this challenge, viewers were asked to give their attention to the work for 10 straight minutes. [6]
The story of The Unicorn in Captivity that continues the series is about a unicorn that has come to life again. In the previous tapestry, the creature was killed and brought back to the castle. [3] The unicorn resides in a beautiful garden filled with vibrant flowers, enclosed by a gate and chained by its neck to a pomegranate tree, which is an allegory of marriage and fertility. [2] Hunting and capturing the unicorn was desirable due to the notion that its horn was able to neutralize poison. [4] The unicorn is chained to the tree by a dark belt around its neck that matches the background color. This chain is known as a love chain, also titled a chaine d'amour, and is an illustration of a male's intense devotion to his lover found in medieval poetry. [3] There is a red substance that drips down the unicorn's neck, which some believe to be the blood of Christ, and others believe it to be the juice of the pomegranate: a symbol of fertility. [3] The unicorn itself is known to be an allegory of fertility.
The background of The Unicorn in Captivity is filled with illustrations of botanical characteristics; it symbolizes marriage and fertility. The Unicorn in Captivity's background also includes a large pomegranate tree, the largely signed letters "AE", a small frog in the lower right side, and a small, white fluttering butterfly. The pomegranate tree is a symbol of fertility, and the butterfly is a symbol of both love and fertility. [3] The frog is, aside from the unicorn and some minuscule insects, the only other form of animal life. [3]
Some of the botanical representations include orchids, carnations, daisies, madonna lilies, strawberry plants, red wallflowers, columbines, thistles, and more. [3] Medieval herbalists said that depending on the specific part of an orchid a male ate (largest part versus lesser part), the male would have either a male or female child. [3] The carnation is said to have been viewed in medieval times as an emblem of betrothal and marriage, as well as a sign of Christ or the Virgin. [3] Daisies were given various names during the Middle Ages. France called daisies "paquerettes", signifying the joy of Easter, whereas Germany called the flowers "massliebe", which meant "measure of love". [3] The large thistle in the center is known to be St. Mary's thistle and a symbol of the virgin's chastity. [3]