This tapestry is one from the series known as The Hunt of the Unicorn, which was originally woven in Flanders at the end of the fifteenth century.

It is thought that this set of eight tapestries was probably woven circa 1499 for Anne of Brittany, having been commissioned on the occasion of her marriage to Louis XII (1462 1515), who was King of France from 1498 to 1515. The letters A & E which appear tied with a gold chain around the neck of the fountain are in fact the first and last letters of the brides name, Anne, and this symbol appears in each tapestry in the set.

For several centuries the tapestries belonged to the Dukes of Rochefoucauld, at Verteuil, France, until they were acquired by John D Rockefeller in the 1920s, who presented them in 1938 to the Metropolitan Museum in New York, where they currently form part of the Cloisters Collection.
This beautiful tapestry is woven on a jacquard loom by skilled weavers, keeping alive the centuries old tradition of tapestry manufacturing from generation to generation. This tapestry is fully lined incorporating a sleeve along the top for hanging with a Fleur de Lys hanging rod. Alternatively, this tapestry can be hung with a wooden batten which is a concealed method of hanging.

Features

Dimensions         150 x 110 cm
Tapestry Type     Loom Woven
Loom Woven      In France
Composition        52% cotton, 48% wool