The family that commissioned it were from Lyon, France it is not known who exactly designed it, yet it is considered by some to be the Mona Lisa of the medieval era, because of it's complexity and beauty. It consists of 6 panels, each representing the five senses, Taste, Touch, Sight, Sound, Scent, and the sixth sense Desire.
It features many aspects of medieval mythology and symbolism, such as the unicorn, which may have represented courtly love. as well as s Fox, Rabbit, Genet, falcon and Heron which represent nobility, (just to name a few.)
The panels were only recovered in 1814 in Boussac Castle in Creuse and became position of the French Government in 1882
- Delaney, Brigid. “Lady and the Unicorn: Mona Lisa of the Middle Ages Weaves a New Spell.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Feb. 2018, www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/feb/13/lady-and-the-unicorn-mona-lisa-of-the-middle-ages-weaves-a-new-spell.
“- The ‘Mona Lisa’ of Medieval Art.” Medievalists.net, 14 Apr. 2018, www.medievalists.net/2017/04/mona-lisa-medieval-art/.
I love the connection to Harry Potter and the Gryffindor common room decorations! Too bad the books don't diver deeper into the decorations of the other common rooms or else we might see other ties to medieval art or architecture spread throughout the houses.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photo. I bet we can link them more to the new ideals of chivalry, far different from the SoRoland. Where can we go to see these today? I have seen them twice in person, and they are fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much this tapestry would have cost! I love the goofy lion and regal unicorn, but I find the flowery background to be the most interesting, as it truly dispels the notion of a dark age.
ReplyDeleteAh I love Harry Potter and the connection this tapestry in the films has to the medieval times! I wonder how interesting (or crazy) medieval mythology tales got, especially with the ideas of unicorns being involved.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how unicorns became associated with love? It is very interesting to see how mythic animals became symbols during this era.
ReplyDeleteI never noticed those in Harry Potter, I love the connection you made! I think animals often represent many things in art, especially during the Medieval times. We have talked about animal symbolism in my Single Author class this semester, especially rabbits and mythological creatures. They are represented in literature so often we almost always overlook them.
ReplyDeleteAh I’m such a Harry Potter nerd and this is so cool to learn about. I love how J.K. Rowling added so much detail to her books and how it transferred to the movies.
ReplyDeleteHarry Potter does a good job of driving home how medieval Hogwarts is meant to feel! Since red was such a prized color in the Middle Ages, the family that commissioned the tapestry may have done so to show off their personal wealth.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! That's so awesome! I love Harry Potter and I can't believe that I didn't know that already! This is very interesting!
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