Unicorns at the Fountain

Italian

Not on view

Among the special powers attributed to the unicorn is its ability to purify water. How appropriate, therefore, that on this delicately woven and colored band, the magical beasts appear in pairs repeatedly at either side of a fountain, gently dipping their horns into the cascading water.

One of the hangings in The Cloisters’ Unicorn Tapestries Room shows the unicorn similarly posed. There, animals gather from far and wide to drink, despite the ominous presence of hunters.

Unicorns at the Fountain, Linen and silk, Italian

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Front

Unicorns at the Fountain, Linen and silk, Italian
Unicorns at the Fountain, Linen and silk, Italian

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