Unicorns at the Fountain

Unknown

16th century · Linen and silk · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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.

Artist

Unknown

Date

16th century

Medium

Linen and silk

Culture

Italian

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Frederic B. Pratt, 1922