{"id":212,"date":"2025-04-27T20:08:23","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T03:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ac.nau.edu\/artcrime\/?p=212"},"modified":"2025-05-05T09:28:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T16:28:58","slug":"a-stitch-by-stitch-guide-to-forging-a-medieval-tapestry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ac.nau.edu\/artcrime\/2025\/04\/27\/a-stitch-by-stitch-guide-to-forging-a-medieval-tapestry\/","title":{"rendered":"Stitch by Stitch: How to Forge a Medieval Tapestry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"This
France. 1495-1505. The Unicorn Rests in a Garden<\/em>. 144 7\/8 x 99 in. (368 x 251.5 cm.) Wool warp with wool, silk, silver, and gilt wefts. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 37.80.6.\u00a0https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/467642<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A unicorn rests in a garden, held captive in a ramshackle wooden corral. The magnificent creature wears an intricately decorated collar, a delicate golden chain keeping it tethered to the spindly pomegranate tree in the center of the corral. A kaleidoscope of flowers surrounds the beast, accentuating its ethereal beauty. Strangely, the unicorn seems at peace despite being confined to such a small enclosure.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The scene described above will be pretty familiar for art history, museum, fantasy, and pop culture enthusiasts alike. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The Unicorn Rests in a Garden<\/em> is perhaps one of the most iconic pieces in the museum’s impressive collection, cementing itself as a cultural touchstone of the Western European medieval zeitgeist. And, yet, despite its impressive reputation, little is known about the tapestry or its six (potential) siblings from the aptly named ‘Unicorn Tapestry’ series. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though beloved among medievalists and Renaissance specialists, tapestries are surprisingly unpopular in the art market. Few have survived to present day and those that have are considered priceless historical artifacts, rather than high-value collector’s items. Rarely has a tapestry from the 1400s-1600s surfaced in the art market and a lack of extensive scholarship means there are less “eyes” keeping tabs on them. They are, theoretically<\/em>, the ideal subjects for someone with a penchant for nefarious activity in the art market.

Despite this, there have been few cases involving tapestries in the world of art crime. Thus, I propose, for the sake of protecting both art enthusiasts and GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) institutions across the globe, a step-by-step guide on forging your very own medieval tapestry, stitch by stitch. You know…for science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2767 Step 1: Learn Your Medium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a medieval tapestry, or a tapestry for that matter? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tapestries fall under the textile category, consisting of thick strands of fabric woven together in colored weft threads or embroidered on a canvas. To be specific, tapestries are weft-faced plain weaves that use repeated, discontinuous wefts used to conceal any warps. Visually, they are characterized by the elaborate designs, sometimes in the form of highly-detailed pictures or floral, mandala-esque patterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"This
A portion of ‘Smell’<\/em> from The Lady and the Unicorn<\/em> tapestry series. c. 1500. Mus\u00e9e de Cluny \u2013 Mus\u00e9e national du Moyen \u00c2ge, Paris<\/em>. Photo \u00a9 RMN-GP \/ M Urtado<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tapestry weaving is one of the most splendorous crafts, due to the extensive care and effort it takes to produce them. This means tapestries are also fairly expensive, falling into the category of luxury goods. Between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries, they were commonly used to decorate the residences of the wealthy elite and even public spaces. Tapestries bear an astonishing likeness to other mediums, such as canvas paintings, wall murals, and printed fabrics, making them difficult to identify. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore the common symbols in medieval art with the infographic below: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Symbols in Medieval Art. <\/em>April, 2025. Circierra Franko. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tapestries in Pop Culture<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not convinced you’ve seen a tapestry before? Take a look at these examples from popular media!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opening credits to The Last Unicorn<\/em> (1982) features a creative rendition of the \u2018Unicorn Tapestries\u2019 series, delicately blending medieval iconography with early 1980s animation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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