the unicorn in captivity.
according to medieval-tapestry-wallhangings.com, depicted in this thing—a 15th/16th century tapestry—is "[a] unicorn [that] represents the beloved tamed.
he is tethered to a tree and constrained by a fence, but the chain is not secure and the fence is low enough to leap over. the unicorn could escape if he wished. clearly, however, his confinement is a happy one, to which the ripe, seed-laden pomegranates in the tree—a medieval symbol of fertility and marriage—testify."
while the original hangs in the met's cloisters, the above site sells reproductions in four sizes.
The Unicorn in Captivity, ca. 1495–1505
South Netherlandish
Wool warp, wool, silk, silver, and gilt wefts; 12 ft. 1 in. x 99 in. (368 m x 251.5 cm)
Gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr., 1937 (37.80.6)
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