Portiere Licorne

187cm x 75cm, fully lined fine woven Jacquard tapestry. PORTIERE LICORNE 15th century - extract from the Lady and Unicorn Tapestries. The unicorn was fabled for its beautiful shape, its great agility and its virtue. For this reason the unicorn was invisible to all but virgins. Rare and reputedly elusive, the animal was greatly in demand since its horn was supposed to have the marvellous power of counteracting poison. Wine which had been poisoned became harmless if drunk from a unicorn's horn; knife handles made from this substance exuded small beads of liquid if the food was poisoned. Naturally, such a talisman would fetch any price and was avidly sought after by kings and noblemen to protect them from the death by poisoning frequent in the Middle Ages. Unicorns, finally, were also the symbol of purity and of unattainable love

£338.00