Of the mythical beasts mentioned in the Bible – such as leviathans, basilisks and behemoths – the unicorn has proven the most enduring, and the creature with the broadest global appeal. It has had its fans in Persia, China and Japan and, in the 13th century, Marco Polo claimed to have seen one with his own eyes. But although the unicorn’s existence was disproven in the 17th century – examples of its horns turned out to be narwhal tusks – the creature continues to fascinate people of all ages. This exhibition at the Musée de Cluny – which holds The Lady and the Unicorn (c. 1500), a series of six tapestries that depict the five senses and a mysterious sixth phenomenon – includes stellar loans to explore the ways in which the unicorn has cropped up in mythology, iconography and art over thousands of years (10 March–12 July).
Find out more from the Musée de Cluny’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary
