The dense floral pattern and earth-toned colors of this tapestry exude a sense of coziness, while the tapestry’s size (about nine feet high and twelve feet wide!) seems to envelop you. The background pattern is known as mille fleures (“thousand flowers”) and includes not only flowers and plants, but several birds and animals—how many rabbits can you find? But tapestries weren’t only decorative; they offered physical comfort by providing insulation for the large, drafty rooms of their wealthy owners.

During the European Gothic and Renaissance periods (1200s–1500s), tapestries achieved a pinnacle of popularity and quality. Leading artists of the day produced designs for tapestries, and every royal court and cathedral in Europe owned lavish sets of this expensive, labor-intensive art form. Due to the rich materials (such as silk and gilt-metal threads) and the time involved in tapestry production, only the wealthiest of patrons could afford them. For this reason, tapestries were not only treasured works of art, but also sumptuous status symbols.

Image Description: A richly detailed tapestry depicting a scene inspired by medieval European and Persian myth. The central figures are a young woman covered in hair and wearing a headdress made of animal jawbones riding a unicorn-like creature with the body of a horse and the face of a camel. To our left is a lion, poised as if to attack. The background is abundantly decorated with detailed flowers and various animals including doves, hawks, a dog, a deer, and several rabbits. The tapestry’s color palette is dominated by deep blues, greens, and reds for the background, with the animals and figures primarily woven in tans and browns.