Lise Gotfredsen

RHE UNICORN

The unicorn is a much-loved subject in both Eastern and
Western cultures, gracing illuminated manuscripts, paintings,
tapestries, ceramics, and coats of arms. This wide-ranging
cultural history traces the remarkable interpretations and
myths that have grown up around the unicorn in art, literature,
science, and religion. For centuries, natural historians put
forward fantastic theories to explain the unicorn's origin and
appearance; theologians interpreted its significance with the
help of biblical and philosophical texts; poets and painters
found it a source of creative inspiration.

Interest in the unicorn was perhaps most intense during the
Middle Ages, when the graceful but fierce white beast with
the spiral horn became a powerful symbol of chastity and
divine love -- most notably in the famous unicorn tapestries
at the Cluny museum in Paris and the Cloisters in New York.
With graceful erudition, this engaging and informative volume
explores every facet of this enchanting creature, making clear
why it has long inspired such a loyal following.… (mere)