Phoebe and Her Unicorn/Medieval artwork

Since Marigold has stated that she has posed for several Medieval tapestries, it may be helpful to see similar tapestries to judge how much artistic license was taken in recording those images.

## Tapestries

One of the more famous examples of Medieval tapestries includes *The Lady and the Unicorn*, a series of tapestries representing the five senses plus a sixth titled "À mon seul désir", which has several interpretations relating to love or desire. Another is the *Unicorn Tapestries*, alternatively called *The Hunt of the Unicorn*. This series of tapestries is referenced in the opening sequence of the 1982 animated movie *The Last Unicorn*, which in turn was one of the inspirations for *Phoebe and Her Unicorn*.

The first collection is on display at the Musée de Cluny le monde médiéval (National Museum of the Middle Ages) in Paris, France and may be viewed online here via the Internet Archive's copy of the English version of the website, dated February 25, 2014. The second collection is on display in Gallery 017 of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, United States and can be viewed online here (search results for "Unicorn Tapestries").

## Books

Several books are available that provide further examples of Medieval-style artwork of unicorns. Among them are:

* *Mythical Birds & Beasts From Many Lands*
 Margaret Mayo & Jane Ray
 Published by Dutton Children's Books, 1996, ISBN 0-525-45788-7
 Includes a traditional European story called "The Unicorn Who Walks Alone" about animals that gather at a watering hole during a long drought. A snake poisons the water and the animals have nowhere else to go, so they cry out for help. The Unicorn heard them and dipped his horn into the pool to dispel the poison. And then he was gone.

* *The Unicorn Alphabet*
 Mariana Mayer, illustrated by Michael Hague
 Published by Dial Books, 1989, ISBN 0-8037-0372-4
 A book with an illustration for every letter of the alphabet, containing objects and information relating to unicorns. One example includes the Iris, a flower that symbolizes power and majesty that was often paired with unicorns on the coat of arms of French noblemen in the Middle Ages. Two other examples are for the Fountain and the Water of Life, which refer to the same story told as "The Unicorn Who Walks Alone".

* *The Truth About Unicorns*
 Molly Blaisdell
 Published by Picture Window Books, 2011, ISBN 1-4048-5748-6
 A children's illustrated book that presents a short history of the myths surrounding unicorns, such as those from China and Tibet. References *The Last Unicorn, The Unicorn Tapestries* and *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone*.

* *Unicorns*, part of "The Mystery Library" series
 Patricia D. Netzley
 Published by Lucent Books, Inc., 2001, ISBN 1-56006-687-3
 Discusses the history, origins and symbolism of unicorns throughout the ages, from ancient Greek and Roman times through the modern day, and their role in medicine.

### The Lady and the Unicorn

Books specifically related to *The Lady and the Unicorn* include the following:

* *The Lady and the Unicorn* (Temporis series)
 Sutherland Lyall
 Published by Parkstone Press, 2000, ISBN 978-1859955192
 Covers the mythology, history and mystery of the six tapestries.

* *The Lady and the Unicorn: A Novel*
 Tracy Chevalier
 Published by Penguin Books, 2004, ISBN 978-0452285453
 A novel that blends the history of the tapestry with fiction. From the reviews, it is more suited for adults rather than children, and while there is a bibliography at the end that shows research was done to help build the story, it should not be considered historically accurate.

### The Unicorn Tapestries

Books specifically related to the *Unicorn Tapestries* include the following:

* *The Unicorn Tapestries*
 Margaret B. Freeman
 Published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1976, ISBN 978-0870991479
 Provides a comprehensive discussion of the images in the Tapestries and the history of their creation. A free PDF of the book can be downloaded from the page on the museum's page about the book.

* The above book was also published as a "First American Edition" as The Met's "Bulletin Volume XXXII, Number I" in 1974 (ASIN# B002V4IYE2) and reprinted in 1993 (ASIN# B01FIXUY9K).

* *The Unicorn Tapestries in The Metropolitan Museum of Art*
 Adolfo Salvatore Cavallo
 Published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1998, ISBN 978-0300106305
 A newer book that details the imagery and symbolism of the Tapestries, with appendixes that focus on the plants and animals in the millefleurs backgrounds. The book can be purchased directly from the museum.

* *The Oak King, the Holly King and the Unicorn: The Myths and Symbolism of the Unicorn Tapestries*
 John Williamson
 Published by Harper and Row, 1986, ISBN 978-0060960322
 Another examination of the tapestries by someone who also was involved in designing the Cloister medieval gardens for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

## Decorations

* A needlepoint pattern for a Medieval version of a unicorn is found on page 42 of *Flowers, Birds and Unicorns: Medieval Needlepoint* by Candace Bahouth. Published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1993, ISBN 0-8109-3316-0. Includes the pattern and the yarn list for making a unicorn cushion.

* *Medieval Tapestries Coloring Book*
 Marty Noble
 Published by Dover Publications, 2004, ISBN 978-0486436869
 A coloring book with line drawings of many medieval tapestries.

* "Unicorn in Captivity" pillow. Available in three sizes
  Purchase from Amazon

* "Unicorn in Captivity" tapestry (recreation by Fabric Bureau)
  Purchase from Amazon (red border)
  Purchase from Amazon (blue border)