The Lady and the Unicorn: Foxes, Secrets, and Medieval Historical Interpretation

September 27 2026 , by QualityMedieval Tapestry , 4 min reading time

Behind every Lady and the Unicorn cushion cover is one of the most mysterious tapestry series of the Middle Ages. Discover the story of the six scenes, the hidden animals, and how to bring them home.

The Lady and the Unicorn (La Dame à la licorne) is a set of six tapestries made around 1500. They were most likely designed in Paris and woven in Flanders, which was the tapestry capital of Europe at the time. Today they hang together in a dim, round room at the Musée de Cluny in Paris, the French national museum of the Middle Ages.

The tapestries were nearly lost. In the 1840s they were hanging, damp and damaged, in the Château de Boussac in central France. The writer Prosper Mérimée, then France's inspector of historic monuments, drew attention to them, and the novelist George Sand wrote about them with great admiration. In 1882 the Cluny museum acquired them, and they have been treasured ever since.

Five Senses and One Mystery

In every scene a noble lady stands on a blue island, with a lion on one side and a unicorn on the other. Five of the tapestries show the five senses:

Touch: the lady gently holds the unicorn's horn. See the Unicorn Touch Tapestry Pillow Cover.
Taste: she takes a sweet from a dish offered by her maid, while a parakeet sits on her hand. See the Le Désir Unicorn Tapestry Pillow Cover, Taste.
Smell: she weaves a garland of flowers, while a little monkey sniffs a blossom. See the Unicorn Smell Tapestry Pillow Cover.
Hearing: she plays a small organ. See the Unicorn Sound Tapestry Pillow Cover.
Sight: she holds up a mirror, and the unicorn gazes at its own reflection. See the Unicorn Sight Tapestry Pillow Cover and the Mirror with Border Pillow Cover.

The sixth tapestry is the puzzle. The lady stands in front of a tent with the words “À mon seul désir”, meaning “to my only desire”. Is she putting her jewels away and giving up earthly pleasures? Is it about love, or free will, or a sixth sense of the heart? Historians still disagree, and that open question is part of the magic.

The Lion and the Unicorn

The lion and the unicorn appear in every scene. They hold banners with a coat of arms, most often linked to the Le Viste family, a powerful family of Lyon who likely ordered the series. The lion stands for strength and nobility. The unicorn, in medieval belief, stood for purity and could only be tamed by a pure-hearted maiden. Together they frame the lady like guardians. Our Unicorn Pillow Cover and Lion Pillow Cover make a natural matching pair.

A Garden Full of Hidden Animals

Look closely at the background and you'll find a world of tiny details. The red ground is covered in millefleur, “a thousand flowers”, and small animals hide among the blooms: rabbits, foxes, squirrels, birds, lambs and dogs. Medieval viewers loved these details. The rabbit often suggested fertility and abundance, the squirrel thrift and liveliness, and the fox cleverness.

These little creatures are perfect for cushions, where a single animal can shine on its own:

How to Style a Medieval Tapestry Cushion at Home

Living room: Line up two or three of the senses on a sofa, like a small museum series. Warm reds pair beautifully with leather, dark wood and cream throws.
Bedroom: Place the lion and the unicorn at either end of the bed, with a fox or rabbit cushion in the middle for a playful touch.
Reading nook or window seat: One single animal cushion is enough to make a quiet corner feel like a castle library.
Blue or red? The red versions feel rich and traditional. The blue versions feel calmer and a little more modern, and work well with grey or white rooms.

A Story You Can Hold

More than 500 years after it was woven, The Lady and the Unicorn still pulls in visitors from all over the world. A tapestry cushion lets you keep a piece of that story close, on your sofa, your bed or your favourite chair. It also makes a unique gift for anyone who loves art, history or a good mystery.

Browse our full range of Lady and the Unicorn pillow covers and find the scene that speaks to you.