MEDIEVAL MASTERPIECE ON DISPLAY IN SYDNEY

'Taste' c1500, from the The lady and the unicorn series

One of the world’s most prestigious art exhibits has arrived in Sydney at the Art Gallery of NSW.

The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry series – often referred to as the ‘Mona Lisa of the Middle Ages’ – is considered one of the greatest surviving masterpieces of medieval European art.

NSW Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said, “The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are remarkable and rare, and I’m delighted that the NSW Government has assisted the Gallery to bring this masterpiece of Western medieval art to Sydney.”

Designed in Paris around 1500, the tapestries depict a lady flanked by a lion and a unicorn, surrounded by an enchanting world of animals, trees and flowers.

One of the most intriguing aspects of these six large-scale artworks is the mystery of their origin and meaning; for whom were these masterpieces made? What do they symbolise? What stories do they tell?

The tapestries, which have only left France on two previous occasions, are on loan from one of Paris’ most visited museums – the Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge – where they are the number one attraction.

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these magnificent artworks in Sydney.

For more information and to book tickets, visit the Art Gallery of NSW.

Image: , wool and silk, 377 x 466 cm, Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge, Paris. Photo © RMN-GP / M Urtado.