The Lady and the Unicorn

A few months ago C recommended a book called The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier, the author of Girl with a Pearl Earring. Historical fiction is not my favorite genre, but I had nothing else to read at the time so I decided to give it a try. Once I started reading, I found the book hard to put down. It's a story about the weaving of some famous tapestries (which I'd never heard of) hanging in the Cluny Museum (Musée National du Moyen Age) in Paris. Although I don't usually enjoy going to medieval history museums I was so intrigued by the story of the tapestries that I wanted to see them, so I agreed to go to the Cluny with C.

The tapestries were hanging in a dimly lit room to minimize further fading. It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the lighting, and photography was challenging, but the tapestries were magnificent. They were much bigger than I expected, and the detail was incredible. I noticed that other visitors were speaking with hushed voices, as if in a cathedral.

I highly recommend the book, and a visit to the Cluny if you can manage it.

There are a few more tapestry photos here.