Boussac castle and the Lady and the Unicorn tapestry
And also
The tops
The Lady and the Unicorn, Sight |
Salix / CC0
Let's talk about the tapestries. We can see them displaying in the Parisian museum of Cluny, but it used to be in Boussac castle!
We can see 6 pieces, but there were probably more than 8 pieces. 16th century's inventories mentioned red tapestries the owner destroyed in order to make carpets!
These masterpieces were completed between 1484 and 1500 for Jean le Viste.
Boussac district sold them in 1882 to Cluny's curator, Mr de Sommerard.
The famous historian Prosper Mérimée noticed them in 1841; he asked money to buy those tapestries.
George Sand wrote about the hanging's origins, saying:
"Those tapestries came from the tower of Bourganeuf, where they were hanged in poor Zizim's room. He gave them then to Boussac lord, Pierre d'Aubusson, when he left his jail. We thought these hangings were Turkish. We know now they came from Aubusson city.
"Some people said the lady in the tapestry was a slave Zizim fell in love with; he was forced to abandon her when he ran away to Rhodes. According to a friend, this lady was Pierre d'Abusson's niece, and Zizim fell in love with her..."