LiterariLeigh

I have only been to Europe once. In 2000 I went with friends for 10 days and spent time in Paris and Belgium. We went to half a dozen museums including The Louvre and The Musée d'Orsay which are well known for their vast and stunning collections - the "Winged Victory" sculpture is awe inspiring - and I greatly enjoyed both. But my favorite was The Musée de Cluny. Although smaller than the others it is well known for it's magnificent tapestries, and I spent a long time admiring a series of six woven images from the middle ages, collectively called "The Lady and the Unicorn". 

The story of the tapestries and how they were created serves as the subject for Tracy Chevalier's historical novel of the same name. Arrogant artist Nicolas des Innocents is put to the test when a nobleman commissions him to design a set of tapestries, large and grand enough to hang in his great hall. Nicolas has an eye for women and deviously incorporates the nobleman's daughter and wife into his illustrations that feature the seduction of the unicorn. The place to go for weaving at the time is Brussels, where the hard working and talented weavers must use every daylight hour to make the desired tapestries within the allotted time if they expect a full payment. A Difficult and debilitating job under the best of circumstances, when the due date is moved up it becomes necessary to work through the night as well - for this is a time when fine craftsmanship not only brought a man business, but defined the man as well. Although the story is not historically accurate, the book is so detailed and well researched that the era comes alive in both it's squalor and beauty. I also recommend Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring.

This is my favorite. The unicorn looks quite saucy!