The Virgin and the Unicorn

cameo-d

The Image Above

This is an Illustration from The Book of Hours (Horus) from a Netherland edition, circa 1500

The Lore

Existing texts of the Physiolous vary considerably in minor details, but this is the substance of what they have to relate about the unicorn: He is a small animal, like a kid, but surprisingly fierce for his size, with one very sharp horn on his head, and no hunter is able to catch him by force. Yet there is a trick by which he is taken. Men lead a virgin to the place where he most resorts and leave her there alone. As soon as he sees this virgin he runs and lays his head in her lap. She fondles him and he falls asleep. The hunters then approach and capture him and lead him to the palace of the king.

One may have known this story for years and may have seen it represented a hundred times in Christian art, yet if he has any gift for stubborn wonder he will be surprised at each return by its strangeness, and curious to know by what queer twist of thought or accident of transmission it has taken on its present form. For this tale, absurd though it may be, is not childishly and feebly absurd like that of the ant-lion; there is a suggestion of age about it and a hint of symbolism not wholly due to the fact that it has serve d for centuries as a Christian symbol.

http://ftp.fortunaty.net/com/sacred-texts/etc/lou/lou04.htm

Questions:

I am curious to know your thoughts on the symbolism in this old illustration.

What do you think is happening in the background?

I doubt the WT has published any surreal type imagery as they are too blatently fear based, but these images of the Virgin and the Unicorn have long been used in many religious based themes. Do you have any thoughts on the reasons behind this?

What is your personal interpretation of what this picture is trying to tell us?

There is no "right" or "wrong" answers. Art speaks differently to everyone.

Tell me your thoughts.

PYRAMIDSCHEME

The Unicorn has been seen as a symbol of vitality and strength. The horn is phallic in its very nature and that is why it seems to be linked to sexual myths...like the virgin.

cameo-d

I agree that the horn is phallic.

I have read that the horn represents a crown in bible symbolism. Like for instance the allegory in Revelation which tells of a beast with ten heads and the horns and is then later said to represent ten kings or kingdoms. So, it's very possible in that light that the horn of a Unicorn could also be symbolic of a crown.

Like I said, there's no right or wrong answers here.

We are just playing with interpretations.

What is that splat in the background?

cameo-d

Why does the angel hold two hunting dogs?

Why is one black and one white? Do these colors have any symbolic meaning?

What is that dang splat in the background?

Can anyone make out a story being told in this picture?

If you had only this picture book and had to make up an entertaining story based solely on this image....what would the story be?

Tell me a story.

journey-on

cameo-d: I have many thoughts about the imagery, but don't want to lay them out here just yet. One question...you do know that the unicorn has been a symbol of Christ and represents spiritual unfoldment, chastity, and purity, right?

cameo-d

Journey-on: "you do know that the unicorn has been a symbol of Christ".

I know that has been said, but again, I think that is just someone's opinion. Art is subjective. Doesn't mean you have to believe the unicorn represents Christ. The illustration may speak something entirely different to others.

I suppose unless we actually knew from the horses mouth, the illustrator, what he intended to say through the symbols, then all we have is guess work and whatever our own imaginations make of it.

Like I said, there's no right or wrong answers. It is whatever you can imagine it might be trying to say.

By the way, I thought the lamb was supposed to be the symbol of Christ. Do you think the unicorn is supposed to represent Christ moreso than the lamb? Any particular reasons? Just curious.

journey-on

What is that splat in the background?
If you're talking about the thing on the ground in the pool of water falling from heaven, I think it is a fish. There is lots of tarot imagery in this piece. I think it is about spiritual evolution and transformation. My reasons for thinking this would fill up the whole page.

ziddina

There's an excellent book out there, titled "The Unicorn Tapestries"... Let me see if I can find more details...

"The oak king, the holly king, and the unicorn: the myths and symbolism of the unicorn tapestries" by John Williamson.

Non-fiction; this book discusses Gothic tapestries in France, unicorns in art and mythology, and in Christian art and symbolism during the Medieval period from 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D. ....

Published 1986; by Harper & Row....

I'll have to check that out, myself... It's in my local library right now...

Zid

cameo-d

Journey-on: "If you're talking about the thing on the ground in the pool of water falling from heaven, I think it is a fish. "

Does it not seem very strange to you that the rest of the picture has painstaking detail and clarity and then suddenly there is this splat/blob/fish whatever it is...that is pretty much unidentifible and out of focus with the rest of the illustration?

It seems with the streak on it coming from the sky that it really has more importance placed on it than the subject matter that first meets the eye in the forefront of the picture.

The splat just doesn't seem in keeping with the meticulous detail of the rest of the painting. But yet there seems to be an overpowering focus on it.

Also I wonder, if it's a fish, why would it be out of water? Or maybe that's the message "a fish out of water"; something being where it doesn't belong(??)

journey-on

It wouldn't be in focus because water is falling from heaven onto it. It is newly emerging and I think it is the important image. It's dead center between the virgin and the robed figure holding the dogs. Also, the water flowing from heaven is centered in the middle between the images on the left and those on the right.

Look at the border. Look at the images on the left side and those on the right. Do you notice anything especially?

The Virgin and the Unicorn

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