The Lady and the Unicorn

Tracy Chevalier once again manages to transport readers into iconic works of art, bringing the story of famed images to life, and exploring the personality of every hand that took to create it. Set in 1490, this book invents a tale behind the creation of “The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries.” It has everything an engrossing read should have—romance, ambition, betrayal. But for the medieval aficionado, Chevalier’s incredible research on the creation of a tapestry—from designing the cartoon, to sheering the sheep’s wool to the dying it, to the weaving and the warping—is described as a master class that leaves… show more.

Although the obvious choice when considering a Tracy Chevalier novel about art would be Girl With a Pearl Earring, I found The Lady and The Unicorn to be equally as engaging. The story of how a tapestry comes to life is different to the story behind a painting. I enjoyed the way the novel is woven together like a tapestry itself through a number of different narratives, and that it has a common thread running through it in the character of Nicolas des Innocents, a womanizing artist. I also liked the way it provides a wonderful blend of fact… show more.