The Tapestries - Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Above: The most appealing birds in the second tapestry are the paired pheasants on the fountain's edge, the male fascinated by his reflection. The fountain filled with clear water may symbolize "the mirror without blemish," a simile applied to the Virgin and also to the loved one on earth. Right: Then there is this perky little rabbit. Renowned for its fertility, the animal is appropriate in a tapestry supposedly woven for a marriage, particularly for a medieval marriage in which two people were wed partly for the purpose of producing heirs to carry on the family name.
Above: Fertility is also a characteristic of the goldfinch. Two are in the center of the tapestry: an adult stands on the rim of the fountain, a fledgling, wings outspread, is nearby. According to Pliny, the first-century writer and authority on natural history, "the goldfinch, though a very small bird, produces a dozen little ones." Its diet of thorns and thistle seeds associated it with the crown of thorns, and thus Christ's Passion and man's Redemption. People in the Middle Ages had a special affection for the elegant little goldfinch; they loved watching it fly wild and free in the woods or even taming it to keep as a household pet. Overleaf: Among the animals lining the bank sit a regal lion and lioness. Courageous and merciful to his flock, the king of beasts is, like the unicorn, a symbol of Christ. He also stands for fidelity in love, making it more than coincidental that the lion in the tapestry has his mate beside him. At the right is a stag, killer of serpents and here representing Christ in his special role as destroyer of evil. The stag may also be included because of his popularity as an animal of the chase. The panther in the center of the group stands for both Christ and the lover because of his beauty and good temper. The small creature to
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The Tapestries - Metropolitan Museum of Art

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