Considering the art of the Middle Ages, give examples of art forms that had more of a secular purpose as opposed to sacred and select one example to discuss in detail

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Not all art of the Middle Ages was imbued with Christian culture. Royal, noble, and later middle-class households owned fine-carved furniture, illuminated books, and objects to grace daily life. One of the most treasured medieval possessions, more valuable than paintings, was tapestries, large woven hangings, often created in cycles that told a story or followed a theme. These splendid tapestries were hung in great halls and private chambers. The Lady and the Unicorn, woven for a member of a wealthy French family named Le Viste, is from a cycle of six hangings. According to legend, the unicorn can be tamed by a young girl. In this tapestry the unicorn stands for Le Viste in amorous pursuit. Included in the picture is a lion, signaling Le Viste's presence by holding up the family's coat of arms. The subject of the tapestry is smell, indicated by the basket of flowers offered to the central figure of a young girl, while a monkey sniffs at a stolen blossom.