Unicorn in the Magical Forest
Unicorns have been with us for thousands of years. We find these wondrous creatures in ancient myths, in medieval ecclesiastical art, in royal court ceremonies of the 16th and 17th centuries and in the modern world to this day. Unicorns are always associated with magic, mystery and mythical stories.
The Niguliste Museum presents the Swedish Royal Armoury’s family exhibition of unicorns and expands it with fantastic and mythical creatures from Estonian collections. The exhibition explores the story and meaning of the magical unicorn and opens up a wider world of fictional and fantastic creatures.
Royal and medieval artefacts depicting this wondrous creature are central to the exhibition. Rarities include the saddle of King Gustav Vasa of Sweden (1540s), King Gustav II Adolf’s armoury cuirass (1620–1621) and the gilded unicorn horn that adorned one of the horses at ceremonies of King Charles XI’s accession to the throne (1672). The exhibition also includes works from the Swedish History Museum and from the collections of Estonian museums.
An exhibition in collaboration with:
Livrustkammaren (Swedish Royal Armoury)
National Historical Museums in Sweden
Curators: Pia Bengtsson Melin (National Historical Museums in Sweden) and Merike Kurisoo (Art Museum of Estonia)
Graphic design: Külli Kaats
