It is a great pleasure to be presenting for the first time in Japan the celebrated Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, one of the greatest masterpieces of medieval European art, accompanied by thirty-six treasures from the Musée de Cluny‐Musée National du Moyen Âge, Paris, France.

It is believed that the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries were produced either in the region spanning from northern France to the southern Netherlands or in Paris around the year 1500. Later, they were discovered at the Château of Boussac in the French department of Creuse and rose to fame overnight thanks to the attentions of writers such as Prosper Mérimée and George Sand.

Most experts now agree that five of the six large works, which are set against brilliant mille fleurs backgrounds, constitute allegorical representations of the five senses of touch, taste, smell, sound, and sight. However, the sixth tapestry, known as "Mon seul désir," remains shrouded in mystery and has prompted numerous theories as to its meaning, which has been variously interpreted as symbolizing subjects such as love, wisdom, and marriage.

In addition to allowing viewers to fully appreciate the appeal of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries themselves, the current exhibition is organized to further explore the specific motifs depicted in the work through sections analyzing the themes of unicorn, flora and fauna, the five senses, fashion and jewelry, and heraldry.

Moreover, it provides an introduction to the art of tapestry, which experienced a golden age from the end of the 15th to the beginning of the 16th century.

This exhibition marks only the second time these precious tapestries have left France, providing visitors in Japan a rare opportunity to gain new insights into medieval European art. The works are certain to create a luxurious space within which the lady, the unicorn, the lion, and the other subjects can speak to us from beyond the bounds of more than five centuries of temporal and cultural difference.