The Museum Barberini in Potsdam is currently hosting an extraordinary exhibition featuring rare loans from 16 countries, all centered around the mythical creature that has captivated humanity for centuries: the unicorn. This comprehensive showcase explores why people throughout history have remained fascinated with this legendary being through the lens of art history.
The exhibition brings together exceptional artworks that span different periods and artistic movements, offering visitors a unique opportunity to trace the evolution of unicorn imagery in art. Among the notable pieces is a work by Maerten de Vos, part of the collection from the State Castles, Gardens and Art Collections of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Schwerin, photographed by Ulrich Pfeuffer.
A particularly intriguing anecdote from the exhibition relates to Swiss painter Arnold Böcklin's 1885 painting "The Silence of the Forest." When a studio visitor complained that "This doesn't look like a unicorn at all!" upon viewing Böcklin's dark-toned oil painting, the artist wittily responded, "Oh, have you seen one?" This exchange, which occurred in the same year the painting was created, highlights not only the contemporary skepticism toward mythical creatures during that era but also demonstrates the freedom that art provides to interpret and reimagine legendary beings.
The international scope of the exhibition underscores the universal appeal of unicorn mythology across different cultures and artistic traditions. By gathering these rare loans from 16 different countries, the Museum Barberini has created a comprehensive survey that allows visitors to understand how this mythical creature has been interpreted and reinterpreted by artists throughout different periods of art history, making it a truly dreamlike journey through the ages.
