ABSTRACT
The uses to which tents were put in the late Middle Ages and during the Renaissance reflect the interests and entertainments of the royal and noble houses of the day. The gorgeous tent belonging to a series of tapestries known as The Lady with the Unicorn in the Cluny Museum in Paris makes the connection between the tent and chivalry clear. Italian painting is more informative than French in the 14th century because, whereas French painters tended to stylize the tent, Italian paintings are more realistic and make detailed observations of the subject. By the 15th century, the number of tents included in paintings proliferates and the rectangular pavilion becomes increasingly popular. The extravagant flowering of the tent in the early Renaissance was prompted by its association with mediaeval pageantry, romance and chivalry; once this withered then the tent was destined to decline.
