At the Barberini Museum in Potsdam, an exceptional exhibition devoted to one of the most fascinating fabulous creatures in cultural history is opening its doors until 1 February 2026: “Einhorn. The fabulous animal in art” presents for the first time on this scale the complex symbolism and artistic representation of the unicorn from Antiquity to the present day. The trail of this mythical creature can be followed across the most diverse cultures — from its origins in India, via China, to Europe, where it has played a central role, particularly in Christian art. The unicorn has embodied, and continues to embody, seemingly contradictory characteristics: freedom and indomitability, but also purity and innocence, naturalness and tenderness.
The complete exhibition brings together around 150 works and objects by major artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Arnold Böcklin, René Magritte and contemporary positions from Rebecca Horn to Marie Cécile Thijs. The range of items on display is impressive: as well as paintings and prints, it includes sculptures, precious manuscripts, sumptuous tapestries, modern video works and rare Kunstkammer objects. International lenders such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre, the Uffizi Gallery and the Rijksmuseum have sent their most valuable representations of unicorns to Potsdam — many of which are only loaned out very rarely.
The historical development of the idea of the unicorn is particularly fascinating: In the Middle Ages, no one doubted the existence of this creature, since it was considered a biblical animal and its alleged horn was proof of its reality. It wasn’t until the 17th century that naturalists unmasked these “unicorn horns” as narwhal teeth. But this scientific discovery did not diminish the unicorn’s appeal — on the contrary: today, we encounter this fabulous animal everywhere in pop culture, advertising and children’s bedrooms. The exhibition at the Museo Barberini invites us to follow this “magical creature” and understand why the unicorn can be seen as the “origin and future” of our dreams and aspirations.
