The unicorn whisperer

Unicorn mania is nothing new. For years, it’s been claimed that unicorns possess magical powers. Reams of fantastical fiction have been dedicated to these one-horned beings, giving them a legendary status going back hundreds of years. Since the mid-19th century, zoologists have been trying to find out whether this mythical creature is biological fact or fiction. The nearest they’ve ever come, though, is a species of antelope in ancient Egypt and the so-called unicorn of the sea: the narwhal. It comes as no surprise, then, that a wealth of unicorn art prints has gallopped forth into our visual culture over the years.

One horn, one love

The absence of scientific proof for these wonderful gallopers has done little to dampen our unfaltering fascination, however. On the contrary—it has even spurred on symbolism and legends surrounding these miraculously horned horses even more, inspiring a large corpus of art from paintings to posters. Want to add a sprinkle of magic to your slumbertime routine? Try a unicorn poster on the wall for size.

My little unicorn

Receiving fierce competition from perhaps only our prehistoric friends, unicorns are a staple of nursery art around the globe. They stand for magic, hope and freedom—and they really bring the kids’ room to life.

In reality, even grownups can barely resist these divine stallions. But what’s the source of their power? Simple: their horns! In mythology, their horns healing properties. They could cure diseases and even bring the dead back to life. Why stop at unicorns, then. Let your fantasy run riot with floating castles and boating elephants.