How long is the Bayeux Tapestry?
Is there a sanitary protocol at Bayeux?
Is the Bayeux Tapestry open online?
Where can the Bayeux Tapestry be found today?
The Bayeux Tapestry is preserved and displayed in Bayeux, in Normandy, France. Nothing is known for certain about the tapestry's origins.
Where is the Bayeux Tapestry in 2022?
In 2022, the City of Bayeux and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London are joining to celebrate the 150th anniversary of their collaboration that gave birth to the very first complete photographic coverage of the Bayeux Tapestry.
What museum has the Bayeux Tapestry?
Baron Gérard Museum of Art and History The Bayeux Tapestry is still in Bayeux!
Where is the Bayeux Tapestry 2021?
Bayeux MuseumThe Bayeux Tapestry is still displayed in Bayeux Museum Since the announcement of the eventual loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK, an administrative arrangement has been signed between the French and British Ministries of Culture, opening the way for cultural exchanges between the two countries.
What will happen to the Bayeux Tapestry in 2022?
The Bayeux Tapestry may be an enduring artefact of shared patrimony between England and France, but its planned loan to the UK in 2022 could be cancelled amid claims of its desperate need for repair.
Is Bayeux Tapestry still in Bayeux?
The Bayeux Tapestry is still in Bayeux! Since the announcement of the eventual loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK, the museum confirms that visitors can see the embroidery in Bayeux still for few years....
Is the Bayeux Tapestry still in France?
THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY IS STILL IN BAYEUX! If it is possible and safe to move the Bayeux Tapestry, the loan should happen in 2022 or 2023. During this time, the Bayeux Museum will be closed to the public while a new museum is built in Bayeux, due to open in 2025.
Is there a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry in Hastings?
View Britain's famous full-size Victorian version of the Bayeux Tapestry in its magnificent entirety. This faithful replica is 70-metres long. It was made by 35 skilled Victorian women embroiderers in 1885 and depicts the events leading up and includes to the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
How do I get to Bayeux?
Take a Brittany ferry from Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham). Catch bus No 1 to Caen. Catch a train from Caen to Bayeux or, alternatively, catch bus No 30. I would advise either travelling overnight on the ferry or getting a day cabin.
How much does it cost to see the Bayeux Tapestry?
€9 for adultsAdmission tickets for the Bayeux Tapestry is €9 for adults, €4 for children, and free for under 10-year olds. The ticket includes the use of an excellent audio guide (14 languages), which explains the scenes on the Bayeux Tapestry in just over 20 minutes – pausing and rewinding is possible.
Why is the Bayeux Tapestry in France?
In 1804, the work was moved to Paris for display, but after Napoleon abandoned his idea of invading England, its propaganda value was lost. The work was returned to Bayeux, where it went on display.
Is Bayeux Tapestry worth visiting?
Bayeux is a wonderfully tranquil and historic Normandy town that has beautiful buildings, a very French air to it and an abundance of history; it's well worth visiting on your France itinerary.
Where will Bayeux Tapestry be displayed in UK?
Reading MuseumToday, this artwork, Britain's Bayeux Tapestry, is held at Reading Museum and displayed in our specially designed Bayeux Gallery. For many years we have shared our Victorian replica with audiences across the world via our online version of the Bayeux Tapestry.
Is the Bayeux Tapestry still in France?
THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY IS STILL IN BAYEUX! If it is possible and safe to move the Bayeux Tapestry, the loan should happen in 2022 or 2023. During this time, the Bayeux Museum will be closed to the public while a new museum is built in Bayeux, due to open in 2025.
How do I get to Bayeux?
Take a Brittany ferry from Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham). Catch bus No 1 to Caen. Catch a train from Caen to Bayeux or, alternatively, catch bus No 30. I would advise either travelling overnight on the ferry or getting a day cabin.
How much does it cost to see the Bayeux Tapestry?
€9 for adultsAdmission tickets for the Bayeux Tapestry is €9 for adults, €4 for children, and free for under 10-year olds. The ticket includes the use of an excellent audio guide (14 languages), which explains the scenes on the Bayeux Tapestry in just over 20 minutes – pausing and rewinding is possible.
A panorama with high resolution images
Discover the entire Bayeux Tapestry following online the 70 meter-long embroidered canvas which tells the story of the conquest of England in 1066.
Terms of use
Access to this panorama is free for a private or public non-commercial use. Any commercial use of this tool is prohibited, as well as the extraction of images from this panorama.
What is the Bayeux Tapestry?
The Bayeux Tapestry ( UK: / baɪˈjɜː, beɪ -/, US: / ˈbeɪjuː, ˈbaɪ -/; French: Tapisserie de Bayeux [tapisʁi də bajø] or La telle du conquest; Latin: Tapete Baiocense) is an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres (230 ft) long and 50 centimetres (20 in) tall that depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy, and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. It is thought to date to the 11th century, within a few years after the battle. It tells the story from the point of view of the conquering Normans but is now agreed to have been made in England.
Why was the tapestry returned to Bayeux?
It was because the tapestry was regarded as an antiquity rather than a work of art that in 1804 it was returned to Bayeux, wherein 1823 one commentator, A. L. Léchaudé d'Anisy, reported that "there is a sort of purity in its primitive forms, especially considering the state of the arts in the eleventh century".
Why is the Bayeux tapestry important?
Throughout, William is described as dux ("duke"), whereas Harold, also called dux up to his coronation, is subsequently called rex ("king"). The fact that the narrative extensively covers Harold's activities in Normandy (in 1064) indicates that the intention was to show a strong relationship between that expedition and the Norman Conquest starting two years later . It is for this reason that the tapestry is generally seen by modern scholars as an apologia for the Norman Conquest.
Why are Tituli used in the Bayeux Tapestry?
Tituli are included in many scenes to point out names of people and places or to explain briefly the event being depicted. The text is in Latin but at times the style of words and spelling shows an English influence. A dark blue wool, almost black, is mostly used but towards the end of the tapestry other colours are used, sometimes for each word and other times for each letter. The complete text and English translation are displayed beside images of each scene at Bayeux Tapestry tituli .
Where is the tapestry hanging?
The tapestry is now exhibited at the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Bayeux, Normandy, France (. / 49.2744; -0.7003.
Where was the Odo tapestry made?
Assuming Odo commissioned the tapestry, it was probably designed and constructed in England by Anglo-Saxon artists (Odo's main power base being by then in Kent ); the Latin text contains hints of Anglo-Saxon; other embroideries originate from England at this time; and the vegetable dyes can be found in cloth traditionally woven there. Howard B. Clarke has proposed that the designer of the tapestry was Scolland, the abbot of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury, because of his previous position as head of the scriptorium at Mont Saint-Michel (famed for its illumination), his travels to Trajan's Column, and his connections to Wadard and Vital, two individuals identified in the tapestry. The actual physical work of stitching was most likely undertaken by female needleworkers. Anglo-Saxon needlework of the more detailed type known as Opus Anglicanum was famous across Europe. It was perhaps commissioned for display in the hall of his palace and then bequeathed to the cathedral he built, following the pattern of the documented but lost hanging of Byrhtnoth.
What is the central zone of the tapestry?
The tapestry's central zone contains most of the action, which sometimes overflows into the borders either for dramatic effect or because depictions would otherwise be very cramped (for example at Edward's death scene ). Events take place in a long series of scenes which are generally separated by highly stylised trees. However, the trees are not placed consistently and the greatest scene shift, between Harold's audience with Edward after his return to England and Edward's burial scene, is not marked in any way at all.
Where did the tapestry originate?
The tapestry has affinities with other English works of the 11th century, and, though its origin in England is not proved, there is a circumstantial case for such an origin. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now. The tapestry is of greater interest as a work of art.
Where was the tapestry of the cathedral in France?
When first referred to (1476), the tapestry was used once a year to decorate the nave of the cathedral in Bayeux, France. There it was “discovered” by the French antiquarian and scholar Bernard de Montfaucon, who published the earliest complete reproduction of it in 1730. Having twice narrowly escaped destruction during the French Revolution, it was exhibited in Paris at Napoleon’s wish in 1803–04 and thereafter was in civil custody at Bayeux, except in 1871 (during the Franco-German War) and from September 1939 to March 1945 (during World War II ).
Why is the tapestry important?
The tapestry is of greater interest as a work of art. It is also important evidence for the history of the Norman Conquest, especially for Harold’s relation to William before 1066; its story of events seems straightforward and convincing, despite some obscurities. The decorative borders have value for the study of medieval fables.
Has the Bayeux Tapestry been restored?
It has been restored more than once, and in some details the restorations are of doubtful authority. Detail from the Bayeux Tapestry, 11th century. A battle scene from the Bayeux Tapestry, 11th century. When first referred to (1476), the tapestry was used once a year to decorate the nave of the cathedral in Bayeux, France.
Where is the Bayeux Tapestry?
Today, their brilliant handiwork, Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry, is held at Reading Museum and displayed in our specially designed Bayeux Gallery.
What is the most famous piece of medieval art?
Britain's Bayeux Tapestry. The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the world’s most famous pieces of medieval art, chronicling the legendary tale of the Norman conquest of England through seventy metres of astonishing 11th century embroidery. In the late 19th century, a group of talented Victorian embroiderers, the Leek Embroidery Society , ...
Can you view the Tapestry on a mobile device?
If you are viewing the Tapestry on a mobile device, be sure to rotate it to landscape, so that you can enjoy the Tapestry's finest details at the best quality possible.
Where was the Bayeux tapestry made?
The Bayeux Tapestry was probably made in Canterbury around 1070. Because the tapestry was made within a generation of the Norman defeat of the Anglo-Saxons, it is considered to be a somewhat accurate representation of events. Based on a few key pieces of evidence, art historians believe the patron was Odo, Bishop of Bayeux. Odo was the half-brother of William, Duke of Normandy. Furthermore, the tapestry favorably depicts the Normans in the events leading up to the battle of Hastings, thus presenting a Norman point of view. Most importantly, Odo appears in several scenes in the tapestry with the inscription ODO EPISCOPUS (abbreviated "EPS" in the image below), although he is only mentioned briefly in textual sources. By the late Middle Ages, the tapestry was displayed at Bayeux Cathedral, which was built by Odo and dedicated in 1077, but its size and secular subject matter suggest that it may have been intended to be a secular hanging, perhaps in Odo’s hall.
How tall is the Bayeux Tapestry?
Essay by Dr. Kristine Tanton. Measuring twenty inches high and almost 230 feet in length, the Bayeux Tapestry commemorates a struggle for the throne of England between William, the Duke of Normandy, and Harold, the Earl of Wessex (Normandy is a region in northern France).
What is the name of the embroidered wool on linen that Normans used to make their horses?
Normans with horses on boats, crossing to England, in preparation for battle. Bayeux Tapestry, c. 1070, embroidered wool on linen, 20 inches high (Bayeux Museum)
Where was the tapestry of Odo?
By the late Middle Ages, the tapestry was displayed at Bayeux Cathedral, which was built by Odo and dedicated in 1077, but its size and secular subject matter suggest that it may have been intended to be a secular hanging, perhaps in Odo’s hall. We do not know the identity of the artists who produced the tapestry.
What is the high quality of needlework?
The high quality of the needlework suggests that Anglo-Saxon embroiderers produced the tapestry. At the time, Anglo-Saxon needlework was prized throughout Europe. This theory is supported by stylistic analysis of the depicted scenes, which draw from Anglo-Saxon drawing techniques.
How tall is the Battle of Hastings?
Map showing the location of the Battle of Hastings. Measuring twenty inches high and almost 230 feet in length, the Bayeux Tapestry commemorates a struggle for the throne of England between William, the Duke of Normandy, and Harold, the Earl of Wessex (Normandy is a region in northern France).
What is the importance of embroiderers in the 11th century?
The embroiderers' attention to specific details provides important sources for scenes of eleventh-century life as well as objects that no longer survive. In one scene of the Normans’ first meal after reaching the shores of England, we see dining practices. We also see examples of armor used in the period and battle preparations. To the left of the dining scene, servants prepare food over a fire and bake bread in an outdoor oven (above). Servants serve the food as the tapestry's assumed patron, Bishop Odo, blesses the meal (below).
What is the story of the Bayeux Tapestry?
The Tapestry tells the story of the events surrounding the conquest of England by the Duke of Normandy. The story told by the Bayeux Tapestry begins in 1064, when Edward the Confessor, King of England, instructs his brother-in-law Harold Godwinson to travel to Normandy in order to offer his cousin William the succession to the English throne.
What happened in 1066?
The events surrounding the 1066 invasion of England. In 1064, Harold’s ship sails towards the coast of Normandy. After many difficulties, he sends a message to William Duke of Normandy: the King of England has designated him as his heir to the throne. When the old king dies, Harold has himself crowned instead of the Duke of Normandy.
Where did the Normans make their way?
In the morning the fleet makes landfall at the little port of Pevensey in Sussex and the Normans make their way towards Hastings, where they take up their positions. On 14 October 1066, the decisive battle between Norman and Anglo-Saxon troops begins.
Who commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry?
Most historians believe that Odo, Bishop of Bayeux and William the Conqueror’s half-brother, commissioned the embroidery to decorate the nave of the new cathedral of Notre-Dame of Bayeux, consecrated on 14 July 1077. The scenes in the Bayeux Tapestry are embroidered in wool thread on linen cloth. The plants used to dye the wool were Dyer’s woad, ...
What makes the Bayeux Tapestry an embroidery?
The embroidery consists of pictures and text inscriptions, and comprises nine panels of linen cloth joined together.
What stitch is used for Bayeux stitch?
The various colours used emphasise the amazing richness of texture achieved throughout the work by the use of four embroidery stitches: stem stitch, chain stitch, split stitch using two threads, and couching stitch, or “Bayeux stitch”, this last being used to fill in coloured surfaces.
What is the dye used in the Bayeux Tapestry?
The scenes in the Bayeux Tapestry are embroidered in wool thread on linen cloth. The plants used to dye the wool were Dyer’s woad, madder and dyer’s rocket (or weld). Woad, a plant which is common in Europe, was used to produce indigotine, a pigment that gives the various shades of blue found in the Tapestry.
How many panels are there in embroidery?
The embroidery consists of pictures and text inscriptions, and comprises nine panels of linen cloth joined together. The technique used is unquestionably embroidery. The regularity of the lines traced by the wool thread show that guiding marks, perhaps drawings, were made on the cloth.
How long is the Bayeux Tapestry?
Step into the engrossing story of the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy in 1066, told in a 70 meters long embroidery. With a visit to the museum, you can discover the complete Bayeux Tapestry, study it close up without causing damage to it, and understand its history and how it was created thanks to an audio-guide commentary ...
Is there a sanitary protocol at Bayeux?
VISITOR INFORMATION: The sanitary protocol remains rigorous for everyone's safety : face mask (even for vaccinated people), hand washing, respect for social distances, disinfection of contact surfaces. Bayeux museums are accessible WITHOUT prior reservation and no health pass or negative PCR test will be required at entry.
Is the Bayeux Tapestry open online?
Breaking news! It is now possible to freely explore online the entire Bayeux Tapestry with a never seen quality of images on Bayeux Museum website...
Overview
Content
The tapestry begins with a panel of Edward the Confessor sending Harold to Normandy. Later Norman sources say that the mission was for Harold to pledge loyalty to William but the tapestry does not suggest any specific purpose. By mischance, Harold arrives at the wrong location in France and is taken prisoner by Guy, Count of Ponthieu. After exchanges of messages borne by mounted m…
History
The earliest known written reference to the tapestry is a 1476 inventory of Bayeux Cathedral, but its origins have been the subject of much speculation and controversy.
French legend maintained the tapestry was commissioned and created by Queen Matilda, William the Conqueror's wife, and her ladies-in-waiting. Indeed, in Franc…
Construction, design and technique
In common with other embroidered hangings of the early medieval period, this piece is conventionally referred to as a "tapestry", although it is not a "true" tapestry in which the design is woven into the cloth in tapestry weave; it is technically an embroidery, although it meets the traditional broader definition of "tapestry" as: "A textile fabric decorated with designs of ornament or pictorial s…
Background
In a series of pictures supported by a written commentary, the tapestry tells the story of the events of 1064–1066 culminating in the Battle of Hastings. The two main protagonists are Harold Godwinson, recently crowned King of England, leading the Anglo-Saxon English, and William, Duke of Normandy, leading a mainly Norman army, sometimes called the companions of William the Conqu…
Unsettled questions
The depiction of events on the tapestry has raised several questions which remain unsettled.
The identification of Harold II of England in the vignette depicting his death is disputed. Some recent historians disagree with the traditional view that Harold is the figure struck in the eye with an arrow. The view that it is Harold is suppo…
Historical accuracy
The Bayeux Tapestry was probably commissioned by the House of Normandy and essentially depicts a Norman viewpoint. However, Harold is shown as brave, and his soldiers are not belittled. Throughout, William is described as dux ("duke"), whereas Harold, also called dux up to his coronation, is subsequently called rex ("king"). The fact that the narrative extensively covers Harold's activit…
Replicas and continuations
A number of replicas of the Bayeux Tapestry have been created.
• Through the collaboration of William Morris with textile manufacturer Thomas Wardle, Wardle's wife Elizabeth, who was an accomplished seamstress, embarked on creating a reproduction in 1885. She organised some 37 women in her Leek School of Art Embroidery to collaborate working from a full-scale wate…