David Musgrove on a spectacular detailed reproduction of the Bayeux Tapestry
1066 is surely the most famous year in English – maybe British – history. That’s partly because we are blessed with an amazing pictorial source to bring to life that era-defining episode, the battle of Hastings: the Bayeux Tapestry.
If you want to really get to grips with the 68-metre-long embroidery, go to Bayeux. Failing that, this book is a great alternative. It’s probably too large to fit on your bookshelves, but that’s why it’s so good. Its oversized pages feature a complete colour reproduction of the tapestry, prefaced by a short, clear and authoritative introduction by David M Wilson, one-time director of the British Museum. It also includes a short scene-by-scene commentary.
This is the sort of book that you can look at for hours. It follows a long tradition of scholars and artists attempting the difficult challenge of replicating the 11th-century masterpiece – no easy feat, given its size, medium and fragility. In the early 18th century, a French monk and antiquarian published a series of engravings. Then, in the 19th century, Charles Stothard was sent to Bayeux by the Society of Antiquaries to make drawings (he also made casts and cut fragments from it). Next, a full photographic copy was made. Around 1885, the ‘Ladies of Leek’ – members of the Leek 'mbroidery Society in Staffordshire – completed a full-length replica. And in the past few years, Bayeux Museum has created an amazing digital reproduction that is also worth a look. But if you’re searching for a print version to cherish, this book provides it.
David Musgrove is content director of BBC History Magazine and co-author of The Story of the Bayeux Tapestry (Thames & Hudson, 2021)