Bayeux Tapestry delivered to London for exhibition at the British Museum
The Bayeux Tapestry was delivered to London, United Kingdom, on July 9 for display at the British Museum. As Deutsche Welle English reports, the artifact was transported from France as part of a secret transport operation in a high-tech container that protected it from vibrations and maintained stable temperature and humidity levels. The UK government insured the work for £800 million.
France had previously repeatedly refused to loan the work to the United Kingdom, including for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953. The reasons cited were the artifact’s fragility and the risks of transportation. Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron approved the exhibition at the British Museum despite reservations from his experts.
Embroidery about the Norman Conquest
Despite its common name, the Bayeux Tapestry is technically not a tapestry, as it is embroidery on linen cloth. The work, about 70 meters long, depicts events of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, including the Battle of Hastings and William the Conqueror’s victory over Harold II.
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The embroidery is considered one of the most important visual monuments of the High Middle Ages. Researchers also view it as a complex work of propaganda explaining William’s victory. Its 58 scenes, supplemented by Latin inscriptions, depict war, shipbuilding, military equipment, and everyday medieval life. The cloth also depicts Halley’s Comet, which was visible in 1066.
Tickets for the first months sold out
Ticket sales for the period from September to December began on July 1 and ended quickly. According to the publication, up to 80,000 people were attempting to book a visit simultaneously, while waiting times lasted up to nine hours. Tickets for January through March are due to go on sale on October 21, while tickets for April through July will go on sale in January.
The Bayeux Tapestry belongs to the French state and was transferred to the city of Bayeux for display at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum. It is believed to have been commissioned by the Bishop of Bayeux, William the Conqueror’s half-brother, from embroidery artisans in southern England for the opening of his cathedral in 1070.
