Photos of the Complete Medieval Bayeux Tapestry Art

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Photos of the Complete Medieval Bayeux Tapestry Art. Photos and descriptions of all the Bayeux Tapestry Scenes. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams.  (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Complete Medieval Bayeux Tapestry Art.

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The complete Romanesque Medieval Bayeux Tapestry, France. Photos & discriptions of every scene.

The most Famous Piece of Medieval Art

The most famous tapestry in the world is the Bayeux Tapestry. Its a shame then that it isn’t a tapestry but an embroidery. The Bayeux Tapestry is arguably though the most famous piece of Medieval art.

The Bayeux Tapestry

The Bayeux Tapestry claimed to be an historical record of the lead up to the Battle of Hastings in which the Norman Duke William of Normandy took the English Crown form Harold. Today Duke William is known as William the Conqueror.

The Purpose of the Bayeux Tapestry

Created in the 11th century at the oder of Bishop Odd of Bayeux, Williams the Conquerors half brother, the Bayeux tapestry is a masterful pice of Norman propaganda. At the time, and ever since, the claim that Duke William had on the English throne was heavily debated. To justify why Duke William of Normandy actions in seizing the English throne from King Harold, Odo had the incredible Bayeux Tapestry made. It is hardly surprising then that according to the Bayeux Tapestry William had every right to take the throne of England.

It is generally agreed that the Bayeux Tapestry was made in England by Anglo-Saxon embroiderers in a Canterbury workshop. What remains of it today is 70 metres long and 50 centimetres tall and can be seen as on length in the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Bayeux.

The Story the Bayeux Tapestry Depicts

The story told by the Bayeux Tapestry starts in 1064 when the tapestry depicts Edward the Confessor, King of England, commanding his brother-in-law Harold Hardrada to sail to Normandy to inform William Duke of Normandy that he be his Edwards successor. Edward the Confessor had no natural heirs.

This is where the controversy starts as under Anglo-Saxon law the King of England, when no heir existed, was chosen by the Witan, the Anglo-Saxon council. It is unlikely that Edward the Confessor would have broken this law.

Harold Said To Normandy

Harold was blown off course and landed in hostile territory and was taken hostage by the local lord. He was rescued by William who made him his honoured guest, or more precisely kept him under house arrest.

William promised Harold that could go home to England when he swore fealty to William. This he did but it is shown in the tapestry that Harold was tricked into swearing his allegiance to William over the bones of a saint. Breaking such an oath in Medieval times was a serious offence.

Harold Become King of England

The Bayeux Tapestry continues with the death of Edward the confessor and Harold breaking his oath to become King of England.

Enraged William builds ships and sails across the English Channel.These are beautifully illustrated in the Bayeux tapestry.

Battle of Hastings

The Tapestry goes on to shows in extreme detail the main events of the Battle of Hastings. Studies of the tapestry have laid the foundation of the history that is taught today about how the Battle of Hastings was conducted.

The Arrow in the Eye

The legend is that Harold was killed in the Battle by an arrow in the eye. This is unclear from the tapestry and some experts seem to think that the arrow may have been added later. It is also not clear whether the character with an arrow in his eye is Harold.

The Bayeux Tapestry is a wonderful piece of art and Norman propaganda. It is rare for medieval tapestries (embroidery) to survive as they are extremely fragile and vulnerable to water and pest damage.

The Remarkable Survival of the Bayeux Tapestry

Amongst the adventures the Bayeux survived were the sacking of Bayeux cathedral in 1472 and its use during the French Revolution, in 1792, as a covering for military wagons. It was rescued from a wagon by a local lawyer who stored it in his house until the troubles were over, whereupon he sent it to the city administrators for safekeeping.

In 1803 the French Fine Arts Commission finally acquired it to protect it as a national treasure.