A thousand-year-old tapestry: the inhabitants of the Isle of Alderney complete the work of medieval weavers
A thousand-year-old tapestry: the inhabitants of the Isle of Alderney complete the work of medieval weavers

Video: A thousand-year-old tapestry: the inhabitants of the Isle of Alderney complete the work of medieval weavers

Video: A thousand-year-old tapestry: the inhabitants of the Isle of Alderney complete the work of medieval weavers
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Old (left) and new tapestry pieces from Bayeux
Old (left) and new tapestry pieces from Bayeux

Several hundred people, including the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, took part in the work on the missing piece of one of the main masterpieces of medieval art in Britain. As part of a project led by the artist Pauline Black the missing 6-plus meters of the famous tapestry from Bayeux, the beginning of work on which dates back to the 1070s.

Alderney residents working on a tapestry
Alderney residents working on a tapestry

The work on the 6, 4 meters of embroidery was carried out mainly by the inhabitants of the small island of Alderney, which is part of the United Kingdom. Through their efforts, a grandiose tapestry dedicated to the events of the Norman conquest of England can now claim the status of a work of art with the longest history of creation: it began around 1070, finished in 2013.

Fragment of a tapestry from Bayeux
Fragment of a tapestry from Bayeux

It is believed that the customer of the tapestry was Odo, Bishop Bayeux - the brother of William the Conqueror and one of his closest associates. Scholars disagree about who worked on the original carpet, about 68 meters long: they were probably monks of probably Anglo-Saxon origin, who, however, had to reflect in their work the Norman point of view on the conquest of the islands.

The masterpiece became available to scientists and art critics of modern times in the 17th century, and even then the tapestry lacked the last six meters - dedicated to the final triumph and coronation of William. The mysterious loss of this fragment has become the reason for various speculations: for example, the plot of one of the detective novels is being built around the search for the missing part of the tapestry Adrian Goetz.

One of the tapestry scenes from Bayeux
One of the tapestry scenes from Bayeux

Each of the participants in the project to restore the missing part of the tapestry made his own contribution to the common cause. For example, one of the residents of Alderney, an amateur historian Robin Whicker, invented Latin signatures for paintings related to the arrival of William the Conqueror in London and his ascension to the British throne. Some volunteers sewed one or two threads to the carpet, others pored over it for weeks. “It was an amazing experience. It was a piece of incredible beauty and I just can't believe we're finished,” admits Pauline Black, who owns the overall concept for the restored piece of the tapestry.

Tapestry from Bayeux
Tapestry from Bayeux

Created almost a thousand years ago, the tapestry continues to inspire contemporary artists such as embroidery Tomoko Shioyasu and Heather Hams (England). More than four hundred people took part in the creation of the final fragment of the Bayeux tapestry - from simple enthusiasts to representatives of the British royal family. The resulting work of art will be on display at the Alderney Museum in the coming months.

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