Book Review : The Bayeux Tapestry – The Life Story of a Masterpiece

The Bayeux Tapestry: The Life Story of a MasterpieceThe Bayeux Tapestry: The Life Story of a Masterpiece by Carola Hicks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Bayeux Tapestry is an historical artefact that has fascinated me for many years now and which I have visited at least half a dozen times and it never fails to impress, depicting as it does such a pivotal moment in British history.

So if like me you want to dig deeper into the life of the tapestry then this book is for you as it lists the many near disasters during its 1,000 year life that might have robbed us of this wonderful artefact – from the French Revolutionaries to the Nazi’s in WWII.

The book also goes into how it was constructed, hypothesises as to who ordered & actually made it and what its purpose might have been.

It also opens up the story told in the tapestry by revealing some of the hidden meanings and gestures that would have been obvious to the people of the 11th & 12th century but have been lost to our modern minds as you can see here ….. Secrets of The Bayeux Tapestry : Hidden Meanings & Gestures

All in all a very good read.

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Book Synopsis

‘Official’ Book Description


The vivid scenes on the Bayeux Tapestry depict the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It is one of Europe’s greatest treasures and its own story is full of drama and surprise.

Who commissioned the tapestry? Was it Bishop Odo, William’s ruthless half-brother? Or Harold’s dynamic sister Edith, juggling for a place in the new court? Hicks shows us this world and the miracle of the tapestry’s making: the stitches, dyes and strange details in the margins. For centuries it lay ignored in Bayeux cathedral until its ‘discovery’ in the eighteenth century. It became a symbol of power as well as art: townsfolk saved it during the French Revolution; Napoleon displayed it to promote his own conquest; the Nazis strove to make it their own; and its influence endures today.

This marvellous book, packed with thrilling stories, shows how we remake history in every age and how a great work of art has a life of its own.