Westminster Abbey to display artwork depicting what could be Bayeux Tapestry’s lost piece
The tapestry is incomplete as the final section has been lost or never completed
Westminster Abbey is set to display an imagined final scene of the Bayeux Tapestry, which has been described as a "contemporary counterpart" to the world-renowned artwork.
The 70 metre-long (229ft) embroidered linen work, detailing the Norman Conquest, was brought to the British Museum in London from France in July.
It illustrates the 1066 Norman invasion and the Battle of Hastings, during which William the Conqueror defeated King Harold to claim the English throne, establishing himself as the first Norman king of England.
The tapestry is incomplete as the final section has been lost or never completed. However, many believe it should have ended with William’s coronation on Christmas Day 1066 in Westminster Abbey.
The London church will exhibit a new artwork designed by contemporary artist Helene Delprat next year which is said to depict what may be the lost piece of the Bayeux Tapestry.
The new tapestry, which was commissioned by the Normandy Regional Council, is being handmade in the French weaving town of Aubusson and combines the colours and motifs from the original work with heraldic devices and symbols of power and victory.
It has been described as a “contemporary response to the events of 10 centuries ago”, and is a large-scale piece measuring 25 square metres.
It has also been made using up to 300 different coloured wool and silk threads to create a mixture of patterns and textures.
The work has been commissioned as part of Millennium 2027’s European year of the Normans to celebrate a thousand years since the birth of William the Conqueror in 1027.
The new tapestry will be on display at Westminster Abbey’s medieval Chapter House from 1 May until 30 July next year, returning to France where it will tour Normandy before being shown at Falaise Castle – the birthplace of William the Conqueror.
The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, said he is “thrilled” the venue will be the first to display Ms Delprat’s “remarkable tapestry”.
“This fascinating, contemporary work presents an imagined final scene of the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting William’s coronation following his victory at the Battle of Hastings,” he said.
“As the coronation church, where monarchs have been anointed and crowned in a Christian service since 1066, there could be no more fitting place to display this work than at Westminster Abbey.
“The conversations that have brought the Bayeux Tapestry to London and the marvellous exhibition at the British Museum have challenged us all to think again about complex loyalties put to the test in 1066.
“We hope this tapestry will contribute to that discussion and bring fresh focus to the work and mission of the abbey.”
Herve Morin, president of the Normandy Regional Council, described the new artwork as the “contemporary counterpart” to the Bayeux Tapestry, saying the two works would offer the public “the most comprehensive account of the story of William the Conqueror ever presented”.
Mr Morin added: “The exhibition of Helene Delprat’s work at Westminster Abbey fully embodies the Millennium initiative: to bring Norman history to life in the very places where it unfolded.
“Helene Delprat’s work will not only be exhibited in London; it will symbolically return to the very sites of the events it depicts.”
