Painting and Other Arts
Many of the finest illustrated manuscripts of the Romanesque age
were the work of monks in English scriptoria, following in the tradi-
tion of Hiberno-Saxon book production (see Chapter 16). But the
most famous work of English Romanesque art is neither a book nor
Christian in subject.
BAYEUX TAPESTRYThe so-called Bayeux Tapestry (FIG. 17-35)
is unique in medieval art. It is an embroidered fabric—not, in fact, a
woven tapestry—made of wool sewn on linen (see “Embroidery and
Tapestry,” page 456). Closely related to Romanesque manuscript illu-
mination, its borders contain the kinds of real and imaginary animals
found in contemporaneous books, and an explanatory Latin text
sewn in thread accompanies many of the pictures. Some 20 inches
high and about 230 feet long, the Bayeux Tapestry is a continuous,
friezelike, pictorial narrative of a crucial moment in England’s history
and of the events that led up to it. The Norman defeat of the Anglo-
Saxons at Hastings in 1066 brought England under the control of the
Normans, uniting all of England and much of France under one
rule. The dukes of Normandy became the kings of England. Com-
missioned by Bishop Odo, the half brother of the conquering Duke
William, the embroidery may have been sewn by women at the Nor-
man court. Many art historians, however, believe it was the work of
English stitchers in Kent, where Odo was earl after the Norman con-
quest. Odo donated the work to Bayeux Cathedral (hence its nick-
name), but it is uncertain whether it was originally intended for dis-
play in the church’s nave, where the theme would have been a
curious choice.
The circumstances leading to the Norman invasion of England
are well documented. In 1066, Edward the Confessor, the Anglo-
Saxon king of England, died. The Normans believed Edward had
recognized William of Normandy as his rightful heir. But the crown
went to Harold, earl of Wessex, the king’s Anglo-Saxon brother-in-
law, who had sworn allegiance to William. The betrayed Normans,
descendants of the seafaring Vikings, boarded their ships, crossed
the English Channel, and crushed Harold’s forces.
Illustrated here are two episodes of the epic tale as represented in
the Bayeux Tapestry.The first detail (FIG. 17-35,top) depicts King Ed-
ward’s funeral procession. The hand of God points the way to the
church in London where he was buried—Westminster Abbey, conse-
crated December 28, 1065, just a few days before Edward’s death. The
church was one of the first Romanesque buildings erected in England,
and the embroiderers took pains to record its main features, including
the imposing crossing tower and the long nave with tribunes. Here
William was crowned king of England on Christmas Day, 1066. (The
coronation of every English monarch since then also has occurred in
Westminster Abbey.) The second detail (FIG. 17-35,bottom) shows the
Battle of Hastings in progress. The Norman cavalry cuts down the En-
glish defenders. The lower border is filled with the dead and wounded,
although the upper register continues the animal motifs of the rest of
the embroidery. The Romanesque artist co-opted some of the charac-
teristic motifs of Greco-Roman battle scenes, for example, the horses
with twisted necks and contorted bodies (compare FIG. 5-70). But the
artists rendered the figures in the Romanesque manner. Linear pat-
terning and flat color replaced classical three-dimensional volume and
modeling in light and dark hues.
The Bayeux Tapestry stands apart from all other Romanesque art-
works in that it depicts an event in full detail at a time shortly after it
occurred, recalling the historical narratives of ancient Roman art. Art
historians have often likened the Norman embroidery to the scroll-
like frieze of the Column of Trajan (FIG. 10-44). Like the Roman ac-
count, the story told on the Bayeux Tapestry is the conqueror’s version
of history, a proclamation of national pride. And as in the ancient
frieze, the narrative is not confined to battlefield successes. It is a com-
plete chronicle of events. Included are the preparations for war, with
scenes depicting the felling and splitting of trees for ship construction,
the loading of equipment onto the vessels, the cooking and serving of
meals, and so forth. In this respect, the Bayeux Tapestry is the most Ro-
man-esque work of Romanesque art.BURY BIBLE The Bury Bible (FIG. 17-36),produced at the Bury
Saint Edmunds abbey in England around 1135, exemplifies the sump-
tuous illustration common to the large Bibles produced in wealthy
Romanesque abbeys not subject to the Cistercian ban on luxurious il-
luminated manuscripts. These costly books lent prestige to monaster-
ies that could afford them (see “Medieval Books,” Chapter 16, page
411). The artist responsible for the Bury Bible is known:Master
Hugo,who was also a sculptor and metalworker. With Bernardus
Gelduinus (FIG. 17-7), Gislebertus (FIG. 17-12), Rainer of Huy (FIG.
17-23), Wiligelmo (FIG. 17-28), and Benedetto Antelami (FIG. 17-29),Normandy and England 45717-36Master Hugo,Moses expounding the Law, folio 94 recto of
the Bury Bible,from Bury Saint Edmunds, England, ca. 1135. Ink and
tempera on vellum, 1 8 1 2 . Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
Master Hugo was a rare Romanesque lay artist, one of the emerging
class of professional artists and artisans who depended for their liveli-
hood on commissions from well-endowed monasteries.1 in.17-36AMouth
of Hell,
Winchester
Psalter,
ca. 1145–1155.