Mia Hansson Is Recreating the Bayeux Tapestry by Hand

The Bayeux Tapestry, a masterpiece of Romanesque art, has crossed the Channel to go on display on British soil for the first time. The British Museum in London opens to the public this week the nearly 70-metre-long embroidery, which recounts William the Conqueror's conquest of England in 1066. The event has generated anticipation usually reserved for an exceptional loan from a far-flung institution, even though the work has been kept in Bayeux, Normandy, for centuries.

But another, equally singular endeavour is unfolding away from the spotlight: Mia Hansson, a Swedish embroiderer, has set out to recreate the tapestry entirely by hand. For several years, she has been meticulously reproducing the scenes of the conquest, stitch by stitch, using techniques and materials faithful to the original. Her work, documented on social media, has captured the attention of art and embroidery enthusiasts worldwide.

The Bayeux Tapestry, probably made in southern England in the 1070s, is an invaluable historical and artistic document. It is inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World register. Its presentation in London is a major cultural event, expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors. The work's fragility has required exceptional transport and display conditions.

Mia Hansson's replica is not intended to replace the original, but to keep its memory alive and to understand its techniques. Her project is expected to be completed in several years. Meanwhile, the London exhibition offers the public a rare chance to admire this medieval treasure, which very seldom leaves its native Normandy.

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Written by the ADM desk based on Artlyst. Read the original article for the full story.