The Book of the Bayeux Tapestry: Presenting the Complete Work in a Series of Colour FacsimilesBelloc, Hilaire
History
The Book of the Bayeux Tapestry: Presenting the Complete Work in a Series of Colour Facsimiles
Belloc, Hilaire
Bayeux tapestry
The next two panels (66 and 67) give the death of the two brothers of
Harold. Apart from the introduction of the figures of these two princes,
Lewine and Gyrth, the interest of these panels also lies in the
accoutrements. Thus on four of the charging French knights you see the
crossed garters which bound the leg below the suit of mail, and in the
hands of one of the English you see the round shield with a boss, which
will reappear in the scene of the death of Harold. I would say
tentatively and subject to correction, that this symbolised something
old-fashioned in the Saxon accoutrement. In the border below, the same
type of accoutrement, the round shield with the boss, reappears twice
among the dead bodies. Gyrth and Lewine were standing near Harold, and
one chronicle makes William himself fell Gyrth with a blow of his mace,
but there is nothing of this in the embroidery. There is no figure armed
with a mace and no mention of William. The 68th panel is the liveliest
attempt the artist makes anywhere to represent the heat of the attack.
It speaks for itself in the exaggerated catastrophes of the mounts and
of their riders; but what should be particularly noted is the
representation of the Hill of Battle, the horse stumbling at the
approach of it and the defence by the Saxon footmen upon the summit.
[Illustration:
69
]
With the 69th panel we approach the attempts in the latter part of the
Tapestry to introduce persons. This attempt has led to a considerable
historical controversy, for while some points in the portraiture are
obvious, others, as will be seen in a moment, lend themselves to
discussion.
[Illustration:
70
]
[Illustration:
71
]
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