Parisian vocal concerns arise regarding the relocation of a prominent piece of art to the UK capital.

The Bayeux Tapestry, a historical document capturing the 1066 Norman invasion of England, will be closed to the public in France starting Monday as opposition mounts against its relocation to London. The 994-year-old piece of art will likely be viewable again when it is displayed at the British Museum in September of the following year. However, the French art community vehemently opposes the move, expressing concern about the fragile condition of the 70-meter-long masterpiece and the potential dangers of transporting it over the Channel. President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the loan during their meeting in London in July, prompting an outcry among French art experts. A petition titled the loan a “cultural crime” has garnered 60,000 signatures. Critics resent Macron’s decision, arguing that he disregarded the advice of specialists who warned that transportation vibrations could cause irreparable damage. On August 22, a French official overseeing the loan defended the move, stating that the artifact is not too fragile to transport and referencing a study with recommendations for handling and transportation. However, museum adviser Cecile Binet stated that moving the tapestry long distances would pose a risk to its conservation. The tapestry will be displayed in London from next autumn until July 2027, while artifacts from the Anglo-Saxon burial sites and the 12th-century Lewis chess pieces will be exhibited in Normandy in exchange. The Bayeux Tapestry, depicting a prism of Anglo-French relations, charts the transition from Anglo-Saxon dominance to Norman rule and offers a unique account of medieval times in Normandy and England.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cev23vrzx0ro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss