The Bayeux tapestry : the comic strip

The Bayeux Tapestry is a fine 11th century master-piece which has proved of exceptional documentary value towards our current knowledge of the period.

When discovering the tapestry for the first time, visitors simply marvel at the great diversity of characters, clothes, buildings, ships and other features it portrays, literally losing themselves in what could be considered as the world's very first comic strip, dating from the Middle Ages.

Comic strips have, of course, moved on with their balloons, onomatopoeia and a number of specific terms used in this 8th century art, such as foreground, angle shot, framing, dialogues; very much the same words as those used in cinema. Gilles Pivard and Arthur Shelton are delighted to present a compilation of this great fresco in a somewhat more contemporary comic strip style.

However, to ensure that the work's authenticity remains intact, neither its illustrations nor its historical contents have been altered. The authors'aim is to offer a clear and comprehensive interpretation of this epic adventure for the largest possible readership. They sincerely hope that this book will incite readers to further explore the fascinating story of William the Conqueror, the history of the Bayeux Tapestry, or even history in general.