Tapestry as Early Comic Books: from Montreal to Bayeux and Chateau d’Angers

A few years ago “PC” (that’s pre-COVID) we went on a Road Trip through New England and up into the Canadian province of Quebec. It was a fantastic trip. We spent a few days in Montreal and June had done her research (as usual) which led to us searching out a bookshop called Drawn & Quarterly. This little jewel in a suburb on a non-descript backstreet was filled with comic books. I browsed for a while and then picked up a couple of beautiful books. The limitation of being across the Atlantic from the UK, was the fact that I had a limit to luggage on the airplane otherwise I would have come out with a pile of books. 

One of the books that subsequently enthralled me and led to a passion was “It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken” by Seth (the pen name of Gregory Gallant). It’s a beautifully understated book which tells an achingly lonely story. A wonderful style of drawing, this world was something I hadn’t spent time exploring since my love of Marvel comics when I was a teenager back in the 1970s. I went on to explore more of his work and saw the brilliant documentary about him too. His book “Clyde Fans” is a truly remarkable visual creation and the story of two brothers is compelling, unwinding as it does over the pages of the book. 

Then a couple of years ago, as part of my work with the University of Liverpool, I met Dr David Hering, an English Literature academic with a special interest in graphic and comic novels. I wanted to talk to him as a potential participant in a programme I have been leading called the Provocations Seminar Series (more on this here and here). He gave me more names of writers to explore and the journey continued. 

So, how do we get from that to Bayeux and Angers in France? 

In September June and I took a month-long Road Trip to France. It was an ambitious journey – 2,650 miles with 13 sleeping places and over 50 places visited. One of those places was Bayeux to see the famous Tapestry. I had no idea what to expect. I’d heard of this object when I was at school. I think I expected some giant rug-shaped item with pictures on it. That’s not what it’s like at all. It’s a very long piece of tapestry, 70 metres long and about 2/3 metre high. It’s displayed in a cabinet which stretches across a darkened room. No photos or videos are allowed. With the support of an audio guide, visitors walk along its length following the story as it unfolds over 58 scenes. And in a wild aha moment it struck me, this is a comic book created from woollen yarns. In wonder, I followed the story as it revealed itself. Here was a French history, different from the one I was told at school. In England we were taught that William of Normandy came to conquer England and take it for his own. This work of remarkable embroidery instead tells the story of the Duke of Normandy coming to claim his throne, which was promised to him in a visit by Harold on behalf of King Edward the Confessor as the king neared the end of his life. William was coming to claim what was rightfully his. I was also amused to hear that William was known as William the Bastard before he came to claim England and became William the Conqueror, which must have felt like a preferable name. 

A few days later we visited the Chateau at Angers and found another tapestry from two hundred years later, the Tapestry of the Apocalypse, this time telling the story of the Book of Revelations. Another striking work, this huge tapestry also works like a comic book, with the story told in 90 scenes (some have become lost). With this work, it was interesting to see the weaving in of contemporary characters into the story. The level of craftsmanship in both tapestries is astonishing.

The surprising thing for me was the way that these two tapestries captured my imagination and gave me a strong sense of wonder and the feel of a through line from these art forms to the modern-day use of comic books. How fascinating the way that things weave and connect. 

Also published on Medium.