A Charlie Watts owned Victorian replica of the Bayeux Tapestry acquired by Bayeux Museum

During a sale orchestrated by Christie’s at the end of September, for the fabulous private collection of Charlie Watts, former drummer of the Rolling Stones who died in 2021, the Bayeux Museum acquired a life-size Victorian replica of the Bayeux Tapestry, A rare heritage piece, witness to the history of the thousand-year-old embroidery.

Charlie Watts didn’t just play drums. He was an avid collector of literature and had collected some of the greatest authors of the 20th century. Among the 289 lots including rare original copies of Agatha Christie or a 1925 edition of Gatsby the magnificent, was an original object, a life-size Victorian replica of the Bayeux Tapestry, for which the City of Bayeux won the hammer auction for £16,000. This exceptional acquisition is supported by the Regional Museum Acquisition Fund (FRAM).

This life-size image of 11th century embroidery was produced in 1874 after the first photographic campaign of the work, carried out 2 years earlier by the South Kensington Museum (Current Victoria & Albert Museum). At scale 1, this reproduction is presented on two original oak supports 140 cm high on which the image takes place.“To our knowledge, only 6 prints in scale 1 were made at the time from this photographic campaign, by the company Arundel (specializing in reproduction of medieval art), of which this copy is part. Another such copy is currently kept by the V&A in London. A second one is identified in an anonymous Welsh individual. They were all hand-collected by the National Art Training School in London (now the Royal College of Art), in Bayeux, for maximum fidelity.” adds Antoine Verney, chief curator of the Bayeux museums.

The Victoria & Albert Museum still has the glass plates from the 1872 photographic campaign. Partner of the Bayeux Museum since 2022 for the improvement of the knowledge of the Tapestry, he realized the state of the Victorian replica before its auction. The London institution considers it to be the longest photographic panorama of the 19th century and that it has largely contributed to popularizing the image of the Bayeux Tapestry throughout the world. The object was presented at several world exhibitions, that of 1873 (London, Royal Albert Hall) and that of 1893 (Chicago, Women’s Building).

“It is a unique object, of an impressive size and whose origin and course could not leave us indifferent. We decided to follow these auctions closely even if we had little hope of being able to acquire it, thinking that the price would soar. Now, the 14th and final auction was finally that of the museum! This acquisition is a real wealth of heritage that we hope to exhibit in the future museum, for a return to its source of creation, after 150 years of separation.” comments Loïc Jamin, deputy mayor in charge of museums, tourism, attractiveness and heritage enhancement.