A PETITION to stop the Bayeux tapestry being loaned by France to the British Museum has attracted more than 40,000 signatures from people concerned that movement could damage the Medieval relic.
The tapestry is set to arrive in the UK at the British Museum next year on loan from France, after French president Emmanuel Macron offered during a trip to London in July to loan the tapestry as part of an art exchange.
In return, the British Museum will loan the Sutton Hoo collection, the Lewis Chessmen and other items to France.
Art historian Didier Rykner launched the petition on the platform Change.org, writing: "This embroidery is extremely fragile. It is the restorers specialising in textiles who say so.
"The same people who had the mission of examining it, drawing up its condition report, recommending the measures necessary for its protection during the work on the future museum, and assessing the risks of a possible trip to England.
"Their diagnosis is clear: any transport, even a small one, represents a danger."
Reiterating this, Rykner told Reuters: "It's already very fragile. There are tears and holes in the fabric. Any movement, any vibration can cause damage.
"You cannot use a fragile piece of art for diplomacy."
The British Museum said in a statement that its conservation and collections management team is experienced at handling and caring for this type of material and is working with colleagues in France on the tapestry's display.
The tapestry depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and Battle Of Hastings, which saw William The Conqueror take the English throne from Harold Godwinson and become the first Norman king of England.
The 70-metre-long work, which is more than 900 years old, has been on display in various locations across France during its history, including most recently at the Bayeux Museum in Normandy.
It is widely accepted to have been made in England during the 11th century and was likely to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo Of Bayeux.
Further details of the exhibition will be announced by the British Museum in due course, with the loan set to form part of a season of culture in 2027 celebrating the 1000th anniversary of the birth of William The Conqueror, and the Grand Depart of the 2027 Tour de France from the UK.
