Historic battle viewed in tapestry replica

Visitors can experience the only full-size replica of the Bayeux Tapestry in the United States at the University of North Georgia (UNG) for three days this September. The replica is a visual representation of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, an event that profoundly impacted European history.

Historians and researchers appreciate its significance. The tapestry is considered a historical document, believed to have been created soon after the battle, and sharing the attitude of French conquerors of the battle's outcome. Renderings of military gear, vessels, weapons, and combat gear enhance the vivid depiction of the military engagement.

Artists will value the talent and dedication of Margaret ReVille, who painstakingly hand-painted the 224-foot-long acrylic replica on canvas for 12 hours a day over a period of 11 months in 1986-87. The piece is regarded as an excellent example of Romanesque art style and visual storytelling communicated through expressive figures, medieval buildings, animals, and vessels. UNG students underwent training to become docents at the exhibition under the tutelage of Dr. Ana Pozzi, assistant professor of art history.

While the fragile 900-plus-year-old original is normally housed at the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Bayeux, France, UNG’s replica is carefully preserved in the Department of Visual Arts, within the College of Arts & Letters. In 1998, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution feature called the replica "quite possibly the world's best copy" of the medieval original. Recently, the original tapestry was temporarily moved to the British Museum in London, the first time the tapestry has left France since it was made over nine centuries ago, while the Bayeux Museum undergoes a two-year renovation. The unprecedented move was featured in an article by Alex Marshall, The New York Times culture reporter for Europe.

Judge Edd Wheeler from Tucker, Georgia, commissioned the replica and donated it to UNG in 2014 to fulfill an educational mission.

"Visitors will have the rare opportunity to walk alongside the entire 224-foot narrative, moving through the dramatic events of 1066 and pausing to consider the details along the way. Docents will be available to provide historical context and answer questions, making the exhibition accessible to visitors with no previous knowledge of the Bayeux Tapestry as well as those already familiar with it," Josie Toney, College of Arts & Letters director of development, said. "The exhibition reflects UNG's commitment to using the arts and humanities as avenues for education and public engagement."

Alumna Hannah North was a docent for the last two replica exhibitions. Her experience enabled her to begin a storytelling career she didn't think was possible.

"I loved being a docent. It was great," North said. "Having and knowing the script eased my nervousness. It was a perfect method."

North described the replica as "art deciphered."

"Anyone can look at it and use context clues to get the story," she said.

North graduated in 2026 with a degree in studio art and a minor in history. With her degree and experience, she is now an educator at the Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Educational Center in Reidsville, North Carolina.

The replica will be on view from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 and Sept. 14-15 at the Convocation Center at UNG's Dahlonega Campus. The exhibition is free and open to the public, as well as the closing reception from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 15, which includes a guided tour and guest lecture by Dr. Gillian B. Elliott, who will give a talk on "Unfolding narratives in space: From the Bayeux Tapestry to the Andlau Abbey Frieze." Refreshments will be served, and free parking is available. Attendance at the reception requires an RSVP by Sept. 7.

Additional programming includes a demonstration of handwoven tapestry by Tommye Scanlin, professor emerita of UNG, on Sept. 12 during exhibition hours and presented in conjunction with the North Georgia Regional Book Fair, also free and open to the public.

For additional information about UNG's replica, visit the Department of Visual Arts website