The tapestry of Saint Remy Reims’ life will be restored in Belgium – Le Figaro

The first of ten tapestries from the life of Saint Remy, a work from the early 16th century^e The Museum of Saint-Rémy announced that a century ago recovering the life of the bishop who baptized Clovis, he left Reims on Wednesday 3 August to be restored in Belgium. The work will be entrusted to the Royal De Wit factory in Mechelen, a world reference in this field. The restoration of the entire fabric, ten majestic wool and silk furnishings, must span over five years.

Classified as historical monuments since 1896, these tapestries are exceptional in many ways, according to Benedict Hearnot, director of the historical museums in Reims. “In their size, 5 meters by 5, because they were choir-pendants for a monastery, and the present basilica, and not for a cathedral, and because they form a chain that tells a story in its perfection”, are the details.

€250,000 for restoration

The tapestries, which have not been shown to the public since 2017, to protect them from the harmful effects of light, were commissioned by the Archbishop of Reims, Robert de Linoncourt, who admired his illustrious predecessor who, in V.^e Century, baptized in Reims Clovis IKing of the Franks. In the Gothic style that evolved towards Renaissance art, they were made in the first 20 years of the 16th century.^e century. The scenes, the most famous of which is the baptism, are signed by the painter Gauthier de Camps, a Paris cartoonist.

In 1916, during First World WarNine of these ten furnishings were evacuated to Paris to escape the bombing. By some accounts, staying in Reese X would be riddled with bullets. Its future restoration by the De Wit factory is supposed to give access to its bottom.

The value of the restoration, which specifically provides for the installation of a new lining to lighten the weight of the upholstery, and the restoration of colors, is 250 thousand euros. The city of Reims launched a sponsorship campaign, via the Heritage Foundation, which raised 30 thousand euros out of 50 thousand euros expected. As of 2023, the first three textiles restored must return to the Musée Saint-Remi in Reims in a completely redesigned scenography.