1475-1500
Southern Netherlands (Belgium, Tournai)
Wool and silk, tapestry woven
Violent war scenes on tapestries romanticised events from the past and connected them to modern conflicts. This fragment depicts the battle of Roncevaux in 778, when Roland, retainer of Charlemagne, fought King Marsile of Saragossa for control of Spain. The story is taken from the \'Song of Roland\', an epic French poem frequently used to rally the troops. Like the poem, the tapestry distorts events to portray the conflict as one between Christianity and Islam.
to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work
to remix – to adapt the work
Under the following conditions:
attribution – You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the licence, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
share alike – If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same or compatible licence as the original.