David's book

Distinguished alumnus wins prestigious prize

David Bates, who received his PhD from the University of Exeter in 1970, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Prix Syndicat national des Antiquaires du Livre d’Art 2020’ for the book La Tapisserie de Bayeux published in 2019 and co-authored with the art historian Xavier Barral i Altet. 

The book gained the prize against competition from twenty-three other books from all historical periods. Citadelles & Mazenod are widely regarded as the leading Art History publisher in France. The volume is a lavishly illustrated volume containing the two authors’ commentaries accompanied by a magnificent half-size leporello reproduction of the Tapestry. The two authors wrote independently within their fields of expertise, sometimes disagreeing, notably on the subjects of the date and commissioning of the Tapestry.

David’s PhD, completed under the supervision of Professor Frank Barlow, was a biography of Bishop Odo of Bayeux the man widely regarded as being in some way ultimately responsible for commissioning the Tapestry. The Tapestry has therefore been ever-present in a career which has taken David to chairs in the Universities of Cardiff, Glasgow, London and East Anglia and many honours. He regards this particular honour as a result of the outstandingly good teaching and research in Medieval History at the University of Exeter from before the granting of the charter to the present day. His wish to celebrate Medieval History at Exeter has been previously expressed in several ways, notably the publication of the Writing Medieval Biography volume (which was based on a conference held in Exeter) and his presentation of his biography of William the Conqueror to the University.

You can read more on the Centre for Medieval Studies blog.

Date: 3 November 2020