Thomas Becket with unidentified male and female (?) donors

January 1, 1205

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Thomas Becket with unidentified male and female (?) donors

Order Reproduction
Title
Thomas Becket with unidentified male and female (?) donors
Contributor
Jane Vadnal (contributor)
University of Pittsburgh (depositor)
Contributor
Jane Vadnal
Date
January 1, 1205
Identifier
FCW137CGA010
Description
Gothic; The St. Thomas Becket WindowDelaporte no. 167, Deremble-Manhes no. 13Thomas Becket was born in 1118 in London to parents of middling means who were able to educate him first at Merton Abbey and then in Paris. He worked as a private secretary, and then entered the service of Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury. He quickly rose first within Theobald’s household, and then in the service of King Henry II, where he became Chancellor 1154. In 1162, Henry named him Archbishop of Canterbury, probably to ensure control over the Church. However, Becket soon began to uphold the rights of the Church against the state, and became Henry’s enemy. He went into exile in 1164. first to the Cistercian Abbey of Pontigny in Burgundy, and then to the French city of Sens. On December 1, 1170, he returned to Canterbury. During the Christmas festivities at the English court, Henry, enraged over Becket’s continued resistance, said, “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?” Four of his knights took him at his word, and cut off the top of Becket’s head in Canterbury Cathedral on December 29, 1170. There was a great wave of revulsion to his death, and very soon, it was reported that many miracles were occurring in his name. In February 1173, Becket was canonized. For the rest of the Middle Ages, his tomb at Canterbury was one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Europe.The Life of Becket is also shown in a window on the lower level of the choir, in the so-called “martyr’s chapel” (Delaporte no. 25, Deremble-Manhes no. 18).Becket’s life was mentioned in a Chartres lectionary from the early 12th century (Mss. 500, f. 243).Becket (haloed) is seated frontally dressed in archbishop’s vestments, including a mitre with lappets and a pallium. With one hand, he makes the gesture of blessing. In the other hand, he holds a crosier. The inscription S. THOMAS identifies him. On the right is a kneeling man in a hauberk of chain mail with its hood pulled back; another figure on the left may be female. Both look at Becket and raise praying hands. Delaporte thinks they are the donors.Eight-lobed rose window, ca. 5 meters in diameterRestored in 1873-4 by Coffetier; North Nave Clerestory Rose: The St. Thomas Becket Window
Type
still image
Genre
photographs
Subject
Cathédrale de Chartres--Pictorial works.
Church decoration and ornament--France--Chartres--Pictorial works.
Church architecture--France--Chartres--Pictorial works.
Christian art and symbolism--France--Chartres--Medieval, 500-1500--Pictorial works.
Geographic Subjects
France
Chartres
Collection
Chartres: Cathedral of Notre-Dame
Contributor
University of Pittsburgh
Rights Information
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