St Thomas Becket meeting the Pope
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Dove si trova «St Thomas Becket meeting the Pope» oggi? Victoria and Albert Museum, Medieval & Renaissance, Room 10, Londra. Sì, esposta ora. Verificato 25 settembre 2026.
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Sulla scultura
This panel would have formed part of an altarpiece depicting the story of St Thomas Becket, a very popular saint in the Middle Ages. The reverse of the panel has three lines scored on it, indicating that this scene was third in line in the altarpiece. A.167-1946 formed part of the same altarpiece.
The cult of Thomas Becket was important across medieval Europe, and Canterbury was one of the major pilgrimage destinations of medieval Christendom. In spite of this, representations of the saint are relatively rare survivals in English alabaster: there is only one other example of this particular scene extant.
Leggi
The saint is shown meeting Pope Alexander III at Sens in 1164. Thomas had resigned his archbishopric, and was then reinstated by the Pope in a deliberate demonstration of ecclesiastical power over Henry II. The meeting is described in the Golden Legend. To the right foreground sits the unusual figure of a jester, with a distinctive hooded doublet and bladder over his shoulder.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Scheda
- Numero di inventario
- A.166-1946
Che cosa raffigura
In catalogo
Fonti
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Immagine: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
