St. Thomas Becket with Sword (M 033; Colorized)

This is a colorized version of the antique engraving presented as our St. Thomas Becket Holding a Sword (M 033). In arriving at our visual reconstruction, we have followed the description by Francis Joseph Baigent who discovered, drew, and published it in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association, Vol. X (1855), pp. 74-75. We quote: “The most beautiful figure of this saint perhaps that has been preserved in any church in this country is represented in the accompanying plate (see plate 6). This we denuded of its whitewash in the year 1845, and it was then well preserved, and had evidently been covered up, on purpose prevent its being destroyed; …. The painting, which is engraved half the size of the original, is painted within a sunken panel in front of the Easter[n] Sepulchre and tomb of John Waller, esq., in the chantry, Stoke Charity church, Hants. … St. Thomas of Canterbury, in this example, is represented holding in his right hand a sword, being an emblem of his martyrdom. The nimbus encircling his head is gilt, the mitre being white and its lining blue; the face is noble and dignified, with an expression of sternness, but still pleasing. It has been remarked, that those paintings which have come down to us of this saint, all seem to have been done from some original portrait; and in every instance he is represented beardless. This painting, certainly, confirms this opinion in the strongest manner, from the features possessing such a peculiar character. The archbishop is represented in golden vestments, such as would be worn during the octave of the feast of our Lord's Nativity, the time of his martyrdom ; the dalmatic, in accordance with the rubrics, is of a bright red colour with golden fringe; over the chasuble is depicted the metropolitan pallium ornamented with its five patée fitchée crosses, the two upper ones being probably pins. The sandal is of a bright blue colour with its cross in gold. His crozier, which is held in the left hand, is also gilt; with the exception of the staff, which is painted white, intended perhaps to indicate silver. We saw this painting a few weeks since, and found its condition far from satisfactory, the face and other parts being much injured: ….” We have used our judgment in colorizing details not otherwise described. + St. Thomas Becket is patron of secular clergy. + Feast: December 29 + Image Credit: The colorized version is a Saints_Aplenty Exclusive (SAE).