Decorative Embroidery of Thomas Becket

Illustration: Thomas Becket's Embroidered chasuble panel, 1165.

Thomas Becket's chasuble and other vestments are said to be preserved in the Cathedral at Sens in Burgundy. The work s said to have been produced in 1165, although there seems to be no definite means of fully associating the ecclesiastical garments with the fated Archbishop of Canterbury or that particular date. However, it is perhaps not that important that they be associated with any particular individual, as the work itself should be able to stand in its own right, which it does.

The decorative work can definitely be claimed as part of the style and technique that was current in the twelfth century, hence the association with Becket. What is true is that it is a stunningly fine example of the exceedingly high standard of embroidery and general needlework that could be achieved at this point in the history of European decorative arts. That it should be associated with this part of Europe, which to be fair was not necessarily considered to be at the central core of the creative decorative arts during this period, is all the more fascinating.

The illustration above shows what is left of the complex and elegant scrollwork that was originally attached to the back of the chasuble held at the Cathedral of Sens. Although the illustration itself is a drawn representation of the work as it would have appeared in its mint and original condition, rather than the faded and less spectacular remains now seen, it still gives a forceful reminder of the standard that could be achieved in an era which is still seen by many as one that engendered the basic facilities in life as well as art. 

The decoration was created by using repeatable interconnecting scrollwork in the form of a tree with extensive and heavily stylised foliage. In some respects, it looks similar to some of the complex metal work that was also produced during this period, particularly the elaborate door hinges that contain the same stylised scrollwork. It is interesting to surmise whether pattern work during this period was interchangeable, whether standardised decoration could be swapped between disciplines. However, perhaps it was more a case of the prevailing fashions of the period, which would have dictated the style across most disciplines. It is interesting to conjecture.

It is unknown for certain where the work on the chasuble was produced, whether England, France, or even an import from southern Europe. However, as the standard of embroidery work in England had always been considered particularly high, long before the Norman occupation, it could well have had an English origin.

Although seemingly part of the religious ceremony, the chasuble and other ecclesiastical vestments could often be of a most sumptuous and expensive nature, imbuing and reflecting the power and status, not so much of the Church, but of the individual who wore them. Thomas Becket, although later repackaged after death as a saintly and somewhat humble figure, was in life considered to be vain, ostentatious and worldy, living the life of an early medieval prince. He was said to have loved to both display his own wealth and position as well as that of the close connection and familiarity he had with the elite members of English society, particularly with that of the King. That the ups and downs of that particular relationship would seal his eventual fate, is often the price paid for those close to the throne.

However, even though the work produced for Becket's vestments was perhaps initially instigated to satiate the needs of a vain man, the long stretch of history has allowed the status of the vestments themselves to slowly change. Their emphasis has passed between that of the fleeting appeal and futile temptation of  worldliness, to the more permanent and perhaps more humbling state of the celebration of the efforts of the workmanship of unknown crafts people.

Further reading links:
Thomas Becket
Murder in the Cathedral
The Quest for Becket's Bones: The Mystery of the Relics of St. Thomas Becket of Canterbury
ST. THOMAS BECKET IN ART
The Correspondence of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury: 2 Volume Set (Oxford Medieval Texts)
Ecclesiastical Vestments; Their Development and History
Pugin's Ecclesiastical Ornament (Dover Pictorial Archives)
Medieval Needlepoint
Embroiderers (Medieval Craftsmen)
Medieval Clothing and Textiles 2 (Medieval Clothing and Textiles) (v. 2)
English medieval embroidery,: A brief survey of English embroidery dating from the beginning of the tenth century until the end of the fourteenth
Opus Anglicanum;: English medieval embroidery
The Bayeux Tapestry: The Life Story of a Masterpiece
Arts and Crafts in the Middle Ages