Thomas a Becket Casket - - gilt, c1180 from Limoges, France - postcard

Art Postcard
• Work of art title: The Thomas a Becket Casket - gilt champleve enamel plaques on oak core, 1180
• Artist (if known):  none
• Media or other details: museum artefact 
• Publisher / Gallery: Victoria & Albert Museum
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp & postmark details (if relevant): na
• Size: modern
• Notes & condition details:

NOTES:

Size: 'Modern' is usually around 6in x 4in / 'Old Standard' is usually around 5 1/2in x 3 1/2in. Larger sizes mentioned, but if you need to know the exact size please ask.

All postcards are not totally new and are pre-owned. It's inevitable that older cards may show signs of ageing and use, particularly sent through the post. Any faults other than normal ageing are noted.

Stock No.: A361

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Postage & Packing:

UK (incl. IOM, CI & BFPO): 99p

Europe: GBP 1.60

Rest of world (inc. USA etc): GBP 2.75

No additional charges for more than one postcard. You can buy as many postcards from me as you like and you will just pay the fee above once. (If buying postcards with other things such as books, please contact or wait for invoice before paying).

Payment Methods:

UK - PayPal, Cheque (from UK bank) or postal order

Outside UK: PayPal only please (unless otherwise indicated).   NO non-UK currency checks or money orders (sorry).

NOTE: All postcards are sent in brand new stiffened envelopes which I have bought for the task. These are specially made to protect postcards and you may be able to re-use them. In addition there are other costs to sending so the above charge is not just for the stamp!

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information:

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The Becket Casket is a reliquary in the V&A Museum of gilt-copper round a wooden core, decorated with champlev� enamel, and of a shape called a ""chasse"". It was made in about 1180-1190 in Limoges, France, and depicts one of the most infamous events in English history. On the night of 29 December 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury cathedral by four knights obeying the wishes of King Henry II. It provoked outrage throughout Europe, and pilgrims flocked to Canterbury to pray at the site of the murder. In 1173 Becket was canonized and his shrine was one of the most famous in the Christian world, until its total destruction in 1538 during the reign of Henry VIII.

Relics of St Thomas were widely dispersed in the years following his death. Many were placed in caskets made in Limoges enamel in south-west France. This was the centre for the production of objects in champlev� enamel, which is characterized by brilliant blues, colourful rosettes and boldly engraved figures. This casket is the most elaborate, the largest and possibly the earliest in date, but over 45 medieval chasses survive showing Becket's story and thought to have been made in Limoges. Another fine example is in the Burrell Collection in Glasgow.^[1]

The scene of the martyrdom is shown on the front, where one of the knights decapitates Becket in front of the altar, while on the sloping roof the archbishop's funeral is depicted. On the back are four saints and at the one end Christ is seated on a rainbow. The other end, which may have shown St Peter, is missing, as is the floor of the casket and its contents.

type=printed postcards

theme=artists signed

sub-theme=art

number of items=single

period=1945 - present

postage condition=unposted