Artist: Unknown
Title: Reliquary Casket with Scenes from the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket
Date: 1173-80
Medium: Gilded silver with niello and a glass cabochon set over a tinted foil
Size: 2 3/16 x 2 3/4 x 1 7/8 in
The Reliquary Casket is thought to have been created in Britain in the years following Thomas of Becket’s Canonization. It was designed to commemorate and eternalize Saint Thomas Becket’s death.
On the Casket itself depicts various scenes from the murder of it’s namesake, including one panel where Thomas is being assaulted by four of king Henry’s knights and another where he is dead. On the lid panels that correspond to each side there is a depiction of an angel watching over him and carrying his soul to heaven. The role of the angel is to show that the Church’s and God’s loyalties lay with Thomas instead of the king.
The artist composed the piece so that the angels are on the lid of the piece. They did this because angels and heaven are said to be above the earthly world. They also included a red stone at the top of the piece to symbolize heaven as the final resting place of Thomas, but also to represent his blood that was shed unnecessarily.
The that Thomas of Becket had just been declared as a Saint when this piece was created plays a large role in the portrayal of Thomas versus the portrayal of the knights. The popular opinion of the people at that time was in favor of Thomas, this is known because he had been made a Saint. This caused the artist to portray Thomas in a positive light and to show Angels watching over him and caring for him. The angels are a symbol that God is supporting Thomas rather than the king, which directly contrasts the idea of divine right to rule. The primary purpose of this piece was to celebrate Thomas of Becket, but the Reliquary Casket was also designed to provide critical commentary on the ruling monarch. The work’s meaning is decreased in today’s society but it still provides insight into the public opinion of Saint Thomas Becket.
