Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Saturday, 21 April 2012

St Anselm


St Anselm (c1033-1109), whose feast day it is today, is one of the first Archbishops of Canterbury of whom we have a nearly contemporary image - there is a drawing of St Dunstan and Stigand is depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry.

For Anselm there survive at least three such representations:


  
Anselm's seal as Archbishop of Canterbury

 Image: Wikipedia

http://christchurchwindsor.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/anselm.jpg 


Image: christchurchwindsor.ca


https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMWSSzYV3w58pBipcFHCKIkepq_AXt7ioK9buGLezOOsdHDsQmoy4acyxPUDMNt1lIIB7nDmKfHQQqV0T523s5fkxJCm5YEIlhvJyb4YN32aR77js8FUgXwp8WzcPR8oGhmYb4lF4qvP4/s400/anselm.jpg



From an MS Vita of St Anselm

Image:ionarts.blogspot

This one is reminiscent of the figures on the porch ar Chartres I wrote about in connection with St Thomas of Canterbury in late December 2011. They seem a reversal of the contemporary idea of being dwarfs standing on giant's shoulders.

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