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.


Wednesday 27 October 2021

New insights into the effigy of Edward Prince of Wales


The Art Newspaper has a piece today about the latest research into the bronze tomb effigy of Edward Prince of Wales in Canterbury Csthedral. It is a summary of a longer article in the Burlington Magazine and it can be read at Secrets of the Black Prince's tomb effigy in Canterbury Cathedral revealed by scientists

The study concentrates on the detail of the Prince’s armour, and stresses the point that what was being created was a facsimile of his armour, not just a generic armoured figure. This ties in with the insights offered by Dr Toby Capwell, to whom I have referred in other posts, that tomb effigies at the upper end of the market did indeed seek to depict the real man and his real armour. This is the personality of the arms and the man that was recreated to commemorate and to elicit prayers for their soul.

I posted about the tomb and the Prince’s Achievements to mark the 645th anniversary of his death last June in Commemorating Edward Prince of Wales


Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)