Pictured above is the "Double-Sided Ivory Liturgical Comb with Scenes of Henry II and Thomas Becket", a comb made of ivory. It was created around 1200-1210 and is actually quite small at 8.6 centimeters in length, 8.6 in height, and 1.2 in width. It was made in Canterbury, England, the place of the murder of Thomas Becket on December 29, 1170. This had a great influence on shaping the scenes portrayed on both sides of the comb.
Here are my drawings of the two sides of the comb!
Thomas Becket, the son of a merchant, was born in London around 1120. He was very well educated and soon began working for Theobald, the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time. This connected him with Henry II, the two soon becoming friends. When Theobald died in 1161, Henry II replaced him with Becket. With his new position, Becket would stand for the church over the crown and soon went into exile in France because of the great conflict this posed. When he returned in 1170, four of the King's knights murdered Becket in the Canterbury Cathedral. In 1173, Becket became a saint and the pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral began in his honor. This context is vital to the images that are etched on the comb.
At first glance, the scenes in the middle of the comb are what is most notable. On the first side of the comb, scenes of Henry II telling Becket that he will be the archbishop of Canterbury are portrayed. The semicircle on the left shows the outside of a church while the semicircle on the right shows a boat. On the second side, the martyrdom of Thomas Becket it shown. The setting is the Canterbury Cathedral. The left semicircle shows an angel juxtaposed with the right semicircle showing a devil with a book.
Since the comb is made of ivory, the cream-colored base is consistent and does not detract from the scenes displayed. Instead, the lack of color draws the attention to the important scenes and circles on either side. But the organization of these scenes are most important to draw meaning from them. First, the boat and the church are significant because together they allude to Becket's murder in the Canterbury Cathedral. Furthermore, on the second side of the comb, the members of the church are standing on the left, next to the angel, while the knights are standing on the right, next to the devil. This creates the dichotomy of good versus evil with the idea that the Church represents all good and the knights and monarch represent evil.
On the second side of the comb, the four knights are standing together with their weapons drawn or ready to be drawn. They are all in armor. The clergymen on the opposite side are also together but are holding each other up in support. They are each wearing less strict clothing, with the folds of the cloth being etched in great detail. This creates the idea that each of the King's knights are standing next to each other but are actually isolated and individualized, each only acting in their own interest. This selfishness and greed is recognized by the devil looking over them. This is contrary to the clergymen who are working together as community for good, as represented by the angel looking them over. Their clothes are looser and able to move, rather than the knights who's armor only fits them.
On the first side of the comb, there are many swirls and flowers, while the second side has more straight lines. It also consists of mainly leaves rather than flowers. This is significant because it suggest how the first side, depicting the giving of power, showed a time of higher spirits and the growth of a new leader. On the other hand, the less decorative side of the comb suggests that something has intervened with the prosperity and growth. All of the plants stem from the middle of the comb with the scene of martyrdom, indicating that the King's knights had committed this treacherous act and had been the defining factor to disrupt the flowering growth of Becket. This reiterates the dichotomy between the King and his men being evil and the clergy being good.
This piece of art shows the religious values of the time. The context is very important because Thomas Becket was seen as a saint in the Catholic Church, a relatively new development. This shows how the Church at the time had sentiments that went against the monarchy because of their portrayal of the Church as good and the King's men as evil. Moreover, the purpose of the comb is to prepare the priest for Mass. Because of its religious purpose, it clearly favors the martyr rather than the monarch. This shapes the religious ideals of the time against the king and his establishment. This idea that art can convey societal values is still relevant today as art can reflect the thoughts of anyone at any time.
Works Cited:
"Double-Sided Ivory Liturgical Comb with Scenes of Henry II and Thomas Becket." The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1988.279/.
"History - Thomas Becket" BBC, BBC, 2014, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/becket_thomas.shtml.
"Double-Sided Ivory Liturgical Comb with Scenes of Henry II and Thomas Becket." The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1988.279/.
"History - Thomas Becket" BBC, BBC, 2014, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/becket_thomas.shtml.
First off, your sketch of the ivory combs look so good!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the history behind the scenes that were carved and how each depiction holds significant values towards religion. Knowing that Thomas Beckett was a saint in the Catholic Church, it makes complete sense for him to create a piece of art that would also be useful for the priest.
Hey Melissa! Your post clearly shows that you have spent a great amount of time researching the background knowledge of the comb and the historical context of the time period that it is from. Also, your drawing of both sides of the comb are fantastic and give more evidence that you have put a lot of time into making it. Not only is your historical analysis very good, your visual analysis is amazing as well. I think your second to last paragraph is especially insightful because of the way you connect the details on either sides of the comb with the historical events that are occurring during this time. Overall, great job!
ReplyDeleteHello Melissa! I now completely believe you when you said you put a lot of time into this. The historical research is evident through your elaborate explanation of the scenes. You did a wonderful job explaining the meaning of each part of the comb in relation to its context. I also enjoyed your broader analysis at the end that offered critical thought and complex reflection. You also presented the information in an intriguing way, prompting me to visit a different website (https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/goiv/hd_goiv.htm) to learn more about the background of the comb. I quickly uncovered a detail that supports your argument, revealing the accuracy of your analysis! It turns out that ivory was widely used for religious works of art and tools, which furthers the idea that this comb supported the church and condemned the monarchy. Great research and analysis! Keep up the hard work!
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