Design a Giant for Canterbury's Medieval Pageant Competition
Delve into Canterbury's rich medieval history by participating in the annual giant design competition organized by Canterbury Business Improvement District. This year, in honor of Thomas Becket's 850th death anniversary, unleash your creativity to design a new giant figure to join the parade alongside historical icons. Show off your artistic skills for a chance to win exciting prizes and have your creation brought to life for the pageant. Submit your entry before the deadline and be part of this vibrant celebration of heritage and creativity!
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A Competition so big it's Giant! Brought to you by Canterbury Business Improvement District s Medieval Pageant & Family Trail Committee In Partnership with Sponsored by Canterbury Christ Church University s Centre for Kent History and Heritage and Canterbury School of Visual Arts at Canterbury College Institute of Historical Research as part of Our Century: thinking back, looking forward
Contents Details of the competition Background Picture references Printable template Online references
Competition Details Each year Canterbury BID organises a city-wide celebration of its rich medieval history. A vibrant pageant takes to the streets and heritage sites open their doors for craft activities and performances. The pageant processes from the Westgate Tower and marches through the medieval streets to the Cathedral precincts, featuring performers, musicians and mounted medieval knights along with giant figures of Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. This year, in commemoration of the 850th anniversary in 2020 of the death of Thomas Becket, we are asking you to design a new giant in the image of Becket, to join the parade alongside Henry and Eleanor for years to come. Entries can be in the form of colourful drawings, paintings, and collages, as well as true Blue Peter styled models from recycled products. The winning entry will have designed a real giant! That s right, Canterbury School of Visual Arts (Canterbury College) and their students will create the giant ready for the pageant on 16 October 2021. The winning entry will also receive a 200 book token and entries will be displayed in an exhibition in Canterbury City Centre.
To help you with your designs and for inspiration we have created this digital pack for you to download and print off in your classroom or at home. The pack includes information, pictures and sources for you to take inspiration from. We have also included a printable template which can be used for your initial planning stages. We would like to see plenty of creativity add your own twist. As Thomas Becket was known to be a very fashionable guy, what sort of style do you think he would have in the modern age? Would he wear joggers and trainers, or would he wear nothing but designer labels? Whether you decide to go with a modern twist, or opt for a traditional style, we want to ensure that we have an image of Becket during his life. This unfortunately means no blood and no dismembered body parts! Please submit your entries to: rachel.pilard@canterburybid.co.uk The closing date: 1 July 2021 The winning entry announced: Wk 5 July Giant s debut: Saturday 16 October 2021
Background In the 1160s Canterbury was a lively, thriving and cosmopolitan city, just like today. King Henry II was ruler of a vast empire that stretched across the English Channel to France. Henry s good friend and confidant, Thomas Becket, who served as Lord Chancellor from 1154, was a man whom Henry admired greatly. Thomas was renowned for his lavish style in living and in dress. This close friendship would see Thomas promoted to the position of Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, the most powerful position in the Church of England. Sadly, the friendship soured as Thomas pushed back on Henry s policies. On 29th December 1170, Thomas was murdered in the Cathedral by four knights who were seen to have acted on behalf of King Henry II. Shortly after his death miracles started to happen, and Canterbury became a major centre of pilgrimage for those seeking cures at Becket s shrine. On 12th July 1174, Henry II came to Canterbury to perform penance for the murder. He walked barefoot through the city in sackcloth and was flogged by cathedral monks (Photo: Medieval Pageant 2018, Henry II).
Picture references Image Credit: British Museum Image Credit: Canterbury Museumsl Becket's Shrine Pilgrim Badges: badges such as these were a common form of medieval memorabilia marking a person's visit to a specific shrine, or religious site. These examples show the most common feature in the iconography of Becket to be the archbishop s mitre. Perhaps this could be incorporated into your design?
Becket's Seal: seals such as this would have been used by royalty, high-ranking clergy and nobles in place of, or alongside a signature to verify documents as legally binding. Reliquary: a miniature portable shrine. They would have contained a relic, or relics of a saint. This reliquary shows the scenes of Becket's murder. Image Credit: British Library Image Credit: Canterbury Cathedral Look at the images of Becket in these objects. How might these influence your design?
Image Credit: British Library Image Credit: British Library Image Credit: Canterbury Cathedral Image Credit: Canterbury Cathedral Artworks: many medieval artworks are just as colourful and bright as those in manuscripts. These later images contain influences from the artist's time. In the third image above, the knights are dressed in armour from the 1400s. Manuscripts: hand-written books which are often illuminated with pictures from the bible or other historical scenes. These images can contain high elements of gold work and are often very colourful. As medieval artists often dressed historical figures in fashions from their own time, how could you dress Becket in the modern age? Could you incorporate this into your design?
Image Credit: Canterbury Cathedral Stained Glass: In medieval times, few people could read, and few could understand the Latin in which church services were held. Imagines in stained glass. Images in stained glass depicted scenes from the Bible, acting as a physical representation of the word of God. Medieval glass in Canterbury Cathedral also told the story of Becket and his miracles. These C19th windows depict scenes of the Becket story, with Becket beside King Henry II. Stained Glass images use daylight to illuminate the multicoloured pieces of glass which are carefully hand crafted and formed to create scenes such as these. On the left, the scene of Becket s murder, wearing a fine purple cloak; on the right Henry II being flogged by monks. On the left Becket in green vestments with a bishop's mitre holding a cruciform staff. How colourful will your design be? What items of clothing might you include? Will your Becket have a staff?
Vestments: the items of clothing worn by members of the clergy as part of their uniform. There are different items of clothing to signify different levels of status. Many of the vestments we see modern clergy wearing would have been worn during the time of Becket in the C12th. The image below shows the type of pattern that some of Becket's own vestments were made from. He was a passionate follower of fashion. Many of the textiles used to make his vestments would have been imported. Image Credit: Victoria and Albert Museum
Photo credit: Genevra Kornbluth There are claims that the vestments above were worn by Becket which has not been proven. However, they are an excellent example of 12th century liturgical vestments now at Sens Cathedral in France. Look back at the stained-glass image of Becket in his green vestments - does the white trimming in this picture match?
21st Century Archbishop: here are some images of the current Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd Justin Welby, the 105th Archbishop of this title. How have the clothes of the archbishop changed from medieval times? What is different / the same? How could you incorporate these colours and materials into your design for a Becket giant? Photo credit: ArchbishopofCanterbury.org
Class / School (if applicable: Designed by:
We look forward to creating your giant in 2021!
Things to remember in your design Colours Material Patterns Accessories Time Period Hopefully, we have given you enough to get your creative mind in gear. We cannot wait to see your designs. Have fun and good luck!
Archbishop of Canterbury: https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/ The Becket Story: https://www.thebecketstory.org.uk/canterbury British Library https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/martyrdom-of-thomas-becket https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/reliquary-depicting-st-thomas-beckets-martyrdom https://www.bl.uk/people/thomas-becket http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/illmanus/harlmanucoll/t/011hrl000005102u00017000.html British Museum: https://blog.britishmuseum.org/thomas-becket-the-murder-that-shook-the-middle-ages Canterbury Cathedral https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/heritage/archives/picture-this/heads-up-a-becket-pilgrim-badge/ https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/heritage/archives/picture-this/sealing-beckets-fate/ https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/heritage/archives/picture-this/a-stained-reputation-thomas-becket-in-the-chapter-house-windows/ https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/heritage/archives/picture-this/two-thomases-herefords-becket-reliquary/ New Liturgical Movement: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2012/05/12th-century-vestments-of-st-thomas.html#.YHhw8ehKjIU V&A Museum https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/a-z-opus-anglicanum https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O106938/martyrdom-of-st-thomas-panel-unknown/ https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O69836/consecration-of-st-thomas-becket-panel-unknown/ https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70796/st-thomas-becket-landing-at-relief-unknown/ https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O80222/the-becket-casket-casket-unknown/
