Humour and Humilitas: Wall Painting in the Palaces and Castles of Henry III of England (r: 1216-1272)
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Authors
Whitehead, Meaghan
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Henry III , Patronage , Medieval Art , Wall Painting , Kingship , England
Alternative Title
Abstract
This dissertation examines Henry III of England’s residential wall painting patronage, its relationship to the king’s unique views of kingship, and the role of wall painting in the fashioning of thirteenth-century Plantagenet court culture. I consider the presence of humour, humility, sanctimony, and devotion in Henry III’s ideals of kingship and as demonstrated through repeated iconographies in the king’s halls. I propose new avenues of inquiry and interpretation, rather than submitting a comprehensive survey of Henry III’s artistic and architectural patronage.
This dissertation begins with an examination of the documentary, architectural, archaeological, and antiquarian evidence of Henry III’s wall painting commissions (Chapter 2), followed by an in-depth discussion of the methodological approaches and analyses explored throughout (Chapter 3). Three iconographical case study chapters are at the core of this dissertation, each examining a favoured narrative or allegory. The first (Chapter 4) concerns Henry III’s commission of the parable of Dives and Lazarus in his great halls at the castles of Ludgershall, Guildford, and Northampton. The second (Chapter 5) reviews the narrative painting of the Dialogue of Solomon and Marcolf in the lesser hall at Westminster Palace. The third (Chapter 6) is a study of Henry III’s choice of painting the Wheel of Fortune in the great hall at Winchester Castle and the king’s hall at Clarendon Palace. These chapters highlight the subversive nature of Henry III’s wall painting commissions as they relate to the playful reversal of social hierarchies and a deviation from traditional models of kingship.
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Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
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Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.