Tonsure Collection

St Bernard of Clairvaux
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Digitally colored engraving

St Hilda / Whitby / Reid
SAINT HILDA OF WHITBY Anglo-Saxon abbess, receiving a visit from Caedmon

M Musurus / Larmessin
MARKOS MUSURUS Greek scholar

Hugh of St Victor / Thevet
HUGH OF SAINT VICTOR Saxon or Flemish theologian and mystic

The Angel Saint Francis in Prayer; Ange St. Francis en Priere, c. 1947-48 (oil on masonite)
824575 The Angel Saint Francis in Prayer; Ange St. Francis en Priere, c.1947-48 (oil on masonite) by Hyppolite, Hector (1889-1948); 95.6x71

The Conversion of Paula, by Alma-Tadema
The Conversion of Paula, by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema RA (1836-1912). Date: 1898

Chaucer, the Friar
The Friar carrying a staff

Thomas Becket (c. 1118-70) washing the feet of beggars (engraving)
KW212275 Thomas Becket (c.1118-70) washing the feet of beggars (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; Ken Welsh; English, out of copyright

Virgin and Child with St. Benedict, from the Priory of St. Hippolytus of Vivoin
XIR243430 Virgin and Child with St. Benedict, from the Priory of St. Hippolytus of Vivoin (oil on panel) by French School, (15th century); 112x115 cm; Musee de Tesse, Le Mans

Saint Bruno / Butler Lives
SAINT BRUNO alias BRUNO THE GREAT Archbishop of Cologne and Duke of Lorraine

Armand Jean le Bouthillier de Rance, 1683 (engraving)
XJF406212 Armand Jean le Bouthillier de Rance, 1683 (engraving) by Schuppen, Pierre Louis van (1627-1702); Private Collection; (add.info)

St. Francis of Assisi and the Young Monk Returning from a Preaching Tour, 1936. Francis of Assisi (c1181-1226) returns to the monastery after walking the city in discussion with a young monk

Cartoon, The Hero and The Saint (Giuseppe Garibaldi)
Cartoon, The Hero and The Saint -- Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian revolutionary, fights against the unhealthy influence of religious superstition

Henry II, 1856. Artist: Alfred Crowquill
Henry II, 1856. From Alfred Crowquills Comic History of the Kings and Queens of England - From William the Conqueror to the Present Time. [Read & Co. London, 1856]

Pope Leo X (1475-1521), born Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici, c1830

JOHN LYDGATE/VERTUE
JOHN LYDGATE English poet and Benedictine monk, with a Dance of Death Date: 1370? - 1450?

Head of a tonsured, bearded saint, c. 1440-44 (tempera on wood)
930334 Head of a tonsured, bearded saint, c.1440-44 (tempera on wood) by Veneziano, Domenico (c.1400-61); National Gallery, London, UK; Photo © Stefano Baldini

A Monk turned Hermit; A zigzag journey through Mexico, 1875. Creator: Thomas Mayne Reid
A Monk turned Hermit; A zigzag journey through Mexico, 1875. From, Illustrated Travels by H.W. Bates. [Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, c1880, London]

Detail of St. Bartholemew and St. Bernard of Clairvaux from the Altarpiece of the Convent of St. Dominic of Manresa
IND49368 Detail of St. Bartholemew and St. Bernard of Clairvaux from the Altarpiece of the Convent of St. Dominic of Manresa by Serra, Pere (fl.1357-1405); Museo Episcopal de Vic, Osona, Catalonia

A Monk, from Libre dels Feits (vellum)
IND113565 A Monk, from Libre dels Feits (vellum) by Spanish School, (13th century); Biblioteca Universidad, Barcelona, Spain; (add.info)

Signing the Statutes of the Proclamations of the Fraternity of Montserrat, by the brothers in 1415
IND113073 Signing the Statutes of the Proclamations of the Fraternity of Montserrat, by the brothers in 1415, from the Llibre Vermell de Montserrat (vellum) by Spanish School

Friar Luis de Granada (1504-88) engraved by M. Gamborino (1760-c. 1828) from the Illustrious Men collection (engraving)
IND113001 Friar Luis de Granada (1504-88) engraved by M. Gamborino (1760-c.1828) from the Illustrious Men collection (engraving) by Maca, Josef (18th century) (after); Calcografia Nacional, Madrid

Juan de Torquemada (1388-1468) Praying, from a collection of Famous Men, engraved by Juan Barcelon (engraving)
IND113668 Juan de Torquemada (1388-1468) Praying, from a collection of Famous Men, engraved by Juan Barcelon (engraving) by Maea, Jose (fl.1790-1826) (after); Calcografia Nacional, Madrid

The Arrival of Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) with his Son at the Monastery of la Rabida
IND113070 The Arrival of Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) with his Son at the Monastery of la Rabida, from The Discovery of America, published in Barcelona in 1878 (colour litho) by Puiggari, R

Teacher with pupils, within an historiated capital C, 14-15th century (vellum)
IND113562 Teacher with pupils, within an historiated capital C, 14-15th century (vellum) by Canals, Fra Antoni (14th-15th century); Archivo Municipal de Historia, Barcelona, Spain; Index Fototeca

St. John of the Cross, 1599 (engraving)
IND78690 St. John of the Cross, 1599 (engraving) by Spanish School, (16th century); Biblioteca de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain; (add.info.:s Juan de la Cruz; Jean de la Croix; ); Index Fototeca

Portrait of Brother Thomas de Torquemada (1420-98) (litho)
IND113669 Portrait of Brother Thomas de Torquemada (1420-98) (litho) by Spanish School, (19th century); Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid

The Death of Charlemagne in 814 (vellum)
IND325844 The Death of Charlemagne in 814 (vellum) by French School, (14th century); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France; (add.info.: Charles the Great)

St. Michael and St. Francis of Assisi, c. 1480 (oil on panel)
XIR239918 St. Michael and St. Francis of Assisi, c.1480 (oil on panel) by French School, (15th century); Musee des Beaux-Arts, Chambery, Savoie, Rhone-Alpes

Monk of the Order of Bethlehemite friars, Bethleemites. Handcoloured woodblock engraving after an illustration by
5912783 Monk of the Order of Bethlehemite friars, Bethleemites. Handcoloured woodblock engraving after an illustration by Jacques Charles Bar from Abbot Tirons Histoire et Costumes des Ordres

Saint Francis, 1879 (oil on canvas)
3736041 Saint Francis, 1879 (oil on canvas) by Malatesta or Malatesti, Adeodato (1806-91); 55x44.5 cm; Assicoop-Unipol Collection, Modena, Emilia Romagna

Frankish priests in chasubles and surplices, 9th century
6338953 Frankish priests in chasubles and surplices, 9th century by Villain (19th century); (add.info.: Frankish priests in chasubles and surplices, 9th century)

Celebration of the Eucharist, from a Mariegola of the lay guild of St. Jerome, c. 1400 (ink & gold leaf on vellum)
XOT330906 Celebration of the Eucharist, from a Mariegola of the lay guild of St. Jerome, c.1400 (ink & gold leaf on vellum) by Italian School, (15th century); Museo Correr, Venice

Enthroned Madonna and Child with Four Saints, c. 1400 (tempera on poplar wood)
BFM286526 Enthroned Madonna and Child with Four Saints, c.1400 (tempera on poplar wood) by Italian School, (15th century); 30.2x25.8 cm; Lindenau Museum, Altenburg

Saint Francis before the Pope (The Approva of the Franciscan Rule), 1390/1400. Creator: Spinello Aretino
Saint Francis before the Pope (The Approva of the Franciscan Rule), 1390/1400

Henry Irving as "Becket", c. 1893. Creator: Henry Herschel Hay Cameron
Henry Irving as " Becket", c. 1893. British actor Henry Irving as archbishop and saint Thomas a Becket]. Photogravure

Brother Jean des Entommeurs, illustration from Gargantua
XIR287728 Brother Jean des Entommeurs, illustration from Gargantua by Francois Rabelais (1494-1553) engraved by Paul Jonnard-Pacel (d.1902) (engraving) (b/w photo) by Dore

Saint Antony of Padua
3433489 Saint Antony of Padua by Giordano, Luca (1634-1705); Palazzo Corsini, Gallerie Nazionali Barberini Corsini, Rome, Italy; (add.info)

Portrait of a Carthusian, 1446 (oil on wood)
3615921 Portrait of a Carthusian, 1446 (oil on wood) by Christus, Petrus (c.1410-1475/76); 29.2x21.6 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; (add.info.: The Carthusian Order)

St. Francis, 1932 (tempera on canvas)
5642660 St. Francis, 1932 (tempera on canvas) by Roerich, Nicholas (1874-1947); 153.3A--107 cm; Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York; eNicholas Roerich Museum; Russian, out of copyright

Madonna and Child being crowned by two Angels, with St. Jerome and St. Francis, c. 1500 (tempera on poplar wood)
BFM286535 Madonna and Child being crowned by two Angels, with St. Jerome and St. Francis, c.1500 (tempera on poplar wood) by Italian School, (16th century); 22.8x16.3 cm; Lindenau Museum, Altenburg

Madonna and Child with a Cardinal as a benefactor, c. 1500 (tempera on poplar wood)
BFM286519 Madonna and Child with a Cardinal as a benefactor, c.1500 (tempera on poplar wood) by Pinturicchio, Bernardino di Betto (c.1452-1513); 51x42 cm; Lindenau Museum, Altenburg

Ms 870 fo. 5 School Scene, 1494 (vellum)
BMR277063 Ms 870 fo.5 School Scene, 1494 (vellum) by French School, (13th century); Bibliotheque Mazarine, Paris, France; (add.info.: Scene d Enseignement; miniature from Manuscrit du Frere Laurent)

Ms McClean 136 f. 188r Miniature of a priest blessing a bride and groom
FIT276978 Ms McClean 136 f.188r Miniature of a priest blessing a bride and groom, from the Decretals of Gregory IX, Southern France or England

Marlay Cutting IT. 7: Leaf with miniature from Gratian
FIT276177 Marlay Cutting IT.7: Leaf with miniature from Gratians Decretum showing the case of the abbot made bishop (vellum) by Italian School, (14th century); 46x28.3 cm; Fitzwilliam Museum

St. Thomas Aquinas writing before the crucifix (oil on canvas)
REV346179 St. Thomas Aquinas writing before the crucifix (oil on canvas) by Rodriguez, Antonio (1636-91); Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City

Galileo Galilei demonstrating his new astronomical theories at the university of Padua
REV346185 Galileo Galilei demonstrating his new astronomical theories at the university of Padua (oil on canvas) by Parra, Felix (1845-1919); Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City

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"Tonsure: Unveiling the Sacred and Symbolic Rituals" In a quaint village, a woman raises her skirts high, fearlessly warding off the devil with her audacious display. This ancient act of defiance against evil echoes the significance - a ritualistic practice that transcends time. St Bernard of Clairvaux, his bald crown shining in divine radiance, exemplifies the power behind this sacred act. His shaved head serves as a testament to his devotion and renunciation of worldly desires. Following in his footsteps is St Hilda of Whitby and Reid, who embraced tonsure as an emblematic symbol of their commitment to God's calling. From Constantinople to Paris, M Musurus and Larmessin immortalized tonsured figures through their artistic prowess. Their engravings depict holy men like Hugh of St Victor and Thevet adorned with this distinctive mark - an outward manifestation of inner spiritual transformation. Even renowned painters like Alma-Tadema captured moments steeped in religious fervor through their brushstrokes. "The Conversion of Paula" portrays a woman shedding her luxurious locks for ton sure; surrendering vanity for enlightenment. Chaucer's Friar too donned this revered tradition, yet beneath its surface lurked questions about sincerity amidst hypocrisy. Tonsure became not just an expression but also a subject for contemplation within literary realms. The Virgin Mary cradles baby Jesus while standing beside St Benedict at the Priory of St Hippolytus Vivoin – both bearing signs on their heads. A visual reminder that even divinity itself embraces this sacred rite. Saint Bruno followed suit, embracing solitude as he sought solace within himself through self-imposed isolation from society’s distractions – his shaven head serving as evidence to his unwavering dedication towards God's path.