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GALAHAD
Figuur uit de Arthur legende.
A. Frederick Watts
Sir Galahad
Oil on canvas
Galahad was unique at the court of King Arthur, for he alone saw the entire Grail, or Sangreal. He may even have handled the sacred vessel, as one version of the Arthurian myth states that Sir Galahad took “Our Lord’s body between his hands” and then died.
The quest for the Grail was an important preoccupation of the Knights of the Round Table. One of the seats was always left vacant as it was the place reserved for the knight who would find the Grail.
Until Sir Galahad sat there, no knight had earned the right to occupy the place without being instantly swallowed by the earth.
The worthy young Sir Galahad was the son of Sir Lancelot, the secret lover of queen Guinevere, Arthur’s wife. From the beginning of Galahad’s manhood, however, it is made clear that he is without blemish. Twelve nuns, who had raised Galahad, told his father that he should “make him a knight, for there is no man alive more deserving of the order of knighthood”.
As soon as Sir Galahad had taken his rightful place at the Round Table, the presence of the Grail was felt in Camelot. A mysterious lady then announced how the sacred vessel would come and feed all the knights. This happened although none at the wonderful meal saw or touched the Grail. When Sir Gawain vowed to find its home in order to see the Grail for himself, most of the Knights of the Round Table followed suit, despite the efforts of King Arthur to dissuade them from undertaking what might prove to be their final quest.
Dante Rossetti.
How Sir Galahad, Sir Bors and Sir Parcival were fed with the Sanc Grail.
1864.
Canvas
Galahad receives spiritual nourishment from the Grail, followed by Percival and Bors. The idea of an all-sustaining and all-inspiring “greal”or brew is rooted in Celtic myth.
Although they set off in different directions, Sir Gallahad was in the company of Sir Percival and Sir Bors when he encountered the Grail. Together they had received the sacrament from the long-dead Joseph of Arimathea, who told Sir Galahad to take a bleeding spear to the castle of the “Maimed King” and rub it on this crippled ruler’s body and limbs. Once this task was carried out, and the strange king restored to health, Sir Galahad saw the Grail in a vision. When he prayed that “he might leave the world”, a voice told him how his soul would live in the next life with Christ the moment his request could be granted.
After this, various miracles took place and Sir Galahad was even obliged to become a king for a time while he waited patiently for his request to be fulfilled. When Joseph of Arimathea eventually returned, Galahad was at last granted his wish to leave the world. Joseph first allowed the pure and humble knight to hold the Grail for a few moments, then as Sir Galahad knelt down to pray for his deliverance, his souls was suddenly released from his body and “a great multitude of angels bore it up to heaven”.
