Jul 13, 2022
Apr 13, 2011
Jul 13, 2022
Jul 13, 2022
Jul 13, 2022
Jul 13, 2022
Jul 13, 2022
Jul 14, 2022
Jul 14, 2022
Jul 14, 2022
Jul 14, 2022

Mourner from the Tomb of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy (1364-1404)

Mourner from the Tomb of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy (1364-1404)

1404–10

Claus de Werve

(Netherlandish, 1380–1439)

Vizille alabaster

Overall: 41 x 12.7 x 15 cm (16 1/8 x 5 x 5 7/8 in.)

Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. 1958.66

Did you know?

A plaster cast of this mourner decorates the empty niche in the Tomb of Philip the Bold in Dijon, France.

Description

This figure comes from the tomb of Duke Philip the Bold from the church of Champmol near Dijon (Burgundy, France). Philip, who founded the monastery and designated it as his burial place, hired the best artists, many of whom came from the Netherlands. While the commission was given in 1381, the work was not completed until 1410, six years after the duke’s death.

This mourner is unusual for the time because it is not carved as a static low relief on the pedestal of the tomb but interacts with the viewers and their fellow procession members. The lifelike quality of the figure is due in large part to the alabaster. Its softness allowed artists to carve details into the material, and the transparent, milky white stone could also be polished to a high gloss.

Video

The Mourners
Identity of the Mourners
Who Are They Mourning?
Mourning Attire
How Did They End Up in Cleveland?
See also
Collection: 
MED - Gothic
Department: 
Medieval Art
Type of artwork: 
Sculpture

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email [email protected].

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.