The Tomb of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany is a large and complex silver-gilt and marble sculptured 16th century funerary monument. Its design and build are usually attributed to the Juste brothers[1] although the work of several other hands can be distinguished. Designed for and installed at the Saint-Denis Basilica, France, it was commissioned in 1515 in memory of Louis XII (d. 1515, aged 52) and his queen Anne of Brittany (d. 1514, aged 36), probably by Louis' successor Francis I (reigned 1515–1547), and after years of design and intensive building was unveiled in 1531.[2]
Tomb of Louis XII and Anne of Bretagne, Abbey Church, Saint-Denis
The tomb's monumentality breaks from traditional medieval representations, and is influenced by classical sources, especially Roman, probably borrowed from Andrea Sansovino and contemporary Florentine sculptors. The art historian Barbara Hochstetler Meyer describes it as portraying the deceased "with a verism, poignancy, and sensitivity to nature rarely equalled in the north of Europe during the sixteenth century."[3]
Louis is shown in the interior as a gaunt, rotting and naked recumbent cadaver, his head resting on a stone pillow.[4] His death mask is a remarkably realistic depiction of the recently dead: his eyes are sunken into his skull, his skin is taut, his neck is especially emaciated, and his hair is very thin.[5]
Portrait of Louis XII, attributed to Jean Perréal, c. 1514
Portrait of Anne of Brittany, c. 1503-08
The stone slab above the tomb shows both alive and in full flesh. Louis and Anne are depicted kneeling beside with their hands clasped in prayer. Unusually, the king is not wearing a crown. He had suffered prolonged illness before his death, and the impact of this is made evident by his sagging skin and decrepit muscles. Nor is his age shied away from; he has a long curved nose, beady and alert but swollen eyes, and a double chin.[5]
The arches of the tomb contains a number of groupings of seated figures, including apostles and figures representing the seven cardinal virtues. Beyond them, at each corner are four larger, also seated, female figures.
Galleryedit
Louis and Anne kneeling in prayer
Statue representing Justice, one of the seven virtues
Courage
Prudence
The Apostles
Frontal view, with Louis and Anne on the upper slab
Cohen, Kathleen. Metamorphosis of a Death Symbol: The Transi Tomb in the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. University of California Press, 1973. ISBN978-0-5200-1844-0
Cohen, Kathleen. The Changing Meaning of the Transi Tomb in Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century Europe. University of California Press, 1968
Dupont, Jacques. "A Portrait of Louis XII Attributed to Jean Perréal". The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs. Volume 89, No. 534, 1947
Giese, Francine; Pawlak, Anna; Thome, Markus (eds). Tomb – Memory – Space: Concepts of Representation in Premodern Christian and Islamic Art, Walter de Gruyter, 2018
Jugie, Sophie. The Mourners: Tomb Sculpture from the Court of Burgundy . Paris: 1; First Edition, 2010. ISBN978-0-3001-5517-4
Hochstetler Meyer, Barbara. Journal of the Walters Art Gallery, volume 40, 1982
tomb, louis, anne, brittany, large, complex, silver, gilt, marble, sculptured, 16th, century, funerary, monument, design, build, usually, attributed, juste, brothers, although, work, several, other, hands, distinguished, designed, installed, saint, denis, basi. The Tomb of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany is a large and complex silver gilt and marble sculptured 16th century funerary monument Its design and build are usually attributed to the Juste brothers 1 although the work of several other hands can be distinguished Designed for and installed at the Saint Denis Basilica France it was commissioned in 1515 in memory of Louis XII d 1515 aged 52 and his queen Anne of Brittany d 1514 aged 36 probably by Louis successor Francis I reigned 1515 1547 and after years of design and intensive building was unveiled in 1531 2 Tomb of Louis XII and Anne of Bretagne Abbey Church Saint Denis The tomb s monumentality breaks from traditional medieval representations and is influenced by classical sources especially Roman probably borrowed from Andrea Sansovino and contemporary Florentine sculptors The art historian Barbara Hochstetler Meyer describes it as portraying the deceased with a verism poignancy and sensitivity to nature rarely equalled in the north of Europe during the sixteenth century 3 Contents 1 Description 2 Gallery 3 Notes 4 SourcesDescription edit nbsp Gisant of Louis XII Louis is shown in the interior as a gaunt rotting and naked recumbent cadaver his head resting on a stone pillow 4 His death mask is a remarkably realistic depiction of the recently dead his eyes are sunken into his skull his skin is taut his neck is especially emaciated and his hair is very thin 5 nbsp Portrait of Louis XII attributed to Jean Perreal c 1514 nbsp Portrait of Anne of Brittany c 1503 08 The stone slab above the tomb shows both alive and in full flesh Louis and Anne are depicted kneeling beside with their hands clasped in prayer Unusually the king is not wearing a crown He had suffered prolonged illness before his death and the impact of this is made evident by his sagging skin and decrepit muscles Nor is his age shied away from he has a long curved nose beady and alert but swollen eyes and a double chin 5 The arches of the tomb contains a number of groupings of seated figures including apostles and figures representing the seven cardinal virtues Beyond them at each corner are four larger also seated female figures Gallery edit nbsp Louis and Anne kneeling in prayer nbsp Statue representing Justice one of the seven virtues nbsp Courage nbsp Prudence nbsp The Apostles nbsp Frontal view with Louis and Anne on the upper slabNotes edit Cohen 1968 p 461 Giese et al 2018 p 199 Hochstetler Meyer 1982 p 43 Cohen 1992 p 133 a b Hochstetler Meyer 1982 p 46Sources editCohen Kathleen Metamorphosis of a Death Symbol The Transi Tomb in the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance University of California Press 1973 ISBN 978 0 5200 1844 0 Cohen Kathleen The Changing Meaning of the Transi Tomb in Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century Europe University of California Press 1968 Dupont Jacques A Portrait of Louis XII Attributed to Jean Perreal The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs Volume 89 No 534 1947 Giese Francine Pawlak Anna Thome Markus eds Tomb Memory Space Concepts of Representation in Premodern Christian and Islamic Art Walter de Gruyter 2018 Jugie Sophie The Mourners Tomb Sculpture from the Court of Burgundy Paris 1 First Edition 2010 ISBN 978 0 3001 5517 4 Hochstetler Meyer Barbara Journal of the Walters Art Gallery volume 40 1982 48 56 08 N 2 21 35 E 48 9356 N 2 3597 E 48 9356 2 3597 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tomb of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany amp oldid 1158261005, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
