Tombs

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Tombs

The tradition of building memorial tombs to honor prominent individuals continued from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance. Sculptors created thousands of tombs, mixing architectural elements with carved human images and decorations. Many of these works feature classical* designs. However, Gothic* style tombs remained popular in Italy well into the 1400s and even later in northern Europe.

Renaissance tombs fall into three basic types: tomb slabs, wall tombs, and freestanding memorials. Tombs were often placed in churches, as close to the high altar as possible, depending on the wealth and importance of the person honored. Some are located in private chapels. Tombs mark the location of a body and have certain common features. They give the name of the deceased and usually the date of death. Some display a family coat of arms* and an inscription indicating the person's social status. Other inscriptions might describe the individual's virtues and accomplishments or appeal to God for the salvation of his or her soul.

The least expensive type of tomb marker in the Renaissance was a small plate set in the church floor. A large slab, about the size of the grave beneath it, was also popular. Made of marble or sometimes bronze, these tomb slabs usually contained only inscriptions and coats of arms, though some also had carved effigies*. In the 1420s the Italian sculptor Donatello designed a bronze tomb slab for Bishop Giovanni Pecci (Cathedral, Siena) that includes an effigy of the bishop. The use of tomb slabs decreased in the 1500s, as tastes changed and available floor space in churches became scarce.

Wall tombs, more expensive than slabs, consist of carvings and architectural structures placed against the walls of churches or other buildings. Some have a sarcophagus (stone coffin) in an arched recess raised on brackets. Relatively small and simple, these raised memorials were very popular in the late 1400s. Most Renaissance wall tombs, however, sit at floor level. They often contain classical-style arches and columns and feature delicate sculptural portraits and details. Variations of the wall tomb include multilevel structures with life-size, freestanding figures of the deceased along with saints, warriors, and other individuals. Michelangelo designed two famous wall tombs (1521–1534) for Giuliano and Lorenzo de' Medici, young princes of the ruling family of Florence.

Freestanding tombs featuring a simple sarcophagus and effigy became popular in the Middle Ages in northern Europe. During the Renaissance, northern sculptors continued to produce them, usually in a Gothic style. The most important examples are memorials dedicated to German and French royalty. In Innsbruck, Austria, the tomb of the Holy Roman Emperor* Maximilian I is flanked by 28 life-size bronze figures, creating a moving scene. In France, the freestanding memorials of Louis XII, Francis I, and Henry II and their queens (in the church of St. Denis) include traditional French elements, such as kneeling figures at prayer. In Italy, Michelangelo designed a massive freestanding tomb for Pope Julius II in 1505. The plan called for a three-level structure with some 40 oversized figures. However, the design was abandoned and replaced by a wall tomb incorporating some of Michelangelo's sculpture, including the famous figure of Moses.

(See alsoArt; Death; Sculpture. )

* classical: in the tradition of ancient Greece and Rome
* Gothic: style of architecture characterized by pointed arches and high, thin walls supported by flying buttresses; also, artistic style marked by bright colors, elongated proportions, and intricate detail
* coat of arms: set of symbols used to represent a noble family