Basilica of St. Denis--page 9 (of ten pages): other royal tombs








The north transept where many of the tombs are placed

 
 

Recumbent figures of Henry II and Catherine de Medici by Germain Pilon, 1583

See their elaborate tomb, largely credited to Pilon, also in St. Denis. Here, like the praying figures atop the canopy of the large tomb, the figures are dressed in official robes. But they are not idealized; Zerner points out Catherine's double chin (383).
 

Dogs at the feet of effigies

The dog is a traditional symbol of faithfulness.
 
Here the dog at the foot of a male figure seems to be a hunting dog with prey in its mouth.
 

Tomb of Robert dit Enfant, 14th century

 


Works Consulted or quoted:
Henri Zerner. Renaissance Art in France: The Invention of Classicism . Paris: Éditions Flammarion, 2003 [English edition]

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© 2006 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.