Skip to Main Content

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

1404–10
This object has related works. See
(Netherlandish, 1380–1439)
Netherlands, active Dijon, 15th century
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
Location: 109 Gothic Painting and Sculpture
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

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.
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)
Netherlands, active Dijon, 15th century

See Also

Videos

The Mourners

Identity of the Mourners

Who Are They Mourning?

Mourning Attire

How Did They End Up in Cleveland?

Visually Similar by AI

    CMA Store

    Myth and Mystique: Cleveland's Gothic Table Fountain
    By Stephen N. Fliegel and Elina Gertsman The Cleveland Museum of Art’s medieval Table Fountain (c. 1320–40) has somehow survived nearly intact for over 700 years. A medieval automaton, the table fountain is an exquisite piece of Gothic architecture in miniature complete with parapets, vaults, arcades, and columns. Along with animal-shaped nozzles and intimate scenes in opaque enamel, the sight and sound of flowing water is also captured by water wheels and bells. An exquisite example of French metalwork, the fountain is truly a unique example of Gothic fashion and courtly taste. While little is known of its origin and history, similar fountains have been mentioned in royal inventories, but almost none have survived, leading early scholars to misunderstand its function. The third book in the museum’s Masterwork series, Myth and Mystique: Cleveland’s Gothic Table Fountain reassesses this extraordinary piece in the context of other similar luxury objects, analyzing specifically the fountain’s history, functionality, materials, and style." 164 pages Published 2016
    Myth and Mystique: Cleveland's Gothic Table Fountain
    Italian Renaissance Architecture
    The architecture of the Italian Renaissance, theorized by artists such as Filippo Brunelleschi and Leon Battista Alberti, influenced styles and trends of the following centuries throughout Europe and beyond. This volume offers a comprehensive compilation of Italian Renaissnace architecture—richly documented, illustrated, arranged by region, and including a glossary. 408 pages
    Italian Renaissance Architecture
    Small Sword Poster
    In the eighteenth century, the smallsword was designed to be a light, quick weapon. Like the rapier, it was carried by unarmored noblemen. As decorative works, smallswords represent the final stage in the evolution of the sword. This poster pictures one of many on display in the Cleveland Museum of Arts Armor Gallery. Size: 36" x 24"
    Small Sword Poster
    How to Read Art
    by Liz Rideal This charmingly illustrated, highly informative field guide to understanding art history is small enough to fit in a pocket yet serious enough to provide real answers. This seventh entry in the hugely popular How to Read series is a one-stop guide to understanding the world’s great artworks. The book explains the aesthetics of schools of painting from the Renaissance masters and Impressionists to the Cubists and Modernists. It enables readers to develop swiftly an understanding of the vocabulary of painting and to discover how to look at diverse paintings in detail.In the first part of the book, the author reveals how to read paintings by considering five key areas: shape and support, style and medium, compositional devices, genre, and the meaning of recurring motifs and symbols. The second part explores fifty paintings through extracted details, accompanied by insightful commentary, training the reader and viewer to understand context and discover meaning within art. How to Read Art is the perfect companion for anyone interested in paintings and a book that no art lover’s home should be without. 256 pages Published 2015
    How to Read Art

    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 collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    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.