the eternal repose of their souls. Toward that end, the highborn
and wealthy endowed whole chapels for the chanting of masses
(chantries), and made rich bequests of treasure and property to the
Church. Many also required that their tombs be as near as possible
to the choir or some other important location in the church. Some-
times, patrons built a chapel especially designed and endowed to
house their tombs, such as Henry’s chapel at Westminster Abbey.
Freestanding tombs, accessible to church visitors, had a moral as well
as a sepulchral and memorial purpose. The silent image of the de-
ceased, cold and still, was a solemn reminder of human mortality, all
the more effective because the remains of the person depicted were
directly below the portrait. The tomb of an illustrious person could
bring distinction, pilgrims, and patronage to a church, just as relics
of saints attracted pilgrims from far and wide (see “Pilgrimages,”
Chapter 17, page 432).
An elaborate example of a freestanding tomb (FIG. 18-44) is
that of Edward II (r. 1307–1327), installed in Gloucester Cathedral
several years after the king’s murder. Edward III (r. 1327–1357) paid
for the memorial to his father, who reposes in regal robes with his
crown on his head. The sculptor portrayed the dead king as an ideal-
ized Christlike figure (compare FIG. 18-22). On each side of Ed-
ward’s head is an attentive angel tenderly touching his hair. At his
feet is a guardian lion, emblem also of the king’s strength and valor.
An intricate Perpendicular Gothic canopy encases the coffin, form-
ing a kind of miniature chapel protecting the deceased. It is a fine ex-
ample of the English manner with its forest of delicate alabaster andPurbeck marble gables, buttresses, and pinnacles. A distinctive fea-
ture is the use ofogee arches (arches made up of two double-curved
lines meeting at a point), a characteristic Late Gothic form. Art his-
torians often have compared tombs like Edward’s to reliquaries. In-
deed, the shrinelike frame and the church setting transform the de-
ceased into a kind of saintly relic worthy of veneration.Holy Roman Empire
The architecture of the Holy Roman Empire remained conserva-
tively Romanesque well into the 13th century. In many German
churches, the only Gothic feature was the rib vault, buttressed solely
by the heavy masonry of the walls. By midcentury, though, the
French Gothic style began to make a profound impact.
COLOGNE CATHEDRALCologne Cathedral (FIG. 18-45),
begun in 1248 under the direction ofGerhard of Cologne,was
not completed until more than 600 years later, making it one of
the longest building projects on record. Work halted entirely from
the mid-16th to the mid-19th centuries, when the 14th-century de-
sign for the facade was unexpectedly found. Gothic Revival archi-
tects (see Chapter 30) then completed the building according to
the Gothic plans, adding the nave, towers, and facade to the east
end that had stood alone for several centuries. The Gothic/Gothic18-44Tomb of Edward II, Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester,
England, ca. 1330–1335.
Edward II’s tomb resembles a miniature Perpendicular English Gothic
chapel with its forest of gables, ogee arches, and pinnacles. The
shrinelike form suggests that the deceased is worthy of veneration.18-45Gerhard of Cologne,aerial view of Cologne Cathedral
(looking northwest), Cologne, Germany, begun 1248; nave, facade,
and towers completed 1880.
Cologne Cathedral, the largest church in northern Europe, took more
than 600 years to build. Only the east end dates to the 13th century.
The 19th-century portions follow the original Gothic plans.Gothic Outside of France 48918-44A
Mappamundi
of Henry III,
ca. 1277–1289.