Recumbent Effigy

This sculpture of a knight is a rare surviving example of a wooden tomb effigy, or gisant. Carved from a single plank of wood and now missing most of its polychromy, this work likely formed the lid of a sarcophagus in the region of Burgos, Spain. The figure’s identity is unknown, but the cylindrical cap, tunic with deep arm-holes, and ankle spurs distinguish him as a member of the late thirteenth-century Spanish aristocracy. Traces of paint on the man’s cheeks indicate that light stubble tempered his youthful appearance. The fingers missing from his right hand probably held the chest-strap of his mantle, a delicate gesture that would suggest repose, rather than eternal rest. The dog curled up at his feet is a symbol of fidelity beyond the grave. While the man’s position obeys the lid’s horizontal orientation, the fall of his cloak curiously implies an upright pose.