Magnate

Since the 16'th century the nobility from Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had a custom to order a portrait of themselfs to be put on their coffin during their burial.

Where did they find their inspiration?

Did it have any spiritual meaning?

And why?



Crypt of the Opaliński family

tjadams

This is fascinating. Hope to read more.

Magnate

Indeed it is

The only ones i can think of that were also using coffin portraits were the egyptians. But that was way back in time, and i dont think that you can link Egypt to the Polish-Lithuanian traditions.

Black Dog

I've never heard of this custom before. But I do know that medieval rich people would have their effigy on their tombstone, sometimes as a statue, sometimes just carved in stone as an outline. There was a style which was a two tier tomb, with a statue of the healthy person on top, and below this was a haggard, skeletal and ill representation of the person.

But this is nothing compared to what they got up to in Palermo, Italy.

The Kings Capuchins catacombs was originally for monks, but the fashion spread. Corpses would be dressed and hung from the walls as if alive. Row upon row.

Don't look if you're easily shocked:

King's Capuchins' Catacombs Corpses of Palermo

Magnate

Neither did i untill an old relative to me told me about it a couple of months ago. It's a really nice tradition in my opinion, i wonder why it died out though...

Yea pretty much standard in Europe. But i think it was reserved for the benefactors who helped to build a church were they were later buried, and the kings ofc.


Nasty

Salah

The Romans did the same thing, and I have also seen it in America.

Magnate

Interesting. I know that many nobles from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth saw themselfs as successors of the Roman Empire, hence the reason why they called themselfs citizens of the PLC realm.

There might be a connection between them, but this is just my own theory for now.

Did the Indians also use some kinda portraits for their burial?

Edit:
Sorry for my ignorance about America, did you mean the indians? :P

Black Dog

There's a region in China (the Dong people) where, not long after a child is born, the parents choose a "coffin tree" for the child. The child is encouraged to look after the tree, and eventually (in the person's old age) the tree is cut down and made into a coffin. It is brightly painted and often elaborately carved.

Magnate

Interesting

Pictures please

Black Dog

There's not a great deal out there, but this article has a photo gallery (top left) that shows a mother and child at the coffin tree and also ready made Dong coffins. You can see how elaborately shaped they are.

Guizhou Village - National Geographic Magazine