Statuette from The Mourners at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Dijon, France

myminifactory

The renovation of Dijon's Musée des Beaux-Arts offers a unique opportunity for the unprecedented loan of alabaster mourner figures from John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy's tomb, and his wife Margaret of Bavaria. Each statuette stands approximately sixteen inches tall. Jean de La Huerta and Antoine Le Moiturier carved them between 1443-1456 for the ducal tomb originally in Champmol's church, following Claus Sluter and colleagues' precedent set by their mourner figures on Duke Philip the Bold's (1342-1404) tomb. These tombs are renowned as among the most opulent and groundbreaking of late medieval times. The primary innovation lies in the space given to the grieving mourners' figures on the base, who appear to pass through real cloister arcades. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and want to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate.