Baroque’s festive nature was definitely supportive of military victory and exposure of wealth, as is manifest in the corpus. Although the tombstones at St John’s do have an element of mourning in them, they are at the same time a celebration of life and a grand display of victory over death. In Baroque art, the great masters are without exception outstanding in dynamically stirring the emotions of the onlooker, while the lesser artists are straining after effect, which might be classified as sensationalism. The artistic styles of the tombstones at St John's is divided into various typologies. The example here is classified as a Late Baroque pictorial typology. The upper part of the artwork is taken up by a pictorial treatment, often including a wider range of military paraphernalia and allegorical figures. The lower part will have retained its distinctive Late Baroque monumental characteristics, with the escutcheon, pedestal and architectural ornaments. Skeletons, as symbols of death, appear frequently in the iconography of St John’s tombstones, alone or together with attributes such as a scythe, hourglass, book, quill or axe. Since Dante (1265-1321), who in his “Divina Commedia” had the reading public warmed up for Death personified, and after the illustrations in Petrarch’s (1304-1374) work “Trionfi”, especially the Triumph of Death (“Trionfo della Morte”), the popularity of the skeleton as an image of Death personified is undiminished. Skeletons and skulls represent the Baroque macabre in these tombstones. Death is the great equaliser, as it strips the wealthy of their possessions, and cures the despondent of their suffering. A window offers a view to Heaven and an arched arrangement, here represented either as a stone arch, garland arch or an opened set of draperies, symbolises the heavens or Heaven. It also can mean the transition of the soul from earth to Heaven, that is eternity, especially when cherubs hold open the folds of the draperies. Angels are the messengers of the gods, who appear both in Classical mythology and in Christianity. In the context of funerary art also called Putti or Cherubs. In the Roman polytheism they were called genii, guardian spirits, who accompanied the deceased’s soul to heaven. On the tombstones the angels are often represented hovering in the upper part of the tombstone, holding the escutcheon in mid-air. The escutcheon represents here the soul of the deceased, while the coat of arms refers to his glorious ancestors. Fama, or the Angel of Fame, heralds one's reputation into the four winds, bringing forth great splendour and praise, and gestures at someone praiseworthy (here she points to the name of the deceased knight, inscribed in the cartouche. The cartouche contains the inscribed text, here incorporated in the pedestal. Winged effigies are commonly used to signify the soul in transition. Wings are an attribute of Celerity and the desire of a soul for God. The crown is the symbol of the ruler or sovereign, and it proclaims power, victory and honour. Here, most escutcheons are set over the eight-pointed cross of the Order and surmounted by an open crown. The escutcheon is a shield embellished with the arms and/or other insigna, symbols or heraldic devices. It is here often displayed as fallen at an angle, which symbolises the death of the holder of the shield, who is no longer there to hold it straight. Scythes are the mowing instrument of a farmer and of the Grim Reaper, who cuts short one’s life and severs one from one’s root with one easy movement. The rosette is often used as a decorative motif on a tombstone’s frame. In Christianity a rosette is an attribute of the Virgin Mary. The clepsydra or hour-glass stands for mortality, transience of earthly life, and passing time. It also represents the cycle of life and death, and heaven and earth, because it needs to be turned over to function. More often then not, the hourglass has a pair of wings, to show that time really flies (tempus fugit). In Christian art it is an attribute of Father Time and Death. Death is also represented by Father Time, a grey-bearded winged figure. Father Time is also known as Chronos. Tombstones are like parted curtains, allowing a view of a deceased’s life and death. Open curtains have also the same significance as an arched arrangement, namely Heaven. In the theatrics of Baroque, closed curtains mean that one’s life is over. The Latin text of the tombstone of Frà.Giuliuo Bovio: opprimit lapis mortales exuvias / fr(atris) Iulij Bovij Bonon (iensis), angliae prioris./ hic pietatem, iustitiam, prudentiam / habuit, comites et duces./5 unius pontificiae triremis,/ tercentum peditum dux in urbe avenionensi, / communis aerarij per XXIII annos secretarius,/ ad s(anctissimum) Pontif (icem) Clementem XIorator / extraordinarius./10 fidem erga suum principem, / obsequium erga suum ordinem / aeque probavit, / ad maiora natus, nisi mors obstitisset. / abbas Guido Bovius, fratri germano,/15 doloris et grati animi monumentum/ posuit anno sal(utis) MDCCVI. In translation: This slab covers the mortal remains of Frà. Giulio Giulio Bovio of Bologna, Prior of England. He possessed compassion, righteousness, prudence, comrades-in-arms and leaders. Captain of a Pontifical Galley, Commander of three hundred foot-soldiers in the city of Avignon, for 23 years Secretary of the Common Treasury, Ambassador Extraordinary to His Sanctity Pope Clemens XI. He proved his credibility towards his Prince, equally his allegiance towards his Order, destined for greater things, if Death had not stood in the way. The abbot Guido Bovio placed, in mourning, this as monument of his grateful memory for his brother, in the Year of Salvation 1706. |
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| Scroll down the page for an explanation of some elements of the iconography and symbols. |
| For further details regarding the art, iconography and symbols employed in the tombstones and sepulchral monuments at St John's Co-Cathedral, please refer to "Memento Mori, a companion to the most beautiful floor in the world" by Dane Munro. Photography by Maurizio Urso. Available on line. |
