The castrum doloris (Latin for castle of grief) was a structure and set of decorations which sheltered and accompanied the catafalque or bier in a funeral. It signified the prestige and power of the deceased, and was common in Poland-Lithuania and other parts of Europe.
Initially a simple wooden structure with a fabric baldachin, it gradually transformed in the 17th century and 18th century to a more elaborate form. Sometimes it would be supplemented by candles, coats of arms, epitaphs and allegorical pictures, in which case it was also called a chapelle ardente. Sigismund II Augustus was one of the first Polish rulers to have a castrum doloris in the 1570s.
See also
- Funeral crown
- Coffin portraits: Notable examples includes (Polish: portret trumienny) from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
References
- ^ Koutny-Jones, Aleksandra (17 September 2015). Visual Cultures of Death in Central Europe: Contemplation and Commemoration in Early Modern Poland-Lithuania. Brill Publishers. ISBN 978-90-04-30525-0.
- ^ "Castrum doloris". Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online. Brill Publishers. 2015. doi:10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_029030.
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