Church of Saint Eustache - Tomb of Colbert

8 months ago
116
Entertainment Art & Creativity Antoine Coysevox Sculpture Colbert église Saint Eustache Paris

Colbert's tomb
"Louis XIV's famous Comptroller General of Finance, Jean Baptiste Colbert, is buried here, and his superb mausoleum can still be admired in what was the Colbert family chapel.
Colbert's funerary monument (1619-1683) has the importance befitting a great statesman. Le Brun designed the composition, and the two sculptors Antoine Coysevox(1640-1720) and Jean-Baptiste Tuby(1635-1700) created it in 1685.

Antoine Coysevox created the praying man and the figure of Fidelity, while Tuby created Abundance and an angel presenting the deceased with a prayer book, which was destroyed during the Revolution.
The majestic praying man is clad in the great mantle of the Order of the Holy Spirit. Fidelity turns towards him with an expression of regret, while Abundance looks down in renunciation.

The majestic praying man is dressed in the great mantle of the Order of the Holy Spirit. Fidelity turns to him with an expression laden with regret as Abundance looks down in renunciation.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619, Reims – 1683, Paris), protected by Mazarin, entered the service of King Louis XIV of France on his death.
Colbert was buried at St Eustache in 1683. Colbert's funeral procession took place at night, in fear of the hatred of the people, who blamed him for raising taxes. During the Revolution, his remains were thrown into a grave in the Saint-Eustache cemetery. All that remained of the statesman under his tomb were his pelvis and his legs. His son, Jean-Baptiste Antoine Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay (1651-1690), who succeeded his father as Secretary of State for the Navy, was buried in the same tomb.

The church is also the resting place of Scaramouche, Marivaux, Rameau and Admiral de Tourville.

La Fontaine, Mirabeau and Mozart's mother were also buried here. Richelieu, Molière and Madame de Pompadour were baptised here. Louis XIV made his First Communion here, and Lully was married here in 1662."
http://www.paris-autrement.paris/eglise-saint-eustache-tombeau-de-colbert/

Loading comments...