Reconstruction Monumental Tomb of Duke Wilhelm V, Munich (Germany)

The planned tomb of William and Renata (Reconstruction of the unrealized tomb)

Duke Wilhelm V and his wife Renata of Lothringen wanted to be buried in St. Michael after their death.

A document from 1592 describes the planned donor grave: „On the top of the monument in its front part, the image of the crucified Christ. Thrown to the ground, Mary Magdalene wraps herself intimately around the cross. In contrast – William V. and Renata, the Duke and Duchess, the founders, kneeling in a princely stance … Beside each of them stands a guardian angel and points his finger at the saviour, who is hanging on the cross. Between the Crucified and the couple the picture of the Mother of God is suspended from above.

As well – four bronze plaques with biblical resurrection scenes, four candelabra, four lions with coats of arms, four standard-bearers, an armor-clad duke and an angel with a holy water basin – ought to have been included.

An enormous tomb was manufactured for the Duke but never assembled in the church. Nonetheless – the cross with the figure of Mary Magdalene, the four bronze plates, the four candelabra and the angel with the holy water basin remained in St. Michael. The Madonna is placed on the pillar at Marienplatz today.

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/beruehmtes-denkmal-das-unvollendete-grab-1.2934273