The effigy of Gérard Blanmostier
Gérard Blanmostier, who died in 1306, lies in this large recess. The inscription tells us that he had founded an altar in the collegiate church.
Look at him. He appears young and serene, his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest. He is simply dressed in a hooded shirt. At his feet, a lion seems to keep watch over him for eternity. In the medieval imagination, the lion evoked strength and courage, but also the hope of new life.
The serenity of the effigy tells us something about the Christian view of death. Saint Francis of Assisi could call it ‘our Sister Bodily Death’. Look at the clothing too: although the body is lying down, the fabric does not collapse. It seems almost freed from gravity. As though the sculptor wanted to portray a man already released from the earthly world, awaiting the resurrection.