Urszula Frick

Urszula är doktorand i konstvetenskap. Avhandlingens titel är Representations of Children on Graave Monuments during the Early Modern Period (1500-1700) in Sweden.

Forskning/Research

On 18th of January 1566 Princess Isabella Vasa died at only two years old leaving her parents, Princess Catherine Jagiellon and her husband John III Vasa devastated. Almost 20 years later, in 1580 a small grave monument in alabaster was erected in Strängnäs cathedral to commemorate their child. It was beautifully designed and carved by a Flemish painter and sculptor, Willem Boy. Isabella, lies on a catafalque, resting her head on a soft brocade cushion, wearing a gown decorated with gemstones and chains and a headpiece covering her short strands of hair. Only her joined hands are a subtle reminder that she is forever asleep. Today, Isabella’s grave is a prime example of children's depiction in funerary art in Sweden during the early modern period. However, her tombstone is not the only example of the depiction of a child on grave monuments in Sweden from that time and in her research, Urszula focuses on identifying and analyzing more examples that are still hidden in the Swedish churches.

Internationally, the depictions of children on grave monuments were not uncommon in the early modern Europe, despite the high mortality of children during that time. The examples from Lower countries, Germany, England and Poland suggests that this phenomenon in the funeral sculpture peeked between the years 1500-1700. Moreover, the similarities in those depictions suggest that they were shaped by artistical and cultural trends streaming through Europe back then.

The aim is to discuss Swedish examples of representations of children on grave monuments from years 1500–1700, and their correspondence with known international counterparts. Another focus area is to lift both artistical similarities and a local influence.