Claus de Werve
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Claus de Werve (c. 1380-1439) was a Netherlandish sculptor who succeeded his uncle, Claus Sluter, as court sculptor to the Dukes of Burgundy. Born in Haarlem, he joined Sluter's workshop in Dijon and completed projects his uncle left unfinished, most notably the tomb of Philip the Bold at the Chartreuse de Champmol.
The tomb features a magnificent procession of 41 alabaster mourning figures (pleurants) surrounding the base, each individually characterized with different gestures and expressions of grief. De Werve carved most of these figures, which are now considered among the finest Gothic sculptures in existence. He also worked on the Well of Moses and other projects for the Burgundian court in Dijon.
Sculptures by Claus de Werve
2 sculptures catalogued with museum locations. Browse all sculptures
Museums with Claus de Werve's Work
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About Claus de Werve
De Werve is known for the mourning figures (pleurants) on the tomb of Philip the Bold in Dijon. These 41 individually carved alabaster mourners, draped in heavy robes, are masterpieces of Late Gothic sculpture.
The tomb of Philip the Bold with its mourning figures is at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon. Some pleurants are at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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