PILON, Germain
(b. 1525/30, Paris, d. 1590, Paris)

Monument to Valentine Balbiani

1583
Marble
Musée du Louvre, Paris

The picture shows two remaining elements of the tomb of Valentine Balbiani, wife of the French Chancellor René de Birague. A bas-relief is carved upon the tomb's base showing her decomposed corpse (Annothomia) within, and atop the tomb is a statute of the reclining lady shown reading a book, accompanied by her dog.