Graftombe van François II van Bretagne in de kathedraal van Nantes 1853 - 1856

Léon Auguste Asselineau created this print of the Tomb of Francis II, Duke of Brittany, in the Cathedral of Nantes. Produced in the 19th century, the print captures the Renaissance monument commissioned by Anne of Brittany in the early 16th century. Francis II's reign was marked by attempts to maintain Brittany's autonomy against the centralizing French monarchy. Anne, his daughter, was ultimately forced to marry two French kings, thus leading to Brittany's integration with France. In the print, the tomb becomes more than a monument; it symbolizes the complex dynamics of power, gender, and regional identity in early modern Europe. The effigies of Francis and his wife Marguerite de Foix, laid out on top of the tomb, contrast with the four female figures standing as guardians at each corner of the tomb. These figures—representing Justice, Strength, Temperance, and Prudence—emphasize the virtues associated with leadership and mourning. The tomb stands as a poignant reminder of a family's and a region’s struggle for autonomy.