Shakespeare's funerary monument

William Shakespeare’s funerary monument stands inside Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, the same building where he was baptised and buried. The pale blue limestone figure is fixed to the north wall of the chancel, just above his grave. Gerard Johnson is traditionally credited with carving it, though Lena Cowen Orlin argues his brother Nicholas may have modelled it from life. The half-length figure holds a quill in one hand and a sheet of paper on a cushion in the other. Two black marble columns support the heraldic shield above, flanked by allegorical figures of Labour and Rest. The monument is one of only two images accepted as true likenesses of Shakespeare’s appearance. Its doublet was once scarlet, the gown black, and the eyes hazel with auburn hair and beard. The original alabaster decorations were replaced with white marble in 1749, and the whole piece has been repainted several times. Beneath the bust, an epitaph in Latin praises Shakespeare as a Pylian in judgement, a Socrates in genius, and a Maro in art. A shorter English poem calls on passers-by to honour his greatness as a writer. Visitors find the monument mounted on the chancel wall, its carved limestone figure clearly visible. The black marble columns rise to a shield bearing Shakespeare’s coat of arms, with Labour holding a spade and Rest an inverted torch and skull. The cushion beneath the poet’s hand is carved from the same stone as the figure. The Latin and English inscriptions below record his death in 1616 at the age of 53. The church itself, where he lies buried, provides a quiet setting for this quiet tribute.