Where is Shakespeare's funerary monument located?
The monument stands inside Holy Trinity Church at Stratford-upon-Avon. It is carved from pale blue limestone sourced from the Cotswold region of England.
Questions about Shakespeare's funerary monument
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who sculpted Shakespeare's funerary monument and when was it erected?
Scholars traditionally identify Gerard Johnson as the sculptor who created this work, though Lena Cowen Orlin argues Nicholas Johnson likely modeled the effigy from life. The date of erection remains unknown but must be before 1623 when Leonard Digges published a poem mentioning the monument.
What does the epitaph on Shakespeare's funerary monument say about his death?
Smaller lettering beneath the English poem records the date of death stating he died in the year of the Lord 1616. The inscription specifies he was in his 53rd year on the 23rd of April.
How did Parson Joseph Greene restore Shakespeare's funerary monument between 1748 and 1749?
Parson Joseph Greene organized the restoration using receipts from a performance of Othello by John Ward's company on the 9th of September 1746. He arranged for the figure to be removed and cleansed of dust while a limner named John Hall painted a picture of the monument before 1748.
Why is the color of Shakespeare's funerary monument different today than originally intended?
Historical records suggest the buttoned doublet was originally painted scarlet and the loose subfusc gown appeared black, yet these colors have been altered many times over centuries. Edmond Malone persuaded the vicar to paint the entire structure white in 1793 reflecting Neoclassical tastes until restorers repainted it with recovered colors after removing the white layer in 1861.