gisant
9.9
A carved figure of a dead person shown lying on a tomb
- noun
- /dʒiˈzɑ̃/
- Archaic
:
gisante
- However, apart from the ambiguous gisant figures, instances are rare in the medieval tomb and quite unknown in the cadaver tomb.
Examples
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Visitors marveled at the gisant in the cathedral, which depicted a knight in serene repose.
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The medieval church featured a beautiful gisant of a nobleman resting upon a lavish tomb.
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The artist created a stunning gisant for the monument, capturing the essence of the deceased.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Gisant comes from the French gésir 'to lie' and the Latin jacere 'to lie down'. That is why a gisant is a carved or sculpted figure 'lying down' on a tomb, used to show a dead person at rest.
