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What work did Claus Sluter create for Philip the Bold at the Charterhouse near Dijon?

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Claus Sluter created several significant works for Philip the Bold at the Carthusian monastery of Champmol near Dijon, which served as the duke's dynastic mausoleum. His primary commissions at this site include:1

  • Portal Sculptures: Sluter designed the figures for the chapel portal, which depict Duke Philip and his duchess being presented by their patron saints, John the Baptist and Catherine, to the Virgin and Child.1
  • The Well of Moses: Located in the monastery cloister, this six-sided wellhead was originally surmounted by a Calvary group. The structure features life-sized, highly naturalistic figures of six prophets: Moses, David, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Daniel, and Isaiah.1
  • The Tomb of Philip the Bold: Although initially commissioned from Jean de Marville, Sluter was responsible for the sculptural composition of the tomb, most notably the procession of mourning figures known as pleurants (weepers) that surround the base.1

These works are celebrated for their monumental grandeur and departure from the delicate, elegant style typical of the period, favoring instead a powerful, dynamic naturalism.12