Jan L. de Jong (PhD Leiden University, 1987) is Senior Lecturer of Art History of the Early Modern Period at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands. He has published extensively on early modern Italian art, especially in Rome. His books include The Power and the Glorification: Papal Pretensions and the Art of Propaganda in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries (Penn State University Press, 2013).

Winner of the 2026 Daria Borghese Prize. Established in 1965 in memory of Princess Daria Borghese Olsoufieff (1909–1963), the prize is awarded annually for the best book on Rome by a non-Italian author.“Not only a great addition to the study of tomb monuments in Rome but also a significant methodological work for the study of church monuments more generally.” Elise Philippe, Catholic University of Louvain. In: Church Monuments, Vol. 38 (2024), pp. 149–151.“This book stands out for its innovative and inclusive approach to tomb monuments [...] The reader is treated to a rich and insightful journey through the cultural, spiritual, and emotional dimensions of early-modern tomb monuments in Rome.” Laura Overpelt, Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome / Utrecht University. In: Incontri, Vol. 38, No. 1 (2023).

• ContentsAcknowledgementsList of IllustrationsIntroduction1 Nos tegimus cineres, spiritus astra tenet: Monuments, Mortal Remains and the Soul1 Problems Caused by Tombs in Church Buildings2 Epitaphs: Composing and Carving3 Functions of Tomb Monuments4 Beliefs and Convictions5 Studying Tomb Monuments2 (Vivens) sibi posuit: Cardinals Planning Their Own Tomb Monument1 Questions2 Opulence and Modesty3 The Role of Inscriptions4 Pride and Self-Promotion5 Monuments of Vain Glory?6 Cardinal Giovanni Ricci7 Conclusions3 Qui semper vanos tumuli contempsit honores: Directing the Memory of the Pope1 Questions2 The Popes’ Wishes3 Respectfully Securing the Popes’ Memory4 Modesty Ignored5 Conclusions4 Optima, prudentissima, infelicissima: Mothers and Monuments1 Questions2 Tomb Monuments Erected for Mothers3 Tomb Monuments Erected by Mothers for Their Children4 Conclusions5 Concordes et amantissime: Tomb Monuments for Spouses1 Questions2 Coniuges viventes fecerunt: Erected by Both Spouses Still Alive3 Coniugi et sibi: Erected by the Surviving Spouse4 Suis dulcissimis parentibus: Erected by the Children under Will of Their Parents5 ConclusionsConclusionAbbreviations of Frequently Mentioned PublicationsGeneral BibliographyIndex