Sarcophagus Lid from the Tomb of Ladislaus Jagiełło

The original red marble sarcophagus of King Ladislaus Jagiełło was carved before 1432, by a Florentine artist working in Krakow. The tomb stands in the south nave of the Wawel Cathedral. On the rectangular lid, the effigy of the dead king rests on a pillow with a lion on either side of his head and a dragon beneath its feet. The king wears a crown, a belt, and a cloak thrown over his shoulders; he holds a scepter, orb, and sword. The dragon may represent Jagiełło’s rejection of paganism and the conversion of Lithuania to Christianity. It may also be a reference to his victory over the Teutonic Order at Grunwald in 1410.