Tomb of the Catholic Monarchs by Domenico Fancelli, Granada

What it is

This is a photograph of the royal tomb of Isabella and Ferdinand in the Royal Chapel of Granada, carved by Domenico Fancelli. The image shows marble effigies of a king and queen lying side by side, with hands folded, royal robes and crowns on pillows, carved decorative figures at the corners, and an iron railing behind. The photograph was taken by Javi Guerra Hernando and dated 7 October 2014 on the Commons file.

Why it matters

The tomb was made to commemorate the Catholic Monarchs and to show their royal dignity after their deaths. It is a photograph of a later monument, not of the tomb as it was first seen, and it stands as a record of how their reign was remembered in stone.

Look closer

• How does the sculptor show the monarchs as royal, and what details suggest their status?
• Why might rulers have wanted a tomb like this, and who would have seen it?
• What does a monument like this leave out about the people who lived under their rule?