Michel Colombe

Colombe's surviving works all date from his old age. He created the gisant figures of the two deceased children of Charles VIII of France on their monument (1506) in Tours Cathedral. However, his most important surviving works were for the magnificent tomb of Francis II, Duke of Brittany, in Nantes Cathedral (1502–1507), and for the mausoleum of Philibert II of Savoy, at Notre-Dame de Brou, his masterwork. The Francis II monument was designed by Jean Perréal; it was disassembled and buried for safekeeping during the French Revolution. A sculpture depicting the Entombment of Christ at the Abbey of Solesmes (1494–1498) is attributed to him. A bas-relief commissioned in 1508 by Georges d'Amboise for the Château de Gaillon is conserved in the Musée du Louvre. His brother Jean Colombe was an important miniature painter and illuminator who worked on the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. His nephew Guillaume Regnault appears to have trained in his atelier.

Training under Antoine Le Moiturier is recorded. Guillaume Regnault is recorded as having studied under Michel Colombe. The recorded working language is French. Places of work recorded in the authority are Tours. Works named in the authority record are Tomb of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and Saint Georges terrassant le dragon - 1509 - Marbre - Michel Colombe - Louvre - M.R. Work by Michel Colombe is recorded in the collections of Cleveland Museum of Art, Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul church in Jouarre and Nantes Cathedral.

• Illustration — Allegory of Prudence on the tomb of Francis, with the features of Francis's daughter Anne of Brittany • Illustration — Side view of Prudence • Illustration — Fully Renaissance monument to the children of Charles VIII, 1506, Saint-Gatien, Tours • Illustration — Entombment of Christ, Solesmes