This work investigates how the relocation of the papacy from Rome to Avignon during the later Middle Ages fundamentally altered the traditions, artistic styles, and funerary customs of curial tomb sculpture. Julian W. Gardner, an established scholar in medieval art, synthesizes archival documentation and surviving physical evidence to argue that papal burial practices were not merely the result of individual artistic choices but were deeply influenced by shifting political landscapes and ecclesiastical environments. By examining the tombs of popes, cardinals, and high-ranking clerics, the author provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how these monuments functioned as expressions of power and theological identity within a changing European context.

Experts recognize this volume as a foundational study for understanding the intersection of ecclesiastical politics and medieval art history. Scholars frequently cite the text for its rigorous methodology in connecting documented historical shifts to the physical evolution of funerary sculpture.