Atropos' wardrobe: Representations of clothing and textiles on elite tombs in England and France from the Middle Ages through the end of the Valois dynasty

The coding of social hierarchies by means of clothing allowed people to interact within the boundaries of their society with as much clarity as possible. Clothing equaled social station. This did not change after death.;Clothing depicted on three-dimensional tomb effigies evolved in meaning over several hundred years. In general, gisant effigies represent a state of beatified repose of the represented soul; transi effigies function as a memento mori with redemptive qualities; priant effigies, the most active of all effigies, appear towards the end of the middle ages and depict the represented soul as an active part of their own salvation.;During the Valois dynasty, clothing depicted on tomb effigies deepened in meaning. These textiles represented power, stability, and continuity, and were carefully designed to convey a message to the viewer. These visual signs of dynastic power culminated in the tomb of Catherine de Medici and Henri II of France.