A Matching Set of Armorial Sarcophagi

Still in the area behind the main altar, in the Chancel of the Cathedral, are two more armorial sarcophagi (sarcophaguses? No, that doesn't sound right. In any event, there are two of them, and they are obviously matched), for another King and Queen of Denmark.

The first is that of King Frederik IV (d. 1730):

Needless to say, it's very Baroque, and there's a lot going on here. Please click on the image above to go to a larger, more detailed, photograph that will really let you get a good "feel" for just how detailed and "busy" this tomb is.

On the sides, among other things, we find the full achievement of the Greater Arms of Denmark from the time of Frederick IV.

But, of course, since clearly "Nothing succeeds like excess," there is also a crowned lion sejant supporting a shield of the Lesser Arms of Denmark:

The matching sarcophagus is that of the wife of King Frederik IV, Queen Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (d. 1721). (Again, click on the image to see a larger, more detailed photograph. It will be worth it!)

Naturally, it's not an exact match, bearing as it does on its side the arms accolée of King Frederik IV and Queen Louise:

On the left, of course, we have the arms of King Frederik IV, and on the right, the arms of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, for Queen Louise.

And some of the details of this monument are specific to the Queen:

Here, for example, a weeping angel child or putti holding a shield with her monogram (L intertwined with a mirrored L) on it.

The more I look at these two sarcophagi, the more impressed I am by the skill of the stonecarvers and the amount of work they put into creating these two monuments. How about you?