Christina of Sweden Monument

Abstract

In the first pier of the right aisle of Saint Peter’s in the Vatican is a monument that commemorates Christina of Sweden (1626–1689), the daughter of Gustavus Adolphus and one of early modern Europe’s most unconventional royals. After abdicating the Swedish throne in 1654 and converting to Catholicism, Christina of Sweden settled in Rome, where she lived out her life as a patron of the arts, intellectual salons, and Catholic spirituality. Commissioned by Pope Innocent XII (reigned 1691–1700) and completed under Clement XI (reigned 1700–1721) in 1702, the memorial was designed by Carlo Fontana (1638–1714) and combines portraiture, allegory, and narrative relief. A bronze medallion bearing Christina’s profile sits above a crowned skull. Below, a marble relief narrates episodes from her life: her abdication of the Swedish throne and embrace of Catholicism, the scorn she faced from Swedish nobility, and the triumph of faith. The medallion is the work of Giovanni Giardini (1646–1722), the putti of Lorenzo Ottoni (1648–1736), and the marble bas-relief of Jean-Baptiste Théodon (1645–1713). The monument reflects the papacy’s hope that Christina’s conversion might signal Sweden’s return to the Catholic fold. Her body, against her wishes, was embalmed and buried beneath the high altar of St. Peter’s, an honour typically reserved for popes. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.