Sepulchre of Gaston de Foix

Gaston de Foix (1489–1512) was a nephew of king Louis XII (1462–1515) of France, and the grandson of Giangaleazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, and a French military man. He died in the battle of Ravenna against the Spanish army in 1512. The mercenary commander of Milan which was under French rule commissioned Agostino Busti in 1515 to create the tomb of Gaston de Foix to the Santa Marta Church. The Italian sculptor, Agostino Busti mostly is mentioned from 1512 working as stone carver on the sculptural decoration of the Milan Cathedral. Vasari mentions that Agostino Busti is also known under the nickname of 'Bambaia', the tomb of Gaston de Foix being one of his most important work. The entire tomb was never completed due to the retreat of the French army from Milan in 1522. The fragments of the tomb are dispersed among Milan (Castello Sforzesco, Ambrosiana), Turin (Museo Civico) and London (Victoria and Albert Museum). The Victoria and Albert Museum houses a sketch of the tomb from 1515. Probably lost during World War II, the current whereabouts of the artwork is unknown.