Subjects of Commemoration

But what to commemorate? The choice of subject depended on context and personal choice of the one commissioning it, though people were often chosen. A ruler might have chosen to commemorate another ruler they admired, or a church devoted to a particular saint might have chosen to commemorate that saint. The commemoration itself could take the form of an image of the person, an inscription of their name, or a depiction or account of a defining event of their life. The quality and sumptuousness of the object depended on the wealth and particular attitude of the commissioner or artist towards their subject--again, recapitulating the idea of wealth being tied to collective memory.