Tomb of Boniface VIII (detail)
by ARNOLFO DI CAMBIO, Marble
As befits the official character of the work, the pontiff has been depicted with the insignia of his office: two keys and a treble-crowned tiara. The mimetic features of the face were made while Boniface was still alive.
Historically, this is an image of great importance which testifies, after centuries of neglect, to the rebirth of the portrait taken from life.