The 'Monkeys' Funeral' in the Pilgrimage Window, York Minster (Medieval iconography)

The monkeys funeral in the lower border of the Pilgrimage Window, York Mins ter, has long been recognized as a parody of the funeral of the Virgin, ena cted by apes. Whilst it is frequently commented upon as a curiosity, it has not hitherto been the subject of detailed iconographic inquiry. The presen t article addresses the image in the context of other marginalia, both in t he Minster and elsewhere, along with late medieval apocryphal and literary texts, in order to explore the possibility of iconographic meaning beyond m ere decoration. It is concluded that the image may provide a pictorial glos s upon the main iconography of the window, aiding the viewer to position hi mself within the devotional hierarchy depicted.