Skulled

By Peter Vangioni

Skulls are a powerful reminder of our own mortality and in art the representation of both human and animal skulls is often referred to as momenti mori, to remind us of our mortality. As a genre momenti mori can be traced back to antiquity and has continued to captivate artists throughout time.

Hill top watcher

Tony Fomison Hill top watcher 1976

The hungry sheep look up - the final solution (1)

Barry Cleavin The hungry sheep look up - the final solution (1) 1995

Two boys with their skull collection

Anthony McKee Two boys with their skull collection Aug 1995

A powerful contrast between youth and death in this photograph by Anthony McKee.

The Skull

Ulrica Hyde The Skull c. 1932

Saint Catherine of Siena

Artist Unknown Saint Catherine of Siena c. 1650

Untitled

Grant Lingard Untitled 1986

But why do I talk of Death?

That Phantom of grisly bone,

I hardly fear its terrible shape,

It seems so like my own —

It seems so like my own,

Because of the fasts I keep;

Oh, God! that bread should be so dear

And flesh and blood so cheap!

Thomas Hood from 'Song of the Shirt' 1843

Portrait of A. R. Pearson

Carl Sydow Portrait of A. R. Pearson 1972

The Physician

Gerrit Dou The Physician 1653

This painting from 1653 by Rembrant's pupil, Gerrit Dou, alludes to the momento mori genre with medical journal to the right being opened on a page which features a skeleton leaning on a shovel, death as the grave-digger.

Interior of a Cathedral, Haarlem

Cornelis Pronk Interior of a Cathedral, Haarlem 1732

In Pronk's watercolour he subtley alludes to the momento mori theme simply by including a grave-digger, with wheel barrow and shovel, talking with the clergyman, in the bottom right of the painting, whom i suspect is asking him to take his barrow back outside!