Funerary Traditions, cont.

The funerabre traditions of Europe had contained and continued the Memento Mori theme in design and craft. While the Polish tradition of Funerary portraits died off, the funerary styles of clothing, and decorum continued its mission.

In the Protestant regions, the Quakers have developed a particular style of funerary ceramics. Whole sets were being created to serve at funerary receptions in a manner that would not disrupt the noble solemnity of the rite-ridden event.

Contemporary artist, James Turrell, himself a lapsed Quaker had involved himself in a process of designing a series of ceramic service pieces in the style of traditional Quaker basalt ware. In line with the community’s disciplined approach, the pieces are black, with subtle satin sheen. Sublime decoration is achieved with relief battering and combing. (I definitely will find and attach a photo of his amazing work)

Nostalgia vs Melancholy, Funerary Art

Will we enter the new era of Nostalgia? Or, perhaps another period of it, or maybe we have never been without it? Are we amidst such period?

In 2008 Vienna Museum featured hugely successful showcase of Vanitas in art. What would I give for the catalogue of it....

Favourite symbols beaming from the canvases
asking the question of Essential Melancholy:

In ictu oculi ("In the blink of an eye") a vanitas by Juan de Valdés Leal

Ubi sunt? 

¿Qué se fizo el rey don Juan?

Los infantes de Aragón
¿qué se fizieron?

¿Qué fue de tanto galán,

qué fue de tanta invención
como trujeron?

What became of King Don Juan?
The Princes of Aragon,
What became of all of them?
What of so much handsome nobility?


This canción relies on the motives of things of this world that are gone by, hence letting us that we may be next in line....

That's just what this is - Where are the flowers gone, from 1961.