Hallstatt Skulls

A chapel in Hallstatt, Austria, holds around 2000 skulls, more than 600 of which are painted with flowers, leaves, crosses, names and dates. When graves were reused, the skulls were collected, decorated and arranged in the ossuary, giving the dead a second burial. The painted skulls are an act of defiance, the living refusing to let their loved ones  become anonymous, even after death.

In the original drawing, I used graphite to respectfully illustrate Wolfgang and Magtalena surrounded by roses, once again refusing to let their memory die.

Archival giclee print made from the original drawing. Printed on heavyweight matte archival paper. Signed. Unframed. Originals not sold through this website.