Island of the Dead by Arnold Böcklin, 1880, Oil on Wood.
death
A Mournful Train of Sentenced Souls: The Superstition of St. Mark’s Eve
For people in the English countryside, April 24th was once a night for a macabre tradition, standing vigil to foresee who among them would die in the coming year. On this night, St. Mark’s Eve, those who gathered at the churchyard just… Read More ›
Precious Bones: The Jeweled Martyrs of Ancient Rome
In the late 16th century, a collection of skeletons was unearthed from catacombs below the foundations of Rome. Believed to be the remains of early Christian martyrs, these holy relics were collected and redistributed to European churches during the Counter-Reformation,… Read More ›
The Year of Halloween 