Artwork
Tomb with Death Standing
Tomb with Death Standing is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Louis-Jean Desprez. It dates from 1782 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Tomb with Death Standing is an etching with black wash on laid paper created by Louis-Jean Desprez in 1782. It is a proof impression, characteristic of the artist's later work produced during his time in Sweden.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts a funerary monument with a skeletal figure standing within an arched recess. The figure, wearing a winged hat and holding a staff, may represent a guardian or divine presence. Two calm dogs sit on either side of the tomb's base, suggesting a scene of watchful waiting.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in a stark, graphic style, utilizing etching and black wash on laid paper. The use of etching allowed for detailed renderings of the tomb's symbols and text, while the black wash adds depth and contrast to the composition.
History & Provenance
Created by a French artist who spent the latter part of his career in Sweden, Tomb with Death Standing is now held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Louis Jean Desprez (occasionally but incorrectly Jean Louis Desprez) (28 May 1743–18 March 1804) was a French painter and architect who worked in Sweden during the last twenty years of his life.
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