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Cartouche Moderne with Emblems of Death

Johann Esaias Nilson

1754

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century

Dominant colour

Cartouche Moderne with Emblems of Death is a 1754 chalk by Johann Esaias Nilson, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Johann Esaias Nilson
When & what style?: 1754 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows fancy tomb decorations. Two big stone shapes frame a small scene. One side has a broken column with a skull on top. The other side has a curved top with a cross. In the middle, a chubby baby angel sits on a ledge, holding a wreath. Below, a sad-looking figure leans on a tomb, surrounded by scattered bones and a dog. The artist used a mix of sharp lines and soft shading. The tomb looks old and fancy, like something from a grand church. Want to see more? Check out etching to learn how artists make prints like this.