Gravedigger Collection

A gravedigger, 1850
3478355 A gravedigger, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting a gravedigger at work. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Tomb in Delft upright in honour of William of Nassau, Prince of Orange
1577693 Tomb in Delft upright in honour of William of Nassau, Prince of Orange.; Universal History Archive/UIG.

Trade card for William Underhay, auctioneer, land and estate agent, London (litho)
8677604 Trade card for William Underhay, auctioneer, land and estate agent, London (litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Trade card for William Underhay)

An elderly gravedigger, 1850
3478262 An elderly gravedigger, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting an elderly gravedigger taking a break from digging. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

La ibquetiere et le croque mort. Song by Pierre Jean de Beranger (1780-1857). Engraving 1866
JAB4121884 La ibquetiere et le croque mort. Song by Pierre Jean de Beranger (1780-1857). Engraving 1866; (add.info.: La ibquetiere et le croque mort. Song by Pierre Jean de Beranger (1780-1857)

Bath time in a Nursery, 1850
3477994 Bath time in a Nursery, 1850; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a young nursemaid preparing for 'bath time' in a Nursery. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

The Christmas Goblins, 1837
3478113 The Christmas Goblins, 1837; (add.info.: The Christmas Goblins by Charles Dickens 1837. Gabriel Grubb is a mean-hearted sexton (or gravedigger) who drinks and works on Christmas

"What's O'Clock? What's O'Clock?" - drawn by Godwin, 1860. Creator: W Thomas
"What's O'Clock? What's O'Clock?" - drawn by Godwin, 1860. In this little Sketch, so unpretending in character, yet so charming for its very simplicity, Mr

Interior of a Protestant, Gothic Church, with a Gravedigger in the Choir, 1669. Creator: Emanuel de Witte
Interior of a Protestant, Gothic Church, with a Gravedigger in the Choir, 1669. The depiction of church interiors was a separate speciality

The Fourth Division Burial-ground, on Cathcart's Hill, Crimea, 1856. Creator: Unknown
The Fourth Division Burial-ground, on Cathcart's Hill, Crimea, 1856. Crimean War. This Illustration possesses a melancholy interest

Illustration, Gravediggers scene, Hamlet
Illustration to the Gravediggers scene in Shakespeare's play, Hamlet (Act. V, Scene I)

Vampire of Vinezac
LE VAMPIRE DE VINEZAC Janssouint, gravedigger of Vinezac, is caught doing things that our pen refuses to recount Date: 1883

3673557

Study for The Vale of Rest (w/c, gouache & gum arabic on paper)
5890678 Study for The Vale of Rest (w/c, gouache & gum arabic on paper) by Millais, John Everett (1829-96); 13.3x20.9 cm; Manchester Art Gallery, UK; (add.info.: Graveyard scene at twilight)

Death, Book of Hours, 15th century (manuscript)
7294909 Death, Book of Hours, 15th century (manuscript) by Martorell, Bernardo (fl.1427-52); Archivo Municipal de Historia, Barcelona, Spain; (add.info.: Martorell Bernat (1427 - 1452)); © P

Burial Scene after the Battle of Fredericksburg, 1862 (b / w photo)
STC354372 Burial Scene after the Battle of Fredericksburg, 1862 (b/w photo) by Brady, Mathew (1823-96) & studio; Private Collection; (add.info)

Le fossoyeur. Illustration for Le Pele-Mele, 1902 (colour litho)
3100626 Le fossoyeur. Illustration for Le Pele-Mele, 1902 (colour litho) by Rabier, Benjamin (1869-1939); Private Collection; (add.info.: Le fossoyeur)

"O, nothing in life can sadden us"(engraving)
7164303 " O, nothing in life can sadden us" (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: " O)

Overtaker and Undertaker (engraving)
7164297 Overtaker and Undertaker (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Overtaker and Undertaker)

Le Vocabulaire Illustre: Fossoyeur; Grave-digger; Todtengraber (engraving)
7196046 Le Vocabulaire Illustre: Fossoyeur; Grave-digger; Todtengraber (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fossoyeur; Grave-digger; Todtengraber)

Montmartre Cemetery - illustration from Napoleon le Petit, 19th Century (b / w engraving)
909653 Montmartre Cemetery - illustration from Napoleon le Petit, 19th Century (b/w engraving) by Rochegrosse, Georges Marie (1859-1938); Private Collection; (add.info)

L invention du corps de saint Etienne - The Invention of the Body of Saint Stephen - Peinture de la famille Vergos
FIA5400143 L invention du corps de saint Etienne - The Invention of the Body of Saint Stephen - Peinture de la famille Vergos (active fin 15eme siecle) - c

The tomb of Philippe Pot (1428-1494), great senechal of Burgundy From the Abbey of
JLJ4564047 The tomb of Philippe Pot (1428-1494), great senechal of Burgundy From the Abbey of Citeaux in Saint Nicolas-les-Citeaux in Burgundy. 1477-1483

Digging His Own Grave! or, The Political Trappist (colour litho)
3648204 Digging His Own Grave! or, The Political Trappist (colour litho) by Morgan, Matthew " Matt" Somerville (1839-90); Private Collection; (add.info.: Digging His Own Grave)

Comic postcard, Elderly man and gravedigger Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Middle-aged woman and gravedigger Date: 20th century

Black Death at Tournai, 1349 (see also 33793)
XTD69827 Black Death at Tournai, 1349 (see also 33793) by Le Muisit, Gilles (1272-1352); Bibliotheque Royale de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium; Flemish, out of copyright

Hamlet and the Gravedigger (gravure)
671904 Hamlet and the Gravedigger (gravure) by Dagnan-Bouveret, Pascal Adolphe Jean (1852-1929); Private Collection; (add.info.: Hamlet and the Gravedigger)

American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus
American burying beetle or giant carrion beetle, Nicrophorus americanus, critically endangered, and Necrophorus medianus. Handcoloured copperplate engraving drawn

They buried them on the riverbank (chromolitho)
3620611 They buried them on the riverbank (chromolitho) by Spanish School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: They buried them on the riverbank)

Carabinieri who during a play of Hamlet in a Piedmont theater seize the skulls... (colour litho)
2815400 Carabinieri who during a play of Hamlet in a Piedmont theater seize the skulls... (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info)

Scene from Hamlet, by William Shakespeare (chromolitho)
968723 Scene from Hamlet, by William Shakespeare (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Scene from Hamlet, by William Shakespeare. Hamlet at the cemetery)

A splendid opening for a lazy man (chromolitho)
5995997 A splendid opening for a lazy man (chromolitho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A splendid opening for a lazy man)

Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter
IL433758 Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter?, 1910 (colour litho) by Simmonds, W. G. (20th Century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Illustration in Le Rire, 13 / 08 / 10 - The whims of cemetery workers (engraving)
ICA4864316 Illustration in Le Rire, 13/08/10 - The whims of cemetery workers (engraving) by Metivet, Lucien (1863-1930); (add.info.: Illustration de Lucien Metivet (1863-1932) dans Le Rire

Hamlet and Horatio at the cemetery. Act V of William Shakespeares play "
JLJ4688281 Hamlet and Horatio at the cemetery. Act V of William Shakespeares play " Hamlet". Painting by Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) Ec. Fr. 1859. Oil on canvas. Dim: 0, 29 x 0, 36m

Dr Syntax meditating on the tombstones
3781147 Dr Syntax meditating on the tombstones by Rowlandson, Thomas (1756-1827); (add.info.: Dr Syntax meditating on the tombstones)

A Grave Idea: An Apartment for a Single Gentleman, pub. 1828 (colour engraving)
STC115412 A Grave Idea: An Apartment for a Single Gentleman, pub. 1828 (colour engraving) by Jones, T. (fl.1828); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

Hamlet contemplating the skull of Yorick (chromolitho)
2782937 Hamlet contemplating the skull of Yorick (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Hamlet contemplating the skull of Yorick)

Hamlet and the Grave Digger, 1883 (oil on canvas)
HTL93675 Hamlet and the Grave Digger, 1883 (oil on canvas) by Dagnan-Bouveret, Pascal Adolphe Jean (1852-1929); 101.6x85.1 cm; Private Collection; By courtesy of Julian Hartnoll; French

Hamlet and the gravedigger, illustration from Hamlet (colour litho)
3082596 Hamlet and the gravedigger, illustration from Hamlet (colour litho) by Copping, Harold (1863-1932); Private Collection; (add.info)

Wirkungen Vereinter Krafte (chromolitho)
5211245 Wirkungen Vereinter Krafte (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Wirkungen Vereinter Krafte)

Illustration from Les Miserables, 19th Century (b / w engraving)
909619 Illustration from Les Miserables, 19th Century (b/w engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

St Johns Church, Newcastle, 1848 (bodycolour, pencil & w / c on paper)
1214193 St Johns Church, Newcastle, 1848 (bodycolour, pencil & w/c on paper) by Shaw, Isaac (fl.1848); 32.7 x22.5 cm; Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Hamlet and Horatio in the cemetery, from Act V of Hamlet by William Shakespeare
905811 Hamlet and Horatio in the cemetery, from Act V of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, 1859 (oil on canvas) by Delacroix, Ferdinand Victor Eugene (1798-1863); 29.5x36 cm; Louvre, Paris

Ms Lat. Q. v. I. 126 f. 80v A burial, from the Book of Hours of Louis d Orleans
XJL197045 Ms Lat. Q.v.I.126 f.80v A burial, from the Book of Hours of Louis d Orleans, 1469 (vellum) by Colombe, Jean (c.1430-c.93); total:225x155 cm; National Library, St

Interior Protestant Gothic Church Gravedigger
Interior of a Protestant Gothic Church with a Gravedigger in the Choir Old and the New Church in Amsterdam. In the foreground on the left a man is having a chat with a woman with a child by the hand

Cartoon, Shakespeare Sacrificed; or the Offering to Avarice, by James Gillray. Showing Alderman John Boydell, an engraver and publisher, in the role of Prospero burning his books

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In the eerie world of shadows and graves, the gravedigger emerges as a haunting figure. Like an illustration from a macabre tale, he stands amidst tombstones and skeletal trees, his silhouette etched against the moonlit sky, and is a scene reminiscent of Hamlet's encounter with Yorick's skull, where mortality stares back at us with hollow eyes. But the gravedigger is not confined to literature alone; he transcends time and art forms. From the Vampire of Vinezac to Peasant Burial in 1883-85, his presence lingers in paintings that capture both sorrow and acceptance. In Death, Book of Hours from the 15th century manuscript, we glimpse his role as an eternal companion during life's final journey. Even portraiture bears witness to this enigmatic figure. John James Heidegger gazes out from a mezzotint portrait with an air of mystery surrounding him - perhaps contemplating mortality itself. And in Burial at La Moncloa in May 1808 or Burial Scene after the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862 captured through black-and-white photography, we see how death unites people across different eras. The gravedigger's duty extends beyond individual burials; it encompasses collective tragedies too. The lithograph depicting The Wounded Knee Massacre reminds us that even mass graves hold stories waiting to be told - stories buried beneath layers of pain and injustice. From ancient engravings like The Stake from The Miseries and Misfortunes of War series to Le fossoyeur illustrated for Le Pele-Mele in 1902 using vibrant lithography techniques, each artwork unveils another facet of this solemn character. Through brushstrokes or lines on paper, they invite us into their world - one filled with melancholy but also reverence for what lies beneath our feet. So let us pause for a moment, as we gaze upon these artistic interpretations of the gravedigger.