Original artwork description:

This painting explores the conversation between various figures from Hamlet as Hamlet discusses Yorick.

'Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy; he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! [...]'

The contrast between Yorick as "a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy" and his grim remains reflects on the theme of earthly vanity: death being unavoidable, the things of this life are inconsequential.

This theme of Memento Mori ('Remember you shall die') is common in 16th- and 17th-century painting, appearing in art throughout Europe. Images of Mary Magdalene regularly showed her contemplating a skull. It is also a very common motif in 15th- and 16th-century British portraiture.

Here I have used bright colours to lessen the grim reality, exalting a life lived.

The painting uses Tempera and Acrylic paints on Wallpaper Underlay.

Materials used:

Tempera and Acrylic on Wallpaper Underlay Paper

Tags:

#yorick #painting #man #figures #figure drawing #skull #male form #masculine #shakespeare #memento mori #hamlet #pastel and ink drawing