Bereavement Collection (#3)

The Benediction, 1871 (oil on canvas)
1772161 The Benediction, 1871 (oil on canvas) by Rankley, Alfred (1819-72); 107.9x153.7 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Benediction. Alfred Rankley (1819-1872). Oil on canvas

A Passing Cloud (oil on canvas)
1772137 A Passing Cloud (oil on canvas) by Hughes, Arthur (1832-1915); 98x62 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: A Passing Cloud. Arthur Hughes (1830-1915). Oil on canvas

Memorial Anniversary, c. 1831-32 (colour woodblock print)
883406 Memorial Anniversary, c.1831-32 (colour woodblock print) by Hokusai, Katsushika (1760-1849); 26.6x18.8 cm; Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MN

Mourning, c1920s. Creator: Rene Georges Hermann-Paul
Mourning, c1920s

Boer War, 1900-1901 - Last Summer Things Were Greener, 1901. Creator: Byam Shaw
Boer War, 1900-1901 - Last Summer Things Were Greener, 1901. The subject is the artists sister, Margaret Glencairn. She is depicted mourning her cousin George killed in the Boer War, South Africa

Les Larmes du veuvage, 1830-76. 1830-76. Creator: Narcisse Virgile Diaz de la Pena
Les Larmes du veuvage, 1830-76

WW1 street shrine, London, 1917
A front cover of The Illustrated London News, showing a woman and two small children leaving a floral tribute at a London street shrine, 1917. Date: January 1917

Winter sun highlights a skull & crossbones on a tomb
The low winter sun highlights a skull & crossbones on a tomb beneath cemetery gates. Kirkcudbright graveyard, Kirkcudbrightshire, Dumfries and Galloway, SW Scotland Date: 2009

Their Parents Being Dead & Gone, The Children Home He Takes, c1878. Creator
Their Parents Being Dead & Gone, The Children Home He Takes, c1878. The orphaned Babes are taken by their uncle. A ballad of c1600 tells the story of the owner of Wayland Hall, Norfolk

An Allegory, c1820-1825, (1922). Creator: William Blake
An Allegory, c1820-1825, (1922). Epitome of James Herveys " Meditations among the Tombs", watercolour dealing with death and grief, inspired by the work of James Hervey (1714-1758)

Victorian mourning card, In Loving Remembrance, in gothic style text with flowers, a bird, and thick black edging. Date: circa 1880s

French mourning card, Sincere Sympathie, with embossed design and two black tassels. Date: circa 1880s

Victorian mourning card, In Memoriam, in gothic style text. Date: circa 1880s

Victorian mourning card, In Loving Memory, with a lily flower on water. Date: circa 1880s

The Dead Mother and Child, 1897-1899. Artist: Edvard Munch
The Dead Mother and Child, 1897-1899

Graveyard in snow
Graveyard at St Michaels Church, Kirkby Thore, Cumbria in winter

The Empty Cradle, 1900. Image from a one guinea prize photographic compatition. A print from Black and White Budget, Vol III, WJP Monckton, London, 13th October 1900

Alone in the World, 1882. A print from The Magazine of Art Vol V, Cassell, Peter, Galpin and Company, Limited, 1882

Nothing Left, c1880-1882. Artist: Adolphe Alphonse Gery-Bichard
Nothing Left, c1880-1882. A print from Modern Artists, prepared under the direction of FG Dumas, JS Virtue and Co, London, c1880-1882

The Hindoo Mother, c1860. Artist: EJ Portbury
The Hindoo Mother, c1860. When the infant of a poor Hindoo (Hindu) dies, the mother carries it in her arms to the Ganges, on the banks of which she lays it for some time on a piece of mat

The Bereaved Mother, 1872. This is possibly inspired by the American Civil War (1861-1865) between the United States of America (the Union) and the Confederate States of America (the Confederacy)

The Lamentation over Christ, late 16th or early 17th century. Artist: Leandro Bassano
The Lamentation over Christ, late 16th or early 17th century. Found in the collection of the Regional W Wereshchagin Art Museum, Mykolaiv, Ukraine

The Lamentation over the Dead Christ, late 15th or early 16th century. Artist: Gerard David
The Lamentation over the Dead Christ, late 15th or early 16th century. Found in the collection of the State Hermitage, St Petersburg

The Entombment, 1450s. Artist: Dieric Bouts
The Entombment, 1450s. Christs body is being lowered into the tomb. The group includes the Virgin Mary, holding Christs wrist, and the other three Marys who were present at the Crucifixion

The Lamentation over Christ with a Carmelite Monk, c1510. Artist: Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano
The Lamentation over Christ with a Carmelite Monk, c1510. Found in the collection of the State A Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

Ruth embracing her mother-in-law, 1873. From the Bible (Ruth 1.14)

Ida Saxton McKinley, wife of President William McKinley, c1901. Ida Saxton (1847-1907) married William McKinley (1843-1901), 25th President of the USA, in 1871

Ruth embracing her mother-in-law Naomi and promising to stay with her now they are bereaved, 1866. Artist: Gustave Dore
Ruth embracing her mother-in-law Naomi and promising to stay with her now they are bereaved, 1866. From the Bible (Ruth 1.14)

Mourning card, King George V
Mourning card, In Loving Memory of His Majesty King George V who passed peacefully away January 20th 1936. R.I.P. Date: 1936

Cowper / Westall / Golding
WILLIAM COWPER English poet contemplating his mothers picture: O that those lips had language! Date: 1731 - 1800

Poster, The Artists Dream, Maskelyne & Cooke
Poster for The Artists Dream, one of Maskelyne & Cookes Mysteries, performed on stage. The artist has painted a portrait of his recently deceased wife

Little girl at a New Year party, Soho Fire Station, London
A little girl with Father Christmas (fireman Pester) at a New Year party, Soho Fire Station, London, 2 January 1955. A total of 65 children attended the party

Children at a party, Soho Fire Station, London
Children at a New Year party, Soho Fire Station, London, 2 January 1955. A total of 65 children attended, seen here sitting at tables in the appliance room

Scene of Cholera, engraved by Julien, 1832 (litho)
XIR161003 Scene of Cholera, engraved by Julien, 1832 (litho) by Bouchot, Francois (1800-42) (after); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

The Unhappy Mother, 1834 (oil on canvas)
XJL158856 The Unhappy Mother, 1834 (oil on canvas) by Robert, Louis Leopold (1794-1835); Musee Rolin, Autun, France; French, out of copyright

They Brought in their Dead and Wounded on Hay Wagons, illustration from Non-Combatants
BAL107298 They Brought in their Dead and Wounded on Hay Wagons, illustration from Non-Combatants by Robert W. Chambers, pub

Bereavement humour - losing ones wife
Condoling Friend (to recently Bereaved Widower) - " It must be awfully hard to lose ones wife." The Bereaved: " Yes, its almost impossible." !!! Date: circa 1890s

Womens fashion. Hat with veil considered suitable for mourning. From the French periodical Le Flambeau, 18 September 1915. First World War 1914-1918

Womens fashion. Dress and hat with veil considered suitable for mourning. From the French periodical Le Flambeau, 18 September 1915. Death Bereavement First World War 1914-1918

Christ crucified, centre, with Virgin Mary and St John the Apostle on left and right of cross. 2nd from left, St John the Baptist. 2nd from right, St Denis, patron saint of Paris, carrying his head

The Entombment. Dierick or Dirk Bouts (c1415-1475) Dutch painter

Children at a party, Soho Fire Station, London
Children at a New Year party, Soho Fire Station, London, 2 January 1955. A total of 65 children attended, seen here sitting at tables in the appliance room

Little girl at a New Year party, Soho Fire Station, London
A little girl with Father Christmas (fireman Pester) at a New Year party, Soho Fire Station, London, 2 January 1955. A total of 65 children attended the party

Tombstone, bearing the inscription " Rest in Peace" (R.I.P.)

Despair. Artwork depicting a person reaching into the air. This could represent reaching for help; anguish or despair; or a yearning for love and attention

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"Bereavement: A Journey of Grief and Remembrance" In the solemn silence of the graveside, a woman stands before a headstone adorned with white flowers. The weight of death hangs heavy in the air, as she pays her final respects to her beloved. Amidst the backdrop of a poignant cartoon, we delve into the world of "The Merry Widows, " where laughter intertwines with tears as women navigate life after loss during WW1. Their resilience shines through their mourning attire - black veils and somber dresses symbolizing Victorian bereavement customs. Victorian society embraced mourning as an art form, evident in exquisite cards like Edgar George Pottle's masterpiece "In Memoriam. " These delicate pieces captured both sorrow and beauty, encapsulating heartfelt sentiments within intricate designs. An embossed Victorian card reveals three daughters left behind by grief-stricken parents, while another bears Mary Hickman's name - forever etched in memory. Each card tells a story of love lost but never forgotten. A mournful woman clutches a cross and flowers tightly against her chest; her pain palpable yet accompanied by hope for solace. In times when words fail us, these symbols offer comfort beyond measure. "The People's Packet of Mourning Stationery" becomes an essential tool for expressing condolences during this era. Its elegant design allows one to convey sympathy through handwritten letters that bridge distances between hearts burdened by sorrow. George Goodman's box of Victorian mourning pins serves as tangible reminders worn close to one's heart - tiny emblems carrying immense emotional weight. They become cherished keepsakes connecting loved ones across time and space. As Christmas approaches, Alice is remembered fondly on a holiday card titled "Alice, Where Art Thou?" Though absent physically, her spirit lingers amidst twinkling lights and joyful melodies – forever present in cherished memories shared among those who loved her most. Bereavement transcends time; it is a universal experience that unites us all.