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Hallstatt - Painted skulls


Hallstatt - Painted skulls
Photo Information
Copyright: George Rumpler (Budapestman) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 4172 W: 0 N: 7535] (26695)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-25
Categories: Ceremony, Artwork
Camera: Canon Digital EOS350D
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-05-09 5:50
Viewed: 698
Points: 29
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A popular sight in Hallstatt is the Gothic Roman Catholic Parish Church a few flights of stairs up from the Marktplatz. In addition to the Gothic building, some fine altars, and late Gothic frescoes, the place is popular for its skulls. A little graveyard is adjacent to the church but it is unremarkable. The real attraction is the Bone House in the Michaelskapelle (St Michael Chapel). In Austria, graves are sold on a fixed term basis – usually 25 years – and when the time is up, someone must pay to renew the lease or the lot is resold.

Due to the lack of space in the local graveyard, bodies here were traditionally exhumed after a decade or so. The remaining bones were placed in this chapel with the skulls cleaned and provided with the person’s name, date of death and some other decorations. Painting flowers and other decorations started in 1720. Since the mid-20th century, skulls are only cleaned and placed here if a local inhabitant requested it in writing in his/her will. The youngest skull is of a woman who died in 1983 – a golden tooth survived too – making her skull easy enough to find.

The different decorations painted on the skulls have special meanings. Laurel leaves indicate victory, ivy leaves indicate life, oak leaves fame, and roses love. The latter mostly red and pink flowers are not restricted to female skulls either.
(Source: www.igougo.com)
jlbrthnn, snunney, Buin, jhm, Wanda1 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Uhu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 504 W: 0 N: 1073] (4825)
  • [2007-05-09 6:13]

I heard that they had a special room somewhere, where they placed bodies to rot under the rain and sun and become clean of flesh, and after that painted them and placed there; but maybe your version is more correct. All in all, its very wierd way of burial. I like your photo, it brings the memories about this place.

Hello George,
What a happy view! :o)
This is a very interesting document. Very original and impressive. Very good details on photo. Well done.
Cordially
Joël

Hello George,
Quite a macabre subject but a very well executed composition with good placing of the crucifix and candles in the frame. Very good tones and textures.

  • Great 
  • Buin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3577 W: 0 N: 7229] (25250)
  • [2007-05-09 7:04]

Hallo George!
An interesting, an important and a not everyday's photo! I like the build up very much here with the hint, that the end isn't really the end ... Thanks for showing!
Greetings from Germany!
Frank

hello George
this is...
amazing ! weird ! interesting !
unusual association of subjects
the photo is well composed, good framing, POV, light and quality, well done
regards
jo

An interesting detail shot George. It's a shame that the light is a bit flat, because some window light would really have lifted this. Maybe that wasn't possible.
You framed it well though, and in view of the dull lighting, maybe the image would work better in black and white.

Cheers,
Ben

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 12731 W: 272 N: 16984] (67992)
  • [2007-05-09 7:51]

Hello George,

A not usual picture but very well presentation, also a interesting note.
generally the light and colours are nice, it subject is very extraordinarily. Nice done.

Best regards,
John.

Hi George,
Very sad and interesting compo.Different photo my friend.TFS.
Regards.

hAyAti

  • Great 
  • Gustaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2438 W: 714 N: 196] (20556)
  • [2007-05-09 10:55]

Hi, friend!
It is next interesting photo from Austria. I like your composition with cross. It is very oryginal photo. Good colours and light. Well done.
Marek

Hi George,
A great and interesting shot. Nice details on the skulls and a good composition and nice warm tones.
Regards
Wanda

What a impressive place Geroge. I never saw so many skull lines like that. And painted. It remember a heathen place but used by the Catholicism. Here in Brazil we have churchs that have this kind of thing, a ideia of the imperial age to attract heathen peoples to the church.

Great shot.
Andre

  • Great 
  • Angshu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 170 N: 7806] (25466)
  • [2007-05-13 4:23]

Dear George
A shot in the true spirit of TE, because I learn something new about the world from your shot. I visited Halstatt, but not to the church. I think this would look good in B&W considering the flat light. But thanks for sharing this unusual aspect of this lovely place
Regards
Angshu

Hi , George .
I am surprosed !
What a collection ! - and even with names on the sculls : Jakob , Josef und Petrus !
So painstakingly decorated - well , most of them .
Like Frank / BUIN , I like the hint , that the end doesn't have to be final - at least not if one can live on like one of these nice sculls :o)
Greetings
Dorte.

  • Great 
  • clnaef Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 895 W: 77 N: 400] (6043)
  • [2007-05-13 13:28]

Bonjour,
Je suis passé par là l'été passé, c'est une belle région.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

  • Great 
  • paura Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 4304 W: 8 N: 2767] (23302)
  • [2007-10-10 10:55]

George,
Well composed photo here, friend. The elements are very dramatic and the details great.

well done.

Paulo

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