The magnificent sculpture “the kiss of death” honoring the afterlife

Amazing and interesting sculpture

Kiss of Death Statue at Poblenou Cemetery in Barcelona

The Kiss of Death is a melancholy artwork that was created to honor the burial of one man and is located in an 18th-century cemetery in Barcelona. One of the most famous graves in the city is housed in the Poblenou Cemetery. The delicate way in which the sculpture embraces death is just as stunning as the superb sculpting and the sculptor’s ability to depict touch.

The marble statue, also known as El petó de la death in Catalan and El beso de la muerte in Spanish, is an excellent illustration of contemporary memento mori art. The Latin phrase memento mori, which means “mind that you shall die,” has a long history in fine arts. Memento mori acknowledges the permanence of the soul and the existence of an afterlife instead of considering mortality as something that should be feared. The Kiss of Death is a fantastic fit for the idea. Here, death appears as a winged skeleton who tenderly clings to a guy who is passing and kisses him on the cheek.

Although the statue physically is from the 20th century, this stirring idea continues a great lineage of classical art. The statue, which bears an inscription from renowned Catalan poet Jacinto Verdaguer, was made in 1930 for the burial of fabric maker Josep Llaudet Soler. His young heart is thus destroyed, according to the inscription. His blood starts to become chilly. And all of the strength is lost. His descent into death’s arms has exalted faith. Amen.”

Close Up of Cemetery Sculpture in Barcelona

Although it is unclear when exactly Soler was born, it is thought that he passed away young, which led his family to request the sculpture. For sure, knowing that Soler welcomed death rather than dreaded it and that he died away peacefully would have comforted the family. One of the many causes the artwork has drawn tourists for almost a century is the feelings it arouses.

The Kiss of Death is praised for its excellent construction in addition to its innovative concept. Although some claim Joan Fontbernat was the designer, it is generally accepted that Jaume Barba, whose name is etched into the base, was the creator. The sculpture is a superb exhibition of texture, following in the footsteps of Bernini’s supple marble statues and Giovanni Strazza’s The Veiled Virgin. The young man’s muscular figure contrasts sharply with the skeleton’s hard bones. Visitors are reminded of the cycle of life in the human body as the skeleton’s skeletal hands press into the man’s tender flesh.

It is important to go Pobleneou Cemetery not only to see The Kiss of Death but also to examine some of its other exquisite tomb carvings. The opulent burials in the cemetery recall a time when Barcelona’s bourgeoisie went to considerable efforts to honor their departed. A cemetery path and a Mobile apps that describes some of Poblenou’s iconic tombs, including The Kiss of Death, have recently been developed by the town in an attempt to keep the site in the minds of visitors.

In the Poblenou Cemetery in Barcelona, there is a tomb artwork called The Kiss of Death.

Kiss of Death Sculpture at Poblenou Cemetery in BarcelonaKiss of Death Sculpture in Poblenou Cemetery

The cemetery’s most famous artwork is the eerie statue.

Marble Statue of Skeleton Kissing a Man in BarcelonaBlack and White Photo of Kiss of Death Sculpture in Barcelona

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