16/06/2026
A rare example of a carved wood penitential brotherhood relic, representing the ‘Skulls Of The Damned’, dated ‘1776’. Most likely originating in the Italian region which was characterised by a strong penitential culture of post-Tridentine Catholicism during the 18th century. The penitential brotherhood was, and remains, a lay Catholic association dedicated to spiritual devotion, acts of penance and charitable works.
Relics of this form are most frequently associated with the Black Pentitents who performed rituals of repentance and meditation on death, especially during Holy Week. Hung in oratories, funeral chapels, or carried processions, these heads were powerful visual instruments to remind the faithful of the brevity of life, the necessity of repentance, and the inevitability of the Last Judgment. In essence, momento mori.
This example consists of two realistically carved skulls back to back but without lower jaws, symbolising the depersonalisation of the human form in death.
A fascinating object. Now available via the website. 💀
