Martyrs in religion were always revered spiritually, but now more focus is being placed on their intricate postmortem ornamentation. Most of these were found by an art historian, Paul Koudounaris, which he hunted down over years through secret Catholic vaults. Today they make a bold and rich inspiration concerning colour, texture, and design. Macabre yet beautiful, these figures inspire a feeling of lavish memento mori. Fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen have noticeably invoked similar imagery of extravagant death and decorated skeletons.
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Heavenly Bodies by Paul Koudounaris
Images courtesy of Paul Koudounaris
