FAD Magazine

FAD Magazine covers contemporary art – News, Exhibitions and Interviews reported on from London

“Exploring the Artistic Fascination with Skulls: FAD Magazine’s Top 10 Works of Art that feature skulls’

FAD Magazine delves into Art History to curate the finest collection of skull-themed artworks, spotlighting the captivating world of Skull Artists. Throughout history, skulls have served as powerful symbols of death and mortality, capturing the imagination of various civilizations. From the ancient Zapotec and Mixteca cultures to the revered Aztecs and the vibrant Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead, the allure of the skull remains timeless.

During the Renaissance, the fascination with “Memento Mori” and its symbolic representation through the skull persisted, embodying themes of Heaven, Hell, divine judgment, and the soul’s salvation. The 17th-century saw the incorporation of skulls in still life Vanitas paintings, eloquently conveying the impermanence of life and worldly possessions.

As time progressed, influential artists from Cezanne, Klimt, Picasso, to Warhol and Damien Hirst continued to explore and exploit the enigmatic allure of the skull in their modern and contemporary masterpieces.

Embrace the macabre beauty as we present our handpicked selection of captivating skull-themed artworks from across the ages. Join us on this intriguing artistic journey that celebrates the timeless fascination with skulls.

Andy Warhol – Skulls

Andy Warhol, Skulls, Skulls 1976 Acrylic and silkscreen ink on linen Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

You can read more about Damien Hirst on FAD magazine HERE

Damien Hirst – For the Love of God,

Damien Hirst, For the Love of God, 2007 Platinum, diamonds and human teeth 6.7 x 5 x 7.5 in (171 x 127 x 190 mm) Photographed by Prudence Cuming Associates L td. © Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2023

You can read more about Damien Hirst on FAD magazine HERE

Pablo Picasso- Still Life with Skull, Leeks, and a Pitcher 

Picasso,Still Life with Skull, Leeks and Pitcher (Nature morte avec crâne, poireaux et pichet), 14 March 1945

You can read more about Picasso on FAD magazine HERE

Gustav Klimt- Death and Life

Gustav Klimt, Death and Life, 1910, wd/rAGqexSs58_H0A — Google Arts & Culture, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org

You can read more about Gustav Klimt on FAD magazine HERE

Paul Cezanne The Three Skulls

"Exploring the Artistic Fascination with Skulls: FAD Magazine's Top 10 Works of Art from History to Modern Times"
Paul Cezanne The Three Skulls 1902-6. The Art Institute of Chicago. Olivia Shaler Swan Memorial Collection

You can read more about Cezanne on FAD magazine HERE

Vincent van Gogh – Skull of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette

Vincent van Gogh, Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette, 1885-1886, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22030423

You can read more about Vincent van Gogh on FAD magazine HERE

Jean Michel Basquiat – Untitled

“Untitled,” a Basquiat painting from 1982, sold for $110.5 million at Sotheby’s auction in May.Credit…2017 The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat / ADAGP, Paris / ARS, via Sotheby’s

You can read more about Jean Michel Basquiat on FAD magazine HERE

Jacky Tsai Chinese Floral Skull

Jacky Tsai ‘Chinese Floral Skull, Yellow Lenticular’ (31.5 x 31.5 inches) FAD magazine
Jacky Tsai ‘Chinese Floral Skull, Yellow Lenticular’ (31.5 x 31.5 inches)

You can read more about Jack Tsai on FAD magazine HERE

KAWS – Untitled

KAWS (USA, B.1974) Untitled, Christies 29th Mar 2019.MORE

You can read more about KAWS on FAD magazine HERE

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei’s The Human Comedy (2022) installed at the Basillica San Giorgio Maggiore. Photo: Francesco Allegretto

You can read more about Ai Weiwei on FAD magazine HERE

You can read more features from FAD here in other news Australia’s most significant new museum is to open in 2025 with a budget of AUD $1.4 billion.

Categories

Tags

Related Posts

M+ to open groundbreaking Picasso exhibition.

Picasso for Asia: A Conversation. The exhibition will feature 60+ masterpieces from the late 1890s to the early 1970s by Pablo Picasso alongside works by Asian and Asian-diasporic artists selected from the M+ Collections.

Trending Articles

Join the FAD newsletter and get the latest news and articles straight to your inbox

* indicates required