The Scrimshaw Skeleton Silk Twill 90
9th April, 1865
‘The weary mariners cry and point as the ancient ship creaks and lurches on the swelling tide. With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, their voices quiet as the impressive wingspan of the bald eagle passes overhead with a skeletal catch in his fearsome talons. Certain Mother Nature has sent an omen to retaliate their sins against the seas, the sailors begin to toss their precious scrimshaw overboard, returning it to the ocean. ‘Quod superius sicut quod inferius’, (As above, so below)’ - A.S.
The Scrimshaw Skeleton draws inspiration from a wide range of sources. The central motif was first inspired by the poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, through both water-weary descriptions and moral significance; a caution to respect our natural world. A primary reference for this design were the skulls and bones of American fraternal art, in which skeleton symbols are seen not as morbid, but as an encouragement for virtuous living and reverence for life; The date, 1865, noted within this design marks the end of the Civil War. Many elements of this design are skeletal, from the dried, curling ferns at the top of the illustration, echoing the alligator’s ribcage, to the dried fruits and seedpods, to the skeletal coral on the seabed below, they all serve as beautiful and poignant reminders to protect our natural world. This design is an indirect sequel to The Alligator’s Empire design from The Naturalist’s Handbook collection, featuring many connecting elements and artful links, including an allusion to The Eye of Providence from the original alligator at the top of the design. This illustration highlights the plight of whales in the 19th century; The carved whale teeth at the base of the design were inspired by Susan’s Teeth, a famous set of scrimshaw teeth inscribed by a whaler from Nantucket, while the carved bone hearts and whales in the borders were a common form of folk art for sailors of the era.
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