Los Hermanos Penitentes Society. <em>Death Cart</em>, 1890–1910. Wood, hide, hair, pigment, 25 1/4 x 14 x 26 1/2 in. (64.1 x 35.6 x 67.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 1997.70. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1997.70_transp5516.jpg)

Los Hermanos Penitentes Society. Death Cart, 1890–1910. Wood, hide, hair, pigment, 25 1/4 x 14 x 26 1/2 in. (64.1 x 35.6 x 67.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 1997.70. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1997.70_transp5516.jpg)

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I love the death cart!

Me too! Although the piece depicts human bones, the only thing on the object that may be human is the hair (and we have not yet tested it). The potential human hair is held in place with a piece of animal hide/skin.

It is a miniature version of one of the death carts pulled in processions by Roman Catholic penitent societies in Mexico and the American Southwest during Holy Week. Some carts carry images of the suffering Jesus. This one's passenger may be a female: Doña Sebastiana, the Angel of Death.

Who is this?

That is the female Angel of Death, Dona Sebastiana. The sculpture is a miniature of death carts that would be pulled during Holy Week processions in the Los Hermanos Penitentes Society, the makers of that work.

Whoa! Is it made of real bones?

No, but it does look realistic! It is made mostly of wood--the only part that comes from a human may be the hair.

So creepy!

I agree, her face is so intense!

I’m surprised that this object is over one hundred years old! Does it require any special preservation treatment?

This figure comes from the American Southwest, which has a very dry climate that helps preserve artworks. Now, the museum’s casework creates a microclimate that keeps the artwork in a stable condition.

What's this?

This is a miniature version of the type of death carts pulled in processions by Roman Catholic penitent societies in Mexico and the American Southwest during Holy Week. Some carts carry images of the suffering Jesus. This one's passenger may be a female: Doña Sebastiana, the Angel of Death.

Is this made from real bones?

Although it depicts human bones, it is actually made from wood. The only part that may come from a human is the hair (although it hasn't yet been tested by our conservators). We do know the hair is held in place with a piece of animal hide.

Death Cart

Los Hermanos Penitentes Society

Decorative Arts and Design

This sculpture is a smaller version of the death carts that were pulled by penitent brothers during Holy Week processions of the Los Hermanos Penitentes Society. Public processions reenacted the sorrow and suffering of Christ’s final days, with some penitent brothers practicing self-flagellation with whips and dragging large, heavy crosses and death carts. Here the female Angel of Death, Doña Sebastiana, serves as a reminder of human mortality and the importance of preparing for a good death through prayer and virtuous deeds.

Esta escultura es una versión más pequeña de las carretas de la muerte llevadas por los hermanos penitentes durante las procesiones de Semana Santa de la Sociedad de los Hermanos Penitentes. Procesiones públicas revivían la tristeza y el sufrimiento de los últimos días de Cristo, con algunos de los penitentes practicando autoflagelación con látigos, y arrastrando enormes y pesadas cruces, y carretas de la muerte. Aquí el ángel femenino de la Muerte, Doña Sebastiana, sirve como recordatorio de la mortalidad humana y de la importancia de prepararse para una buena muerte a través de plegarias y actos virtuosos.

ARTIST Los Hermanos Penitentes Society

MEDIUM Wood, hide, hair, pigment

DATES 1890–1910

DIMENSIONS 25 1/4 x 14 x 26 1/2 in. (64.1 x 35.6 x 67.3 cm) (show scale)

INSCRIPTIONS "M922" is written in ink near the right hip socket and at the base of the cart handle. This number may be a Millicent Rogers Musuem number [N. Rosoff to confirm, 6/22/12].

COLLECTIONS Decorative Arts and Design

ACCESSION NUMBER 1997.70

CREDIT LINE Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Carved wood skeleton of the female angel of death Dona Sebastiana with human hair and covered with gesso. The figure holds a bow and arrow in her hands and sits in a two wheeled cart made of cottonwood sticks lashed together with hide. A wooden axe sits inside the cart. Condition: good.

EXHIBITIONS

The Guennol Collection: Cabinet of Wonders

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Los Hermanos Penitentes Society. Death Cart, 1890–1910. Wood, hide, hair, pigment, 25 1/4 x 14 x 26 1/2 in. (64.1 x 35.6 x 67.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 1997.70. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1997.70_transp5516.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 1997.70_transp5516.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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