By: Erik Desmazières

Medium: Etching, aquatint & roulette on chine appliqué
Year: 2011
Edition: From Suite Musaeum Clausum by Sir Thomas Brown (also available on request)
Signed, titled, dated and numbered from edition of 40 printed on chine appliqué
ImageSize: 11.5 x 7.36 inches

In The Skull of Sir Thomas Browne, Erik Desmazières pays homage to the 17th-century physician, author, and antiquarian through a meticulously rendered memento mori. The composition presents two views of Browne’s skull resting atop stacked books, uniting anatomical study with literary history. Desmazières’ exceptionally fine etched textures and subtle aquatint modeling give the skull a sculptural presence, while the chine appliqué surface enhances the print’s tonal depth. The result is a contemplative image that echoes Browne’s fascination with mortality, curiosity, and the material remnants of intellectual life.