Funeral torch, c. 1720, 112 1/2 x 22 x 20 in. ( x x cm), Gilded and painted wood and wrought iron, Italy, 18th century, A funerary torch is a symbol of life in a ritual commemorating death. This torch would have accompanied a catafalque: a large, architectural structure that displays the coffin of an important person in catholic funeral rites. Catafalques were used primarily in catholic European cities from the 16th to 19th centuries, though they are still used on occasion for large, public funeral rituals, such as those for the pope

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Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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