19th century illustration of the Grim Reaper flying with a coffin and carrying a scythe
Death as a sentient entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, death is often given the name the "Grim Reaper" and shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood. In some cases, the Grim Reaper is able to actually cause the victim's death, leading to tales that he can be bribed, tricked, or outwitted in order to retain one's life. Other beliefs hold that the Spectre of Death is only a psychopomp, serving only to sever the last tie from the soul to the body and guide the deceased to the next world and having no control over the fact of their death. In many languages Death is personified in male form (English including), while in others it is perceived as a female character (for instance, in Slavic languages, in Polish).
Size: 4500px × 3917px
Photo credit: © markku murto/art / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: 19th, art, century, coffin, death, drawing, grim, hunting, illustration, illustrations, painting, predator, reaper, scythe, vintage
