Customer Reviews

Early New England Gravestone Rubbings

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This book is not only about gravestone rubbings, but also the early stonecarvers who had the skills to decorate these gravestones. I have repeatedly taken it out of my art school's library because I am fascinated with the different carvings on the gravestones. These rubbings of the carvings include faces of angels, portraits of the deceased, urns, willow trees, and other decorative motifs. It may seem morbid to enjoy such a book, yet I find it completely fascinating book!

This compilation of rubbings and photos were done by my uncle as a young man in the 40's through 60's. He was fascinated by not only the work on the stones, but also the stories written there. He took photos of the stones that he thought were too fragile to rub and in later years when rubbings were no longer being done. He would occasionally give a rubbing to one of his many nieces or nephews if he had one with the same birth date as they had. It was quite interesting to see a rubbing in my sisters house with her birth date on it. Edmund Gillon jr. passed away last week in New York City at 79.

You should never do rubbings on any old gravestone - this practice hastens the destruction of its surface. It's also difficult to get a clear image from many of these rough surfaces. Fortunately, Edmund Gillon some years ago published a compilation of rubbings done before it was taboo. This book is full of beautiful images, from skulls to flowers, and information about art and carvers of these particular monuments.