This jar features a soul effigy adapted from the 1768 gravestone of James Barnerd (1720–1768), located in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, NY. The carving is attributed to John Zuricher, one of the earliest identified gravestone carvers in New York City. Active from 1749 to 1778, Zuricher left his mark on burial grounds throughout the lower Hudson Valley, including Trinity Churchyard and St. Paul’s in Manhattan.
Zuricher’s soul effigies are instantly recognizable for their rounded, expressive faces—thick eyebrows, pudgy cheeks, and gently dipping chins—imbuing each stone with a kind of charm and personality rarely seen in early American funerary art. His wings soar dramatically upward, with feathers often carved using crescent-shaped half-moon cuts. Many of his soul effigies wear curly wigs and crowns.
The soul effigy marked an evolution in New England funerary art from the mid 1700s to early 1800s. As Puritan influence waned, grim death’s heads (stylized skulls with wings) softened into more human-like figures, signifying a more optimistic view of the soul’s ascent. Popular throughout the Northeast from the mid 1700s to early 1800s, soul effigies varied stylistically by region and carver.
I’ve adapted a vintage gravestone rubbing of this effigy into a silkscreen, then printed it onto speckled gray slipcast stoneware, cast from a vintage mold and fired raw (unglazed) for a velvety matte finish. Available in two sizes, each jar is a contemporary tribute to colonial gravestone carving across New York and New England, highlighting the distinct regional styles and individual artistry of early carvers.
The larger jar measures approximately 3.5 inches in diameter and 6.5 inches tall with the lid on.
The smaller jar measures approximately 3 inches in diameter and 5.5 inches tall with the lid on.
Please note: Each piece is handmade, and small variations are to be expected. The photos shown are representative of the design, but not the exact jar you will receive—making each item one of a kind.
This jar features a soul effigy adapted from the 1768 gravestone of James Barnerd (1720–1768), located in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, NY. The carving is attributed to John Zuricher, one of the earliest identified gravestone carvers in New York City. Active from 1749 to 1778, Zuricher left his mark on burial grounds throughout the lower Hudson Valley, including Trinity Churchyard and St. Paul’s in Manhattan.
Zuricher’s soul effigies are instantly recognizable for their rounded, expressive faces—thick eyebrows, pudgy cheeks, and gently dipping chins—imbuing each stone with a kind of charm and personality rarely seen in early American funerary art. His wings soar dramatically upward, with feathers often carved using crescent-shaped half-moon cuts. Many of his soul effigies wear curly wigs and crowns.
The soul effigy marked an evolution in New England funerary art from the mid 1700s to early 1800s. As Puritan influence waned, grim death’s heads (stylized skulls with wings) softened into more human-like figures, signifying a more optimistic view of the soul’s ascent. Popular throughout the Northeast from the mid 1700s to early 1800s, soul effigies varied stylistically by region and carver.
I’ve adapted a vintage gravestone rubbing of this effigy into a silkscreen, then printed it onto speckled gray slipcast stoneware, cast from a vintage mold and fired raw (unglazed) for a velvety matte finish. Available in two sizes, each jar is a contemporary tribute to colonial gravestone carving across New York and New England, highlighting the distinct regional styles and individual artistry of early carvers.
The larger jar measures approximately 3.5 inches in diameter and 6.5 inches tall with the lid on.
The smaller jar measures approximately 3 inches in diameter and 5.5 inches tall with the lid on.
Please note: Each piece is handmade, and small variations are to be expected. The photos shown are representative of the design, but not the exact jar you will receive—making each item one of a kind.
