This design features a soul effigy adapted from the 1787 gravestone of Prudence Rawson Willard (1764-1787) in Old Holland Cemetery, Holland, MA, believed to have been carved by Lebbeus Kimball (1751-c.1832). Kimball’s style was heavily influenced by Josiah Manning (1725–1806), a prolific and highly influential carver whose workshop in eastern Connecticut defined gravestone art in the region for nearly fifty years. Manning’s soul effigies—symbolic representations of the soul ascending to heaven—helped usher in a new, more hopeful visual language for death, replacing the grim death’s head with quasi-human faces framed by celestial motifs and dramatic wings. The Manning style was imitated by many carvers and greatly influenced the work of Lebbeus Kimball, Amasa Loomis, Thatcher and Luther Lathrop, John Walden, and Aaron Haskins.
This particular effigy showcases the hallmarks of the predominant Manning style: circular, wide-staring eyes, an uncertain mouth, hair blasted upward from a central pompadour and side curls, and large, solid, upswept wings. The effigy is framed by billowing clouds above and a scroll design where swirling clouds of earthly ashes and dust are left behind. But there are subtle deviations from known Manning carvings: the swirling scrolls beneath the figure curl downward rather than upward, and the effigy’s torso blends seamlessly into those swirls, creating a fluid, integrated form. Additionally, the scalloped cloud motif above the effigy, almost always limited to three or five central scallops on Manning stones, is smaller and stretches further along the frame—another tell-tale sign of Kimball’s hand.
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 design features a soul effigy adapted from the 1787 gravestone of Prudence Rawson Willard (1764-1787) in Old Holland Cemetery, Holland, MA, believed to have been carved by Lebbeus Kimball (1751-c.1832). Kimball’s style was heavily influenced by Josiah Manning (1725–1806), a prolific and highly influential carver whose workshop in eastern Connecticut defined gravestone art in the region for nearly fifty years. Manning’s soul effigies—symbolic representations of the soul ascending to heaven—helped usher in a new, more hopeful visual language for death, replacing the grim death’s head with quasi-human faces framed by celestial motifs and dramatic wings. The Manning style was imitated by many carvers and greatly influenced the work of Lebbeus Kimball, Amasa Loomis, Thatcher and Luther Lathrop, John Walden, and Aaron Haskins.
This particular effigy showcases the hallmarks of the predominant Manning style: circular, wide-staring eyes, an uncertain mouth, hair blasted upward from a central pompadour and side curls, and large, solid, upswept wings. The effigy is framed by billowing clouds above and a scroll design where swirling clouds of earthly ashes and dust are left behind. But there are subtle deviations from known Manning carvings: the swirling scrolls beneath the figure curl downward rather than upward, and the effigy’s torso blends seamlessly into those swirls, creating a fluid, integrated form. Additionally, the scalloped cloud motif above the effigy, almost always limited to three or five central scallops on Manning stones, is smaller and stretches further along the frame—another tell-tale sign of Kimball’s hand.
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.
