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Description

In British Folklore and hence European and even New World superstitions, there has always been a tradition that each and every historic graveyard, and even some modern cemeteries have what is known as a ‘Churchyard Guardian’ or ‘Church Grim’.

This guardian is in the majority always said to be the first person that has been buried at the graveyard, and that person’s soul is then charged with the duty of watching over all who were interred into the ground after them, to keep them safe from evil and their bodies from being used by the Devil, his demons, or other malevolent creatures.

This custom was well known in the medieval period, and priests often felt it unholy and wrong to curse a person’s soul, who they were charged with looking after in life and death, spiritually, to force them to watch over the graves of those on consecrated ground for eternity, and possibly fear the consequential revenge those spirits might carry out, because of that unwanted, unwarranted and forced eternal curse. Thus before any human remains were buried upon the hallowed ground, an animal, usually a dog was buried as a substitute, who would then act as the guardian over the dead, and bark and scare away any evil doers who wished to defile those resting in the hallowed earth. (also known as a Grim)

Someone mentioned this on Facebook last year and this image stuck in my head. This is the painting I started on the wood panel and quit. Much happier this time. Seemed an appropriate time of year to finally paint it.

"Black Dog" 16x20 acrylic on illustration board.

Description

In British Folklore and hence European and even New World superstitions, there has always been a tradition that each and every historic graveyard, and even some modern cemeteries have what is known as a ‘Churchyard Guardian’ or ‘Church Grim’.

This guardian is in the majority always said to be the first person that has been buried at the graveyard, and that person’s soul is then charged with the duty of watching over all who were interred into the ground after them, to keep them safe from evil and their bodies from being used by the Devil, his demons, or other malevolent creatures.

This custom was well known in the medieval period, and priests often felt it unholy and wrong to curse a person’s soul, who they were charged with looking after in life and death, spiritually, to force them to watch over the graves of those on consecrated ground for eternity, and possibly fear the consequential revenge those spirits might carry out, because of that unwanted, unwarranted and forced eternal curse. Thus before any human remains were buried upon the hallowed ground, an animal, usually a dog was buried as a substitute, who would then act as the guardian over the dead, and bark and scare away any evil doers who wished to defile those resting in the hallowed earth. (also known as a Grim)

Someone mentioned this on Facebook last year and this image stuck in my head. This is the painting I started on the wood panel and quit. Much happier this time. Seemed an appropriate time of year to finally paint it.

"Black Dog" 16x20 acrylic on illustration board.