7 1/6 x 7 1/8 x 9 3/8

7 1/16 x 7 1/16 x 9 5/8

Inspired by wallpaper created by Dagobert Peche of the Wiener Werkstatte (an early 20th-century Austrian design movement), VERDURE by Artel features richly detailed blossoms and leafy vines and is one of our most popular motifs.

With a classic, simple silhouette that complements any home décor, our Medium Vase offers a uniquely beautiful way to display medium sized bouquets.

Memento Mori: The Dead Among Us by Paul Koudounaris
A macabre, spectacular, and thought-provoking survey of death in life, this book collects the many ways human remains are used in decorative, commemorative, and devotional contexts around the world today. This compact edition of Memento Mori takes the reader on a ghoulish but beautiful tour of some of the world’s more unusual sacred sites and traditions, in which human remains are displayed for the benefit of the living. From burial caves in Indonesia festooned with bones to skulls smoking cigarettes, wearing beanie hats and sunglasses, and decorated with garlands of flowers in South America, author Paul Koudounaris ventures beyond the grave to find messages of hope and salvation. His glorious color photographs and insightful commentaries reveal that in many places, the realms of the living and the dead are nowhere near so distinct as contemporary Western society would have us believe.

Silver finished pewter, encrusted with hand-set gray and hematite European crystals. Tarnish resistant. Signature luxury gift box included.

Dimensions: 9.75"L x 1.75"W x 3"H Weight: 2 lb (includes gift box)

Derived from the words miscere and genus in Latin, mestizaje refers to a mixing of the races. In the book Mestizaje, internationally acclaimed artist Kathy Sosa presents a cross-sectional view of Mexican American culture as it is practiced in the centuries-old blended culture of the Texas-Mexico borderlands. She documents and projects the effects across generations of peoples and cultures meeting, overlapping, and organically blending into something new. The richness and beauty of mestizaje come from a place where people speak Spanglish, eat Tex-Mex food, and dance to Willie Nelson and Flaco Jimenez—sometimes all at once. Sosa foretells what much of the United States has become or will be like before long.

The imagery and symbolism of puro mestizaje (total mix) figure prominently in Sosa’s work, and it is a mix unique to the borderlands’ historical traditions and myriad cultures. Sosa derives inspiration from and reflects a bold palette of strong female figures. Celebrating what the women of these borderlands think, feel, and revere culturally, she explores the roles of indigenous traditions, colors, and textiles. Family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances—real and imagined—participate in the spirit of mexicanidad, though most were not born in Mexico and some have never visited. Supplemented with dual-language essays in English and Spanish by art critics, collectors, and historians, Mestizaje rejoices in feminist notions of blended cultures and opens readers’ eyes to the lessons they offer and what they tell us about America today.

10.2 x 1.1 x 10.1 inches