The Kiss of Death, Marble sculpture in Poblenou Cemetery, Barcelona, Spain.
The Kiss of Death is a marble sculpture showing a winged skeleton tenderly touching the face of a young man. The monument stands on a tomb in Poblenou Cemetery and was commissioned by textile manufacturer Josep Llaudet Soler.
The marble group was carved in 1930 and marks the grave of Josep Llaudet Soler, a textile manufacturer. A signature on the side is attributed to Jaume Barba, though some credit his son-in-law Joan Fontbernat. The base carries verses by the Catalan poet Jacint Verdaguer. The work is often said to have inspired Ingmar Bergman's film The Seventh Seal.
The epitaph carved into the tomb's base is a verse by Catalan poet Jacint Verdaguer: the young man's heart fails, his blood freezes, and he falls feeling the kiss of death. The Catalan-language lines are still read by visitors at the grave of Josep Llaudet Soler.
The sculpture stands on the Llaudet Soler tomb in Poblenou Cemetery, in the El Poblenou district of Barcelona. The cemetery lies a short walk from the Poblenou metro stop on Line 4. The grave is a stop on cemetery walking routes, so expect other visitors near the monument.
The sculpture is often said to have inspired Ingmar Bergman's film The Seventh Seal. Jaume Barba's signature appears on the side of the marble, though some attribute the design to his son-in-law Joan Fontbernat. The skeleton's teeth press against the young man's cheek, not his forehead as often stated.
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