A series of paintings exploring bog bodies and peat
Rose was commissioned by archaeologist Dr Melanie Giles to create a series of paintings to celebrate the publication of her book ‘Bog Bodies‘. Bog bodies have been found in peatlands across the UK and Northern Europe. The anaerobic environment of the peat preserves organic remains, and it’s a rare chance to see the details of peoples lives and deaths.
The images needed to explore the theme of bog bodies – a sense of the peat, the materiality, but also the humanity. The paintings were a study of Tollund Man, who was found in Denmark and who died around 400BC, and were created using oil pastel and gauche, emulating the peat and water.
