House of Rest

~Watercolor~2007~
Another transfer from the old DA account.

~Frances Pearce and her daughter are immortalized forever in Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago.

Frances tragically died at a very young age during childbirth. The child that was born, also named Frances, was soon to follow a mere 3 months later. The mourning father buried his family and commissioned a monumental headstone: a life sized sculpture of his wife, lounging on a bed with their child in arm.

Some say that the statues come to life, once a year, for the two. They are seen sitting up, and even talking to visitors. This is, of course, quite far fetched. But their lives were so short, and their monument so life-like, that even the most skeptical mind wants to believe the fog on the inside of the glass walls are from the shallow breathing of the resting mother and child. ~

This was a painting inspired by their story in the book "Voices from the Chicago Grave", and was eventually used as an illustration in the second edition of the book.
[link]

I used several photos of the actual grave as a reference. However, on the real grave, their statues are lying down, lounging side by side. Obviously, this painting is a bit different. It portrays the supposed haunting and legend of their grave, where their statues come to life.