All Hallows’ Eve


Ipsen Danish Art Nouveau Pitcher with Dragon Stalking a Scarab (LEO Design)

All Hallows’ Eve (or Hallowe’en) means “Holy Night” and was first celebrated in Western Christian countries on the night before All Saints’ Day—1 November.  Hallowe’en is actually just the first day of a longer, three day “triduum” called Allhallowtide—comprising All Saint’s Day (1 November), its vigil (31 October) and All Souls’ Day (2 November).  Pope Gregory III (731 – 741 AD) established the holy day and it eventually became a Holy Day of Obligation, complete with abstinence from eating meat. Today, Hallowe’en has taken-on a decidedly secular sensibility with its costumes, candies and trick-playing.  

The Danish Art Nouveau vase above, made on the Baltic island of Bornholm, depicts the Darwin-inspired fascination of the late Nineteenth Century. It also captures the eerie tingle of a spooky Hallowe'en Eve.  Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.

Happy Hallowe’en!

 

LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed.  While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate  (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).

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