An 18th Century Headstone With A Rare And Elaborate Design

Headstones with Biblical scenes are rare. Here the Risen Christ- carrying a spade- appears to St Mary Magdalene- who initially mistakes him for the gardener.  Behind her two figures in loincloths are paddling in shallow water- at least I think that's what they're doing. I don't know why they're there. There could be a reference to Baptism or- possibly- to crossing the river of death. The date on the stone is only partially legible. I'm guessing at 1781.

So far as I know this particular design is only found in Kent. This example is at Woodchurch and I know of another in the churchyard at Hadlow. There are others at Stone in Oxney and Boughton Monchelsea. The last of these also seems to have the two mysterious paddlers- though the image is badly eroded- and they may just be attendant angels. All of the Christs carry spades. The images are sufficiently similar for a common source to be likely.  I'm thinking village stone masons may well have got their ideas from popular prints- and if we could identfy the original it might explain the paddlers. It was not unusual for artists to give the risen Christ a garden implement- most commonly a spade but also occasionally a mattock. There are examples from the Middle Ages onwards. In some of them he also wears a hat- as in this famous painting by Rembrandt.

Following On From The Last Post

Here's a Noli Me Tangere with Christ not only carrying a spade but wearing a broad-brimmed hat. It's a woodcut by the great Albrecht Durer and dates from 1511

And Here's Another

This is from the Vaux Passional. It's English, dated 1503-4 and once belonged to Henry VII