HATCHMENTS

The history of the hatchment is too long and complex to describe here. With the recent upsurge of interest in heraldry they are making a quiet comeback, often for the enjoyment of the clients themselves as pieces of heraldic art long before they anticipate their demise. In these cases the backgrounds are painted white to indicate that both husband and wife are still with us. They have also been commissioned by single people with just their own arms on.

My hatchments are painted on framed timber rather than canvas. I can use sheet MDF or ply, or I can use a hardwood as a more exotic material. I would normally advise against hardwood, though, as it will not be appreciated under the paint. They are traditionally 4 ft square but sizes as small as 2 ft are common and 5 ft examples exist.

Because of the sensitive nature of this subject, involving one’s mortality, most clients prefer to keep their hatchments out of the public eye, so it has been impossible to illustrate the white background here.

(mouse over images for details, click to enlarge)

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