Funeral of a Viking (by Frank Dicksee) Ceramic Tile

This design features a painting by the English Victorian artist Frank Dicksee (1853–1928). It is a dark and dramatic depiction of the funeral of a Viking warrior. The dead man's body is being sent out to sea on a burning pyre. A crowd of Viking soldiers is standing on the shore: the men have their their arms and weapons raised in the air. They are wearing crested helmets and breast plates. The burning ship that is carrying the dead body is being pushed out to sea by muscular male figures. The stern of the boat is carved into the form of the head of a mythical beast. Rocky mountains can be seen in the background under a dark and stormy sky. The entire scene is illuminated by the glow of the burning pyre and torches carried by the Viking warriors. The original artwork was painted by Frank Dicksee in 1893.