Eccentric Collection of Stone Skulls by L'Aquart

Metaphysical black comedy in stone. Faces of Eternity is a collection of 26 one-of-a-kind skull sculptures hand-carved from natural gemstones by world-renowned lapidary artist Luis Alberto Quispe Aparicio of L'Aquart. Hailed by critics as avant-garde and provocative, each carved gemstone skull carries a charisma all its own — ready to wink mischievously at the viewer, if only it had eyes.

These are art objects with attitude: striking gemstone sculptures that lend a modern space character and intellectual wit, and invite reflection on memento mori, mortality and the meaning of life. They make unforgettable conversation pieces.

New skulls — “The King,” “Lecter,” “Pride,” “Skull,” “Melting” and “Catacombs” — have joined the series as earlier carvings such as “Punk,” “Ghost Rider,” “Gentleman” and “Hooligan” found homes in private collections and museum showcases. Delivery is carried out within 14 days of ordering.

The skull is among the most universally recognized and suggestive symbols in art — the seat of personality, a memento mori, an archetype, a relic, a warning. Quispe Aparicio understands that rich history and adds his own whimsical commentary in Faces of Eternity: skulls with personality, carved from a variety of natural gemstones.

An engineer by training but rooted in his family's art studio, Luis — with his sister Sylvia — shares a passion for jewelry design and hard-stone carving, usually centered on themes from nature. He spent several years gathering rough large and fine enough to carve, then a year designing and creating the collection, with each skull taking one to three months to complete. All accompanying metalwork is crafted in vermeil — sterling silver plated with 18K gold.

After completion, the collection toured the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) world headquarters in Carlsbad, California; the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, as part of the “Gem Artists of North America” exhibit; and the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art in Elmhurst, Illinois. Pieces have since entered the Collection Museum and the holdings represented by Surround Art & Diamonds.