Why so large cost, having so short a lease 1920

"Why so large cost, having so short a lease," is a watercolor painting created by Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale in 1920. The painting depicts a man in a richly embroidered 18th-century coat standing in a graveyard, looking down thoughtfully. The subject seems to be contemplating the meaning of life and death in the face of mortality, as the inscription suggests. Brickdale was known for her beautifully rendered illustrations that often depicted scenes from literature and history, and this piece is a poignant example of her artistic style.