Part I: Carolo III. Lotharingiae et Barri Duci. . .Dix grande Tables, contenantes les pourtaictz des pompe funebres 1609 - 1610

This engraving by Frédéric Brentel captures the solemn transfer of Duke Charles III's body in July 1609, within the grand confines of the Saint-François Church in Nancy. Observe the striking procession, led by figures cloaked in somber robes. Funerals, across epochs, have served as potent displays of power and remembrance, but also as the acknowledgement of our mortality. Think back to ancient Rome, where elaborate funeral processions honored emperors and dignitaries. We can see echoes of this in the formality and pageantry displayed here. The motif of mourning, deeply embedded in our collective psyche, surfaces through history, taking new forms, yet always speaking to our shared human condition. This deeply rooted human response, is a powerful force, engaging viewers, then and now, on a profound, subconscious level. These symbols of death and honor, remind us of the cyclical nature of existence.