Grafmonument voor Johannes van den Bergh en zijn vrouw Joanna van Teylingen in de Pieterskerk te Leiden 1757 - 1820

This is an etching by Abraham Delfos, made around 1755, depicting the tomb monument for Johannes van den Bergh and his wife, Joanna van Teylingen. The artist's use of vertical structure and decorative elements creates a somber yet ornamental effect. Notice how Delfos uses symmetry to frame the epitaphs, flanked by cherubic figures atop a base adorned with a skull. The contrast between the classical urn at the top and the skull at the base underscores a meditation on life and death. The tomb's structure with its defined borders and the text inscribed in neat rows, presents a structured narrative of remembrance. The tomb almost reads like a book, with the skull functioning as a morbid ‘finis’ to the narratives inscribed above. This etching isn't just a depiction; it's a structured commentary on mortality and memory, inviting us to consider how we frame our own narratives.