Skelet op de rug gezien. 1589

Curator: This print from 1589, residing here at the Rijksmuseum, is entitled "Skelet op de rug gezien", or "Skeleton Seen From the Back," by Philips Galle. It’s a detailed engraving. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: Well, my immediate impression is a gesture frozen in time. That right hand, extended with almost a conversational air. It's less morbid than inviting. There's an odd serenity to it, despite the subject. Curator: Indeed, Galle was part of the Mannerist movement, where anatomical studies weren’t purely scientific, but used to explore idealized human form and mortality, of course. The interesting thing about Mannerism, the emphasis on virtuosity and stylization almost always took precedence over naturalistic accuracy, so the figure exists in this artistic landscape removed from purely medical didacticism. Editor: Right. It feels deeply symbolic. Skeletons frequently represent 'memento mori,' the reminder of death. The upright posture, combined with that hand gesture almost personifies it. Is this a specter who is welcoming or warding us off? Curator: That’s the enduring ambiguity that makes this print so interesting. The societal function of such prints back then were also tied up to this. The context in which images such as this were viewed in homes, scholarly institutions, and how that interplay influenced societal outlook on life, death and morality is truly a question I always explore when viewing works of the 16th Century. Editor: The spine is striking too, so vulnerable and prominent, a literal backbone of existence laid bare. It evokes a deep, perhaps unconscious fear. Curator: It absolutely speaks to collective cultural anxieties around mortality and our attempts to create social, artistic or religious structures as buffers against life's ephemeral reality. The artist acknowledges it without getting preachy; he simply reveals the bare bones. Editor: A reminder, subtly stated. Well, exploring the nuances of the artwork alongside you, I now can't help but feel as though I'm in conversation with a specter offering profound understanding, don’t you think?