Death on horseback holding a trumpet, from 'The five deaths' (Les cinq Morts) 1643 - 1653

Stefano della Bella's "Death on Horseback Holding a Trumpet" is a dynamic etching from his series "The Five Deaths" (1643-1653). Depicting Death astride a skeletal horse, trumpeting the end of life, the composition is both powerful and dramatic. The skeletal figures following Death, and the billowing flag, underscore the inevitability of mortality. This print was likely meant to be a meditation on life's fragility and the power of death, a theme relevant to audiences of both the 17th century and today.