Et in Arcadia Ego 1622

"Et in Arcadia Ego" (1622) by Italian Baroque painter Guercino is a poignant reminder of mortality. The painting features two shepherds, one resting, the other gazing in awe at a skull resting on a stone inscribed with the Latin phrase, "And in Arcadia, I too." The skull, a symbol of death, contrasts with the idyllic setting, emphasizing the inescapable reality of death even in paradise. The work, housed in Rome's National Gallery of Ancient Art, is a powerful example of the "vanitas" genre, which explores the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures.