De trap des ouderdoms 1850 - 1870

"De Trap des Ouderdoms" (The Staircase of Old Age), an 1850-1870 print by Hermanus Numan, depicts a symbolic representation of human life as a staircase leading to death. The staircase has five steps, each representing a decade of life, starting from 10 years old and ending at 100. The figures on each step portray the physical and psychological changes that occur as people age, highlighting the stages of life, and acting as a reminder of mortality. This Dutch print, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, emphasizes the theme of *memento mori* (remember death), common in 17th-century art. The image itself resembles a theatrical stage, featuring a curtain and script-like text at the bottom, further highlighting the performative nature of life.