Skull 

Octavio Ocampo painted this image, Skull, in 1991. A woman is seated amidst shelves and baskets teeming with bread—yet look closer. Each loaf bears the imprint of a skull. This symbol, rooted deeply in Mexican traditions like the Day of the Dead, evokes both mortality and remembrance. The skull, as a vanitas motif, isn't confined to Mexico. We see it echoed through time, from ancient Roman mosaics to 17th-century Dutch paintings. Think of Holbein's "The Ambassadors," where a distorted skull challenges our perception. Across cultures, it signifies life's fleeting nature. Here, bread transformed into skulls might seem macabre, yet it carries layers of meaning. Bread, the staff of life, becomes a memento mori, a reminder of death. This fusion taps into our collective unconscious, stirring primal fears and acceptance. It is an image that invites reflection, a powerful dance between life and death, deeply embedded in our cultural memory.