Kind naast een doodshoofd 1500 - 1600

This anonymous 16th-century engraving, "Kind naast een doodshoofd," is a poignant reminder of mortality. A young child, depicted with delicate features, sits amidst a dense, ornate floral background, seemingly unaware of the human skull at their feet. The intricate floral design adds a sense of beauty and fragility to the scene, emphasizing the fleeting nature of life. This small, yet powerful, artwork, measuring only 67 mm by 48 mm, serves as a powerful memento mori, a genre of art that reflects upon the inevitability of death.