Skelet van een egel 1735

This is Christian Hallbaur's etching of a hedgehog skeleton. In many cultures, skeletons symbolize mortality, reminding us of the transient nature of life. But here, the skeleton isn't just about death; it's about knowledge, it's about revealing what's beneath the surface. Consider the medieval "memento mori" tradition, where skulls and bones served as reminders of our inevitable end, urging reflection on life’s meaning. Similarly, in anatomical studies from the Renaissance onward, skeletons were tools for understanding the body, a quest for knowledge that challenged old beliefs. Hallbaur’s image, then, participates in this tradition. This skeleton embodies a kind of duality, a tension between the fear of death and the desire for understanding, a reflection of our deepest anxieties and curiosities. It’s a symbol that compels us to confront our mortality and to seek knowledge.