Dood begeleidt oude man 1712

This anonymous 1712 Dutch etching titled “Dood begeleidt oude man” (Death escorts an old man), from the Rijksmuseum, features a skeletal figure of Death leading an elderly man with a walking stick. This evocative artwork is a memento mori, a reminder of mortality, that was a popular subject for Dutch artists in the 17th and 18th centuries. The inscription on the image’s banner underscores this message in French, encouraging viewers to prepare for their own inevitable end.