Skelet naast monument 1725

"Skelet naast monument" (Skeleton next to a monument) is an etching by Dutch artist Jan Wandelaar, dating back to 1725. The artwork depicts a human skeleton in a pensive pose, resting its chin on its hand, beside a skull on a plinth. The inscription on the plinth, "Vivitur ingenio, cetera mortis erunt" (We live by wit, the rest is death), highlights the fragility of life and the enduring power of intellect. This anatomical illustration exemplifies the Baroque period's fascination with both human anatomy and the philosophical contemplation of mortality.