Fragmenten van tekst bij een prent van het tafereel van Cebes 1561 - 1596

Here at the Rijksmuseum is an anonymous artwork titled 'Fragmenten van tekst bij een prent van het tafereel van Cebes', of unknown date. These fragments of text once accompanied an image of Cebes’ Tablet, a popular allegory of human life derived from Greek philosophy. Notice the letters 'NTI', 'LO' and 'OS'. These words once formed part of a larger narrative, guiding the viewer through the complex allegorical landscape. The act of fragmentation here, however, invites us to contemplate the incomplete nature of our understanding. The fragments echo images in Renaissance art of classical ruins, which serve as memento mori. Consider the emotional impact of the fragmented text. What was once whole and instructive is now scattered, leaving us to piece together meanings, much like deciphering the remnants of a lost civilization. These evocative letters serve as potent symbols of time, memory, and the enduring quest for meaning.