The Crucifixion 1480

This miniature of the Crucifixion was painted around 1460-1490 by the artist known only as Monogrammist IM. Note the skull at the foot of the cross. This symbol, the memento mori, reminds us of our mortality and the fleeting nature of earthly existence. The skull is juxtaposed here with the promise of salvation through Christ's sacrifice. This motif echoes through history, from ancient Roman funerary art to the vanitas paintings of the Dutch Golden Age, each time reflecting humanity's complex relationship with death. Think of how this symbol, rooted in the subconscious fear of oblivion, resurfaces in art across time, adapted and reinterpreted, yet always carrying the weight of our shared mortality.