Allegory of Transience c. 1654 - 1658

"Allegory of Transience" is a powerful etching by Cornelis Visscher, created between 1654 and 1658, shortly before the artist's untimely death at the age of 30. The artwork depicts a young woman contemplating a skull, a symbolic reminder of mortality. The figure's posture, gazing upward while holding the skull, suggests both melancholy and acceptance of life's fleeting nature. Visscher's use of chiaroscuro enhances the dramatic impact of the scene, creating a sense of depth and intensity. The artwork is housed in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.