Katafalk met kaarsen, nr. 1 1559 - 1619

This print by Joannes van Doetechum from around 1600 depicts a 'catafalque', an elaborate structure erected to honor a deceased person, especially royalty or high-ranking clergy. Notice the array of candles, their flames reaching upwards, symbolizing the soul's ascent to the heavens, a motif echoed in funerary art across cultures from ancient Egypt to Renaissance Europe. Consider the architectural framework of the catafalque itself, reminiscent of both a classical temple and a reliquary. This conflation is not accidental. Just as sacred relics were enshrined to preserve memory and spiritual power, so too does the catafalque transform the deceased into an object of veneration. The opulence of the drapery speaks of earthly power, yet the flickering lights hint at mortality. This mirrors the memento mori tradition, where skulls and other symbols remind us of the transience of life amidst worldly achievements. The emotional power lies in this duality: the celebration of life lived and the stark reminder of its end, engaging us on a subconscious level.