Jonge vrouw met oude man bedreigd door de Dood before 1618

Gillis van Breen created this engraving, "Young Woman with an Old Man Threatened by Death," during the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by economic prosperity and a flourishing of the arts and sciences. This work presents a stark commentary on mortality and the transient nature of life, love, and wealth. Here, we see an old man seated with a young woman. Looming over them is the figure of death holding an arrow pointed towards the couple. The image is filled with symbols, the clock reminds us that time is running out, while the bags of money represent earthly riches that cannot stave off death. During this period, marriage between older men and younger women was not uncommon, often driven by economic necessity rather than affection. Van Breen's engraving invites us to reflect on the complex dynamics of power, desire, and mortality, urging us to consider what truly matters in the face of life's inevitable end.