Bord van crême-kleurig steengoed met voorstelling van een stervende 1800 - 1825

This cream-colored stoneware plate depicts a dying man receiving his last rites. The scene's power lies in the ritualistic gestures—the priest’s hand administering oil, the open book symbolizing sacred text, the candle representing the soul’s illumination. These motifs echo through time, resonating with earlier depictions of anointing rituals. Think of similar gestures in Byzantine mosaics, where emperors and saints receive blessings, a visual language adopted and adapted here for a somber, final act. The flame, a symbol of life, flickers here as mortality’s stark reminder. It is an emotional beacon engaging viewers on a subconscious level, sparking deep introspection. Note how the scene’s composition leads our eye, mirroring the emotional weight of the sacrament. Such symbols and the feelings they evoke transcend their immediate context, resurfacing through history. These images are not merely historical records; they are powerful forces engaging us on a deep, subconscious level, their meanings perpetually reborn.