Straatverkoper bij open graf 1707

"Straatverkoper bij open graf" (Street Vendor by an Open Grave), created in 1707 by Giuseppe Maria Mitelli, depicts a street vendor burdened with an assortment of goods, seemingly struggling to carry them toward an open grave. The inscription "IL COSTUME PER NATVRA SINO ALLA FOSSA DVRA" ("The custom by nature until the grave is hard") suggests the inevitability of death and the cycle of life and death. The intricate details, ranging from the vendor's attire to the items he carries, showcase Mitelli's meticulous style. This etching, held at the Rijksmuseum, is a satirical commentary on societal expectations and the burden of daily life, a common theme in Mitelli's work.