Straatverkoper bij open graf 1707

Giuseppe Maria Mitelli created this etching titled 'Street Vendor by an Open Grave' around 1707. Mitelli was a prolific printmaker in Bologna, Italy, during a time of significant social stratification. His works often depicted scenes of everyday life, infused with satire. Here, we see a street vendor, burdened with goods, approaching an open grave, engraved with the word "Deposit." The inscription above translates to "Custom by nature until the hard grave". We are faced with the poignant intersection of commerce and mortality. The vendor, a symbol of labor and survival, is confronted with the ultimate endpoint: death. Mitelli seems to suggest that life, with all its burdens and endeavors, leads inexorably to the grave. The weight of the vendor’s load, from birdcages to musical instruments, speaks to the relentless demands of daily existence. The raw reality of economic struggle underscores the fleeting nature of life. This piece resonates with an emotional depth, reminding us of the human condition.