Melancholia c. 1615

Domenico Fetti’s *Melancholia* (c. 1615), a Baroque-era oil painting, depicts a woman in a contemplative pose, holding a skull while surrounded by objects symbolizing mortality. Fetti was a Venetian painter, known for his intimate and evocative depictions of human emotions. The woman's sorrowful expression and the surrounding objects, such as the hourglass, books, and dog, create a poignant atmosphere of contemplation and transience. This artwork explores the human condition, death, and the fleeting nature of life.