Stoffelijk overschot van Michiel de Ruyter, 1881 1881 - 1882

Wegner and Mottu created this print in 1881 depicting the mortal remains of Michiel de Ruyter. At the top, a stone head with an open mouth stares out, evoking the grotesque masks of antiquity. This 'mouth of truth' motif echoes through history, seen in ancient Roman fountains and medieval depictions of hell. The open mouth, a symbol of utterance and consumption, has been linked to the idea of divine prophecy, but here it is trapped in stone, silenced by death. This motif triggers deep-seated anxieties about mortality. Consider the psychological weight of such a symbol. Does it reflect a collective fear of the unknown that resonates across cultures, or perhaps it represents a darker aspect of our subconscious, the inevitable decay and the passage of time that haunt us? This symbol takes on new meanings in different historical contexts, reminding us of the cyclical progression of symbols.