~Silvia Moreno-Garcia
For the last spooky Art Thursday, memento mori-- reminders that life is short, and death comes for everyone, even fancy people. (I think of Shelley's "Ozymandias" as a poetic memento mori.)
Epitaph for Johann Nepomuk Joseph Freiherr von Zech auf Neuhofen (1732-1757)
created by Ignaz Günther
photo by Steve Collis
Small Death, Austria, 1500s
attributed to Hans Leinberger
Memento mori, c. 1894
by Ernst Platz
Death Comes to the Banquet Table - Memento Mori
Giovanni Martinelli
Memento Mori on an early 16th century rosary, carved ivory; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Photo of a Memento mori ring on display at Norwich Castle Museum
photo by Geni
Life and Death
Unknown
2 comments:
These are fascinating...and spooky indeed.
The memento mori by Platz tells a little story. One imagines the climber falling off the cliff?
The one on the early 16th century rosary is particularly interesting and very well carved.
Feels odd to say it considering the images, but Happy Halloween anyway. :-)
Memento mori are supposed to encourage you to savor the day (since life is short) so saying Happy Halloween is entirely appropriate!
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