Death & Mortality

This 19th-century bookplate, belonging to Joannis Benini and dated 1874, features a motto from Seneca: 'Otium sine literis mors est' (Leisure without literature is death). The engraving is rich with symbolism, depicting putti engaged in study alongside tools of the arts and sciences, reflecting the humanist values of the book's owner.

A formal engraved portrait of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, a prominent 4th-century Syriac Christian deacon and theologian. He is depicted in monastic attire, holding a scroll inscribed with Greek text, symbolizing his prolific output of hymns and biblical commentaries. This frontispiece from a 1743 edition of his works reflects the enduring veneration of his spiritual and literary legacy.

This detailed woodcut depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, standing upon a crescent moon and enveloped in a celestial radiance of stars and light. This iconography, frequently associated with the Woman of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation, was a popular devotional image in early 16th-century religious texts, symbolizing Mary's purity and her role as the Queen of Heaven.

Designed by William Blake and etched by Luigi Schiavonetti, 'Death's Door' is a profound allegorical representation of the transition from life to death and spiritual rebirth. An aged man enters the dark portal of the grave below, while his rejuvenated soul sits in light above, symbolizing the triumph of the spirit over mortality.

This engraving from 'Miroir de la bonne mort' depicts a dying man's final moments, guided by spiritual figures and a vision of Christ's Last Supper. It serves as a devotional aid, encouraging the sick to give thanks to God as Jesus did before his passion, illustrating the 'Ars Moriendi' or art of dying well.

The scene illustrates the administration of Extreme Unction to a dying person, paralleled with Christ's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual preparation and the reception of sacraments in achieving a 'good death' through identification with Christ's suffering.

This engraving depicts the famous Augustinian monk and preacher Abraham a Sancta Clara (1644–1709) in a characteristic pose, delivering a sermon from a pulpit. Known for his powerful and often humorous oratory, he was a significant figure in 17th-century German literature and religious life, and this portrait captures the intensity of his public persona.

This striking frontispiece engraving depicts the personification of Death as a skeleton wielding a scythe, triumphantly standing over the discarded symbols of worldly power and pleasure. The Latin inscription from Hebrews 9:27, 'It is appointed unto men once to die,' serves as a stark reminder of mortality, a central theme in this 18th-century devotional work on the 'art of dying well.'

This intricate woodcut depicts the 'Sancti in coelo' (Saints in Heaven), featuring the Coronation of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Trinity. Surrounded by a multitude of saints and martyrs, the scene captures the celestial hierarchy as envisioned in the mid-16th century. The bold, expressive lines are characteristic of Northern European Renaissance printmaking, serving both a devotional and educational purpose.