Death Appearing to a wedded Couple from an open Grave (only state)

To modern eyes, this appears to be a somewhat macabre subject. However, death was much more part of daily life in the seventeenth century and the memento mori, or reminder of death, was a popular motif in art.

This allegorical scene depicts Death in the shape of a skeleton, rising from a grave. Casually resting against his scythe, he proffers an hourglass to a young couple, a symbol of time running out. The well-dressed couple, wearing feathered hats and sumptuous costumes, do not seem to perturbed; indeed, the young man is smiling down at Death while raising his left hand in greeting. The young woman appears to be offering him a flower, a symbol of the transience of life.

This print is lightly etched; some parts are only barely sketched using quick, free lines. The young man's bust is much less defined than his face and legs; the foreground is minimal, with a handful of lines summarily indicating vegetation.