Memento Mori Collection

Self-portrait with Death Playing the Fiddle, 1872. Artist: Bocklin, Arnold (1827-1901)
Self-portrait with Death Playing the Fiddle, 1872. Found in the collection of the Staatliche Museen, Berlin

Vanitas Still Life with a Tulip, Skull and Hour-Glass (oil on panel)
XIR136795 Vanitas Still Life with a Tulip, Skull and Hour-Glass (oil on panel) by Champaigne, Philippe de (1602-74); Musee de Tesse, Le Mans, France; French, out of copyright

Roman memento mori mosaic. Mosaics consist of small pieces of coloured glass or stone, used to form an image or pattern on a floor or wall

Harlequin and Death, 1907. Artist: Somov, Konstantin Andreyevich (1869-1939)
Harlequin and Death, 1907. Found in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Roman memento mori mosaic. Mosaics consist of small pieces of coloured glass or stone, used to form an image or pattern on a floor or wall

The Knight, Death and the Devil, 1513 (etching)
BEN208710 The Knight, Death and the Devil, 1513 (etching) by DAOErer or Duerer, Albrecht (1471-1528); 19x24.5 cm; Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Tuscany, Italy; (add.info.: The Christian knight)

Isle of the Dead, c. 1905. Private Collection

Selfportrait with skeleton. Artist: Corinth, Lovis (1858-1925)
Selfportrait with skeleton. Found in the collection of Stadtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich

Adam and Eves Family Tree, 1556 (engraving)
XJF476254 Adam and Eves Family Tree, 1556 (engraving) by English School, (16th century); Private Collection; English, out of copyright

Abbot Armand-Jean le Bouthillier de Rance (1626-1700) (oil on canvas)
XIR327030 Abbot Armand-Jean le Bouthillier de Rance (1626-1700) (oil on canvas) by Rigaud, Hyacinthe Francois (1659-1743); Abbaye de la Trappe (Soligny-la-Trappe)

19th century French popular print of the Crucifixion of Christ approx. 1860
5306104 19th century French popular print of the Crucifixion of Christ approx. 1860; Universal History Archive/UIG.

19th century French popular print of the Crucifixion of Christ approx. 1860
5306098 19th century French popular print of the Crucifixion of Christ approx. 1860; Universal History Archive/UIG.

Line drawing from the Lisle Psalter titled 'The three living and the three dead'
1578303 Line drawing from the Lisle Psalter titled 'The three living and the three dead'; (add.info.: Line drawing from the Lisle Psalter titled 'The three living and the three dead')

Death and lovers, c.1890. Creator: Stuck, Franz, Ritter von (1863-1928)
Death and lovers, c.1890. Private Collection

Eve, the Serpent and Death , ca 1510-1515. Creator: Baldung (Baldung Grien), Hans (1484-1545)
Eve, the Serpent and Death , ca 1510-1515. Found in the Collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

Death and the Maiden, 1517. Creator: Baldung (Baldung Grien), Hans (1484-1545)
Death and the Maiden, 1517. Found in the Collection of the Art Museum Basel.

Triumph of Paul III's Fame on death. (From the Series of the life of Pope Paul III), 1687. Found in the Collection of the Musei Civici di Palazzo Farnese, Piacenza.

Memento mori, between 1600 and 1609. Creator: Roelandt Savery
Memento mori, between 1600 and 1609. Additional Info: This painting with its animal skeletons and skulls interspersed with living animals

Vanitas still life with musical instruments, ceremonial vessels, books, an extinguished candle... Private Collection

The Past, 1912. Creator: Rabes, Max (1868-1944)
The Past, 1912. Private Collection

Vanitas Still Life, 1670. Creator: Pieter van der Willigen
Vanitas Still Life, 1670

Allegory of Transience, 1670-1681. Creator: Willem van Mieris
Allegory of Transience, 1670-1681. A young woman with flowers in her apron points to a skull and sheet music lying on a Persian rug on the windowsill

Vanitas Self-Portrait, 1679-1681. Creator: Steenwinckel, Antonie van (active 1671-1688)
Vanitas Self-Portrait, 1679-1681. Found in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp

Memento Mori, c. 1500/1502. Creator: Master MZ
Memento Mori, c. 1500/1502

Trompe l'Oeil with Trumpet, Celestial Globe and Proclamation by Frederik III, 1670. Found in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

A vanitas still life with an open book, a globe, a nautilus goblet, a violin and precious objects, Creator: Collier
A vanitas still life with an open book, a globe, a nautilus goblet, a violin and precious objects. Private Collection

The Knight, the Young Girl and Death, Between 1500 and 1524. Creator: Baldung (Baldung Grien), Hans (1484-1545)
The Knight, the Young Girl and Death, Between 1500 and 1524. Found in the collection of the Musee du Louvre, Paris

An Allegory with Venus and Time, ca 1756. Creator: Tiepolo, Giambattista (1696-1770)
An Allegory with Venus and Time, ca 1756. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Riches and the Death of the Miser, Still Life, ca. 1600. Creator: Francken, Hieronymus II
Riches and the Death of the Miser, Still Life, ca. 1600. Found in the collection of the Art Museum Basel

The Three Ages of Man (After Titian), ca 1681-1682. Creator: Sassoferrato (1609-1685)
The Three Ages of Man (After Titian), ca 1681-1682. Found in the collection of the Galleria Borghese, Rome

Allegory of Vanity and Penitence, Mid of 17th cen. Creator: Canlassi (Called Cagnacci), Guido (Guidobaldo) (1601-1663)
Allegory of Vanity and Penitence, Mid of 17th cen. Found in the collection of the Musee de Picardie, Amiens

Vanitas Still Life, 1704. Creator: Collier, Edwaert (1642-1708)
Vanitas Still Life, 1704. Found in the collection of the Goteborg Konstmuseum

El Tiempo (Time and the old woman), c. 1810. Creator: Goya, Francisco, de (1746-1828)
El Tiempo (Time and the old woman), c. 1810. Found in the Collection of the Musee des Beaux-Arts, Lille

El Tiempo (Time and the old woman), c. 1810. Creator: Goya, Francisco, de (1746-1828)
El Tiempo (Time and the old woman), c. 1810. Found in the Collection of the Musee des Beaux-Arts, Lille

Memento Mori, 1500/02. Creator: Master MZ
Memento Mori, 1500/02

Coat of Arms with a Skull, n.d. Creator: Jan Wierix
Coat of Arms with a Skull, n.d

Illustration of Nukagiva Skulls, 1813. Creator: Unknown
Illustration of Nukagiva Skulls, 1813. In 1803-06, Captain I. F. Kruzenshtern became the first Russian to circumnavigate the globe

Cupid with a Pistol on Top of a Mountain of Skull. Private Collection

Dead raider, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
3788848 Dead raider, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; (add.info.: Dead raider, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Photograph from early 20th century. Caption reads: the end of a raider. N.W. Frontier')

Still life of flowers (oil on canvas)
7440989 Still life of flowers (oil on canvas) by Pietersz, Gerrit (1566-p.1612); 79x67 cm; Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, UK; © Fitzwilliam Museum

Katheryn of Berain (1535-91) 1568 (oil on panel)
NGW238890 Katheryn of Berain (1535-91) 1568 (oil on panel) by Cronenburgh, Adriaen van (c.1525-1604); 97.2x68.6 cm; National Museum Wales; (add.info)

Allegory of Vanity, 1600 (oil on wood)
3959972 Allegory of Vanity, 1600 (oil on wood) by Isaacsz. Pieter Fransz. (1569-1625); 36.4 x 43.5 cm; Kunstmuseum, Basel

Towards the Evening, 1913. Creator: Simberg, Hugo (1873-1917)
Towards the Evening, 1913. Found in the collection of Ateneum, Helsinki

Death as a friend, 1851. Creator: Rethel, Alfred (1816-1859)
Death as a friend, 1851. Private Collection

Fantasy Interior with Jan Steen and the Family of Gerrit Schouten, c
3106622 Fantasy Interior with Jan Steen and the Family of Gerrit Schouten, c.1659-60 (oil on canvas) by Steen, Jan Havicksz

A Vanitas Still Life with a Skull, a Book and Roses, c. 1630 (oil on wood)
3087294 A Vanitas Still Life with a Skull, a Book and Roses, c.1630 (oil on wood) by Heem, Jan Davidsz. de (1606-84); 23.2 x 34.6 cm; Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden; Dutch, out of copyright

Magnificent Still Life with Holbein Bowl, Nautilus and glass cup and fruit bowl, 1678
3087209 Magnificent Still Life with Holbein Bowl, Nautilus and glass cup and fruit bowl, 1678 (oil on canvas) by Kalf, Willem (1619-93); 68x56 cm; Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

All is Vanity, c. 1900. Private Collection

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"Memento Mori: A Reflection on the Impermanence of Life" In the realm of art, the concept of "memento mori" has been a recurring theme throughout history. From Vanitas Still Life with a Tulip, Skull and Hour-Glass to Roman memento mori mosaics, artists have sought to remind us of our mortality. One striking example is Arnold Bocklin's Self-portrait with Death Playing the Fiddle. In this haunting image, Bocklin confronts his own mortality, reminding us that death is an inevitable part of life. Similarly, The Knight, Death and the Devil by Albrecht Dürer depicts a knight valiantly facing death itself as he rides through a desolate landscape. Even in religious contexts like Adam and Eve's Family Tree or Abbot Armand-Jean le Bouthillier de Rance's portrait, we are reminded that no one can escape death's embrace. Sir Thomas Aston at the Deathbed of his Wife captures profound grief and loss as Aston mourns his beloved spouse. Objects such as Desk and Escritoire serve as reminders too; their existence outlasts ours but will eventually crumble into dust just like everything else. Allegory of Vanity portrays worldly possessions as fleeting illusions that hold no true value in the face of eternity. The artwork Harlequin and Death by Konstantin Andreyevich Somov presents an intriguing twist on this theme by juxtaposing humor with mortality. It reminds us that even amidst laughter and joy, death remains ever-present. Hugo Simberg's Towards the Evening takes a more contemplative approach to memento mori. The painting invites viewers to reflect on life's transience while embracing its beauty before darkness falls. In all these works spanning centuries and mediums – from oil paintings to engravings – "memento mori" serves not only as a reminder but also as an invitation.