Grafkelder van Rubens met twee skeletten in een open kist 1874

Henri François Schaefels created this etching, "Rubens' Tomb with Two Skeletons in an Open Coffin", offering a glimpse into the artist's tomb. Schaefels, who was a Belgian painter known for his maritime scenes, here captures a rare and intimate scene of death. The print encourages us to reflect on the great master Rubens and the transience of life. What does it mean for an artist known for their celebration of life and flesh, to be rendered down to bare bones? Death, often seen as a great leveler, is vividly depicted here. Schaefels invites us to confront mortality. The skeletons in the open coffin evoke a sense of vulnerability and perhaps even discomfort, challenging traditional, often glorified, representations of death. This is the great man stripped bare. This image acts as a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of existence.