Epitaaf met rechthoekig compartiment c. 1670 - 1680

Lodovico Mattioli etched this epitaph with rectangular compartment in the late 17th or early 18th century. The cherubic figures at the top, alongside the solemn faces peering from the sides, are not mere decoration, but potent symbols. Consider the vases flanking the central space. Vases such as these have appeared for millennia across cultures, in ancient Greece as funerary urns, and even in the Far East, symbolizing the body as a mere vessel. These are archetypes from our collective memory. The faces, frozen in stone, echo the masks of ancient theater, representing characters and emotions. Here, they evoke the presence of ancestors, watching, judging, and reminding us of our mortality. The visual language speaks to a deeper, subconscious understanding of life, death, and legacy. Observe how Mattioli revives these motifs, layering new meaning onto old forms. The epitaph becomes a stage where memory and emotion intertwine, reflecting the enduring power of symbols to communicate across time.