Ornament with Skulls 17th-18th century

Curator: Here we have "Ornament with Skulls" by Bernard Picart. The piece resides at the Harvard Art Museums and is an etching on a relatively small plate. Editor: It's morbidly beautiful. The skulls are so precisely rendered, yet the overall effect is decorative, almost celebratory. Do you find that contrast intentional? Curator: Absolutely. Picart, born in 1673, was a master of detail. Note the symmetrical composition and the meticulous line work. It elevates the memento mori theme. Editor: The ribbons and foliage intertwined with the skulls create a paradox, don't they? Life and death dancing together. It's a reminder to seize the day... with a touch of macabre humor. Curator: Indeed. It exemplifies how ornament, even when featuring symbols of mortality, can serve as a testament to the beauty found in the fleeting nature of existence. Editor: I see it now. A delicate dance with the inevitable. Makes one think, doesn't it?