Clandestien huwelijk achter gordijnen en interieur met figuren rondom een grafkist in Engeland 1738

Bernard Picart etched this image, "Clandestine Marriage Behind Curtains and Interior with Figures Around a Coffin in England," during the early 18th century. The stark juxtaposition of marriage and death is immediately striking. The clandestine marriage above, veiled in secrecy behind curtains, mirrors the funerary scene below, both ceremonies framed by societal expectations. Consider the recurring motif of the curtain; it veils not only the illicit union but also hints at the hidden aspects of life and death themselves. This act of veiling is an ancient symbol— appearing in classical art in depictions of modesty, of the passage of time, and is echoed in funerary rites across cultures, concealing the deceased as they transition. These rituals touch upon our deepest anxieties and desires; the fear of mortality and the yearning for connection. Picart presents us with a vision of life's intertwined moments, continually resurfacing in our collective memory.