Het skelet van een hond, schuin van voren 1818

Christiaan Kramm rendered this skeletal canine in ink and watercolor. The dog, a creature often associated with loyalty and companionship, is here reduced to its bare structure, an enduring memento mori. The symbolism of the dog has shifted across cultures. In ancient Egypt, jackals were associated with funerary rites, guiding souls to the afterlife. In contrast, classical Greek art often depicted dogs as guardians, watching over flocks and homes. Here, Kramm presents us with a stark image, stripped of the vitality we usually associate with this animal. Images of skeletal remains, like Kramm's dog, have long served as potent symbols of mortality. We recall the Danse Macabre, or Dance of Death, from the Middle Ages, where skeletons led the living to their final fate. The emotional weight of these symbols is undeniable, tapping into a deep-seated awareness of our own impermanence. Thus, Kramm’s dog skeleton is not merely an anatomical study but a reflection on the cyclical nature of life and death, a motif that continues to resurface in art, echoing through time and cultures.