Indifferent 1900

Paul-Albert Besnard created this intaglio, titled ‘Indifferent,’ featuring Death with his scythe standing over a fallen man. The skeletal figure of Death is a potent symbol, echoing across millennia, from ancient depictions of Hades to medieval allegories of the Grim Reaper. Notice how Death nonchalantly rests his foot upon the man, a gesture that appears in countless artistic interpretations, each reflecting cultural anxieties about mortality. Consider, for instance, how the Roman god Orcus was often depicted with a similar posture of dominance over the deceased. The scythe, too, speaks to a deep-seated human understanding of life's cyclical nature, reminiscent of Cronus, who used a sickle to castrate his father, Ouranos, in Greek mythology, thus initiating a new cosmic order. This symbol resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings as humankind grapples with its mortality. Such imagery isn’t merely illustrative but rather serves as a profound cultural touchstone, engaging us on a visceral, subconscious level.