Karel Ferdinand van Berry op zijn sterfbed 1823

This print by Abraham Girardet depicts Charles Ferdinand of Berry on his deathbed. Observe the somber stillness, the expressions of grief etched on the faces of the onlookers. This scene, with its emphasis on mourning and the figure of the deceased, evokes the ancient Roman tradition of death masks and funeral effigies, intended to preserve the likeness and memory of the departed. The motif of the deathbed itself is a powerful symbol, echoed through centuries of art—from medieval depictions of saints in their final moments to the Renaissance lamentations of Christ. Note the central figure, illuminated and supine, recalling the deposition scenes where Christ is laid down after the crucifixion. Here, death as a spectacle engages deep, subconscious emotional responses, confronting us with mortality and loss. The iconography of grief—the bowed heads, the clasped hands—reappears across cultures and eras, a testament to the enduring human experience of sorrow. This scene invites contemplation on the cyclical nature of life, death, and remembrance, a dance of symbols performed across the stage of history.