1/28/2024 0 Comments Memento mori meaning![]() One of the most obvious similarities is that both themes have to do with death. Memento Mori Memento mori by Crispijn van de Passe (I), 1594, via Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam For example, the presence of a candle that’s either burning or was just recently put out is a popular way to symbolize the transience of life. The more indirect way of showing the theme of memento mori is through the presence of objects or motifs that indicate the ephemeral character of life. The more direct case is when one can find the presence of a skull or skeleton that is associated with things or persons which can be linked to living. The theme is found quite often in painting, either in a direct or indirect way. To symbolize the inevitability of death, artworks usually employ the image of a skull to signal mortality. The theme was highly popularized in the Middle Ages with the motif of danse macabre, which acts as a visual illustration for the memento mori saying. Just like the vanitas theme, the memento mori one has a long history ranging from ancient times, particularly the art of ancient Rome and Greece. Therefore, we must remember that all men must die in the end and there is no avoiding it. Our current well-being doesn’t warrant in any way that we will be able to escape death. The meaning of memento mori is a cautionary remark that reminds us how even if we are living in the present and we enjoy our youth, health, and life in general, this is all illusory. The origin of the memento mori theme can be found in the same Latin phrase that translates into “remember you must die.” Similar to the vanitas, the memento mori puts an emphasis on the ephemerality of life and on the fact that life is always followed by death. What Is a Memento Mori? Still life with vanitas symbols by Jean Aubert, 1708-1741, via Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam It can also simply show a direct and straightforward depiction of the passage from The Book of Ecclesiastes. For example, the artwork can contain a display of luxurious things that emphasizes this. A vanitas will convey the message of the uselessness of vanities in either a direct or an indirect manner. The saying “vanity of vanities” has the purpose of emphasizing the uselessness of all earthly things, acting as a reminder of the coming of death.Ī vanitas artwork can be called as such if it makes visual or conceptual references to the passage quoted above. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, vanity is frowned upon because it deals with impermanent things that avert our attention from the only certainty, namely that of death. ![]() Vanity is closely related to pride and ambition regarding material and ephemeral things. The line in question is the following: “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanity, all is vanity.”Ī “vanity,” according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is the act of being overly interested in one’s appearance or achievements. The term “vanitas” has its origins in the first lines of the Book of Ecclesiastes from the Bible. Memento Mori: What is a Vanitas? Allegorie op de vergankelijkheid (Vanitas) by Hyeronymus Wierix, 1563-1619, via Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
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