Male and female skull, by Burghers (1668, c.)

Male and female skull, by Burghers (1668, c.)

This engraving depicts an urn with two birds and a flower. On both sides of the urn, two skulls looking towards the urn.

If the image depicts an urn of a married couple, the skull on the left would represent the husband (male) and the skull on the right, the wife (female). The artist may have wanted to represent the gender differences between the skulls by placing the left skull in a higher position and on the left margin, the one we usually read first, but also by its size, since it is slightly bigger when compared to the skull on the right.

Burghers, Michael (1653-1727)

1668, c.

Etching.
Dimensions: 6,1 × 16 cm