Rosary Terminal Bead with Lovers and Death's Head, by Unknown (1500, c.)

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Title

Rosary Terminal Bead with Lovers and Death's Head, by Unknown (1500, c.)

Description

"A string of beads is used as a memory aid in the recitation of the rosary, a multipart devotion to the Virgin. Here, the striking terminal bead announces the constant proximity of death by joining a skull to the pair of vivacious lovers. Such an image is known as a memento mori (reminder of death), as it encourages one to reflect on the transience of life." (Description from the Metropolitan Museum of Art webpage,
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/464299, Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20170703194028/https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/464299#!/web/20170703194028mp_/https://www.metmuseum.org:80/)

Gender perspective: The two sexes are represented distinctly but their futures, in the form of a single skeleton, is an indistinct status in which no gender differentiation is possible.

Creator

Unknown

Date

1500, c.

Format

Ivory, with emerald pendant, silver-gilt mount.
Dimensions: 13.6 × 4 × 4.3 cm

Item Relations

Item: Back to back with Death, by several authors (1500, c.) Is related to This Item

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