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Dedicatory plate with skeletons, by Sturt (1715, c.)
This image is a dedicatory plate, where a coat of arms appears on the top part of the plate and two skeletons appear on each side. The skeletons are probably of different genders (male on the left and female on the right). This is not clearly…
Neutral skeleton surrounded by female figures, by Elstrack (1615)
This image is the title-page ofThe History of the World by Walter Ralegh (1615).The image represents the globe in the top centre, two female angels on each side, a woman in the centre underneath the globe holding it and two more female figures at…
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…
If the image depicts an urn of a married couple, the skull on the left would represent the husband (male) and the skull on…
Skull as memento mori, by Robinson (1683, c.)
The image represents a scene in nature. An artist sketching statues that appear in the scene sits on the bottom right corner. The statue on the right of the artist contains the images of two women. A skull with no gender-specific traits appears on…
Neuter skull for both genders, by Marshall (1630, c.)
In these images, a neuter skull appears either above or below the portrait the engravings represent (John Donne in image 1 and Margaret Herbert in image 2). This indicates that the skull of fame is the same for both genders. The man in image 1…
Saint Peter and Mary Magdalen, by Lombart (1655)
This image represents Saint Peter and Mary Magdalen holding a heart with thorns, Jesus’ heart. The legend in Latin mentions that God grieves with compunged hearts, and thus the heart in the engraving is both of theirs.
Skeleton with a tree, by Sturt (1680, c.)
This illustration represents a skeleton lying on top of a tomb. A tree grows from its abdomen and two men point at the tree. Even though the skeleton lacks any gender distinguishable traits, the way the corpse is exposed in a bed-like situation makes…
Vanitas, by Robinson (1680, c.)
The image represents a skull in the centre with a flower wreath on top. Other objects also appear next to the skull, including an open book on the left, a candle on the right, a shell in front of the skull and bubbles floating around. Even if the…
Denise Poncher before a Vision of Death, by Master of the Chronique scandaleuse (1500, c.)
The image shows death represented as a skeleton with no visible gender attributes and holding several scythes. The skeleton has just killed two women and a man who are lying on the right of the image. A young woman (Denise Poncher) kneels on the left…
Life is short, by Borja (1680)
The hand represented in the emblem is smalll and delicate, perhaps female, to emphasize that the measure of a palm is small, just like life is, as indicated by the title in Latin (Vita Brevis "life is short"). The fragmentation of the body except for…