Memento Mori

White lead on black paper, 2023
40cm x 50cm

In the tradition of vanitas art, my own drawing aims to capture the transient and fragile nature of life. I employ a classical, minimalist composition and established symbolism: the hourglass at the center marking the passage of time, the moth perched delicately on the rim representing the brevity and beauty of life and, in the shadowed background, the skull serving as a memento mori.

With meticulous shading and chiaroscuro effect, my aim was to create a sense of depth and realism and to draw viewers into a contemplative state, to inspire a moment of quiet reflection on the significance of mortality.