The Duchess of Darkness

PHOTOGRAPHER / MephistoArt

The central figure is Harpocrates, the child Horus, seated on a lotus inside a papyrus boat. His finger-to-mouth gesture and youthful side-lock identify him as Horus the Child, while the lotus and boat connect him with the rising sun, rebirth, and cosmic renewal. Above him, an ouroboros encloses magical words and signs. The surrounding Greek letters, vowel sequences, and characteres form a protective spell; one inscription asks to “protect the wearer of your holy seal.” The gem was therefore used as a personal protective amulet.

The Great Chain of Being [scala naturae] from Didacus Valades, Rhetorica Christiana, 1579

This print is part of the work "Bizzarie di varie Figure" made by the Italian artist Giovanni Battista Bracelli in 1624. The work is known for its surrealist style and features human figures made up of geometric shapes such as cubes, intertwined rings and squares. Bracelli, nicknamed "The Bigio", was an engraver and painter active in Florence and Livorno during the first half of the 17th century.

Italian school (19th-20th century) - Memento mori.

La Mort - Georges Antoine Rochegrosse, 1910.

Antonio Tempesta. Italy. 1598

Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno.

A captivating Art Nouveau ring featuring a luminous oval opal embraced by a finely sculpted yellow gold serpent. The natural opal displays vivid flashes of green, blue, and crimson, while the serpent's richly textured scales reflect exceptional goldsmithing. Symbolizing wisdom, eternity, and transformation, the design beautifully captures the organic elegance of the Art Nouveau movement.

Decorated with engraved enamel, faceted purple crystal, and meticulous hand engraving, this remarkable jewel embodies the Victorian fascination with memento mori, transforming mortality into a profound work of wearable art and exceptional craftsmanship.

The Last Judgment Triptych, Hell Panel (detail) - Hans Memling, 15th Century.

Location: Tingsted Church, Falster, Denmark.

Leonhard Kern. The Dance of Death, mid-17th century. ivory, Overall: 10.2 x 8.9 x 2.5 cm. The Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Photo: Larry Ostrom. AGOID.29506

English or Dutch. Skull Pendant: Crucifixion on Altar, and Skeleton, 17th century. Gold, enamel, diamonds, Open: 1.4 × 1.2 × 4 cm. The Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Photo © AGO