Engraved by Hendrick Hondius (Orenstein 1996)
Signed Hh.f. by Hendrick Hondius
21.5 x 13.7 cm
Monograms of deceased artists on pyramids: AD [Albrecht Dürer]; L [Lucas van Leyden]; D [?]; MVH [Maarten van Heemskerk]; AG [Heinrich Aldegrever]; HS [Hans Schäufelein]
On the fictive paper:
Transcription:
POST FUNERA VITA
Pallida Mors omnes petit. huic parere necesse est.
Non Color hic ullus, non juvat ullus Honos.
Qui bene vixerunt, horum est POST FUNERA VITA :
Qui bene pinxerunt vivere Morte puta.
Ad vivum pictis tabulas nova vita paratur.
Post mortem ut possit vivere quisque parent.
Translation:
Pale death1 attacks all. We have to obey it. No colour or honour is of any help here. For those who have lived well, there is life after burial. [As for] those who have painted well, consider that they live in death. A new life is set out in lifelike paintings2: let each set out to be able to live after death.
