Death and the Lovers, ca. 1498

About the Work

A young couple on a leisurely stroll—at first sight an idyllic scene. What lies behind it, however, is a warning against the vice of adultery. The man invitingly points the way, the sword dangling between his legs an erotic allusion to the ambiguity of his gesture. His companion’s bonnet identifies her as a married woman. In silent consent, she fixes her gaze firmly on the proposed path. A grinning Death holds up an hourglass as a reminder of life’s transience.