Death's Coat of Arms

Wenceslaus Hollar after Hans Holbein the Younger after Abraham van Diepenbeeck

National Gallery of Art

The image is an engraving depicting a scene framed by intricate architecture. In the center, a man and a woman face each other, both standing upright. The man on the left wears a robe and a plumed hat, while the woman on the right wears elaborate clothing and a decorative hairstyle. Between them is a large cloth with a skull and hourglass motif, which they both touch. Male figures on pedestals flank them. At the top are two reclining cherubs, and at the bottom, two seated cherubs each holding an hourglass, with skulls between them. The background shows classical architecture with columns and floral elements.