Curatorial Notes
The Latin term memento mori describes a traditional subject in art that addresses mortality. In Harnett’s example, the extinguished candle, spent hourglass, and skull symbolize death. A quote from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, inscribed on the inside cover of a tattered book, reinforces the theme. It comes from the play’s famed graveyard scene where Hamlet discovers a skull and grimly ponders his beloved Ophelia, ironically unaware that she is already dead. The "paint" in the quote not only refers to Ophelia’s makeup, but also wittily evokes the artifice of Harnett’s picture.
Artwork Identification
Title Memento Mori, "To This Favour"
Title (PT) Memento Mori, "Para Este Favor"
Title (ES) Memento Mori, "A este favor"
Artist William Michael Harnett
Artist Bio William Michael Harnett (American, 1848–1892)
Date 1879
Work Type Painting
Location & Collection
Institution Cleveland Museum of Art
Source View Museum Page
License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
