Old Age and Death, from "The Course of Human Life"

Art Historical Context

"Old Age and Death" is a poignant engraving from the series *The Course of Human Life*, created in 1570 by Flemish artist Jan van der Straet, known as Stradanus, with involvement from engraver Pieter Jalhea Furnius and publisher Hieronymus Cock. This work captures the final stages of existence, likely depicting frail elders confronting mortality amid symbolic elements of decay and inevitability. Stradanus, who spent much of his career in Renaissance Florence under Medici patronage, blended Northern precision with Italian Mannerist elegance, making his designs ideal for reproductive prints. As an engraving on a trimmed sheet measuring 8 3/4 × 11 7/8 inches, the medium was revolutionary for its time. Engraving allowed intricate details—fine lines evoking wrinkled skin, somber expressions, and allegorical motifs—to be reproduced affordably, disseminating moral lessons on life's transience across Europe. Hieronymus Cock's Antwerp workshop was a hub for such innovative printmaking, influencing artists from Dürer to Rembrandt. Part of a broader 16th-century fascination with *memento mori* themes, this print from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection reminds viewers of human fragility, urging reflection on virtue and legacy. A stark counterpart to youthful vigor in the series, it embodies the era's blend of humanism and piety.

About the Artist

Jan van der Straet, called Stradanus|Pieter Jalhea Furnius|Hieronymus Cock · 1523–1605

Jan van der Straet, known as Stradanus or Giovanni Stradano, was born in Bruges in 1523 into an artistic family. He received his earliest training in his father Jan van der Straet's painting workshop until the latter's death in 1535, followed by an apprenticeship with Bruges master Maximiliaen Francken from 1535 to 1537. Stradanus then moved to Antwerp, studying under Pieter Aertsen from 1537 to 1...