Death and the Three Nude Women

In the Renaissance, Death in the company of women was a memento mori, a reminder that life is transitory and vanity useless. But rarely are the women so unidealized. While Death eyes the youngest, the artist draws attention to the plump woman making an erotic gesture. Such was the irreverence of the Beham brothers. After Barthel died, in 1540, Sebald reworked several of his plates, including this one.