Memento mori

Memento mori

The mosaic, which is in Second Style, formed the emblem of a floor situated in the triclinium; it presents an allegorical and symbolic approach to the philosophical theme, of Hellenistic origin, of the transience of life and the imminence of death ("memento mori") which, by eliminating the disparities of social class and wealth, restores equilibrium to the vagaries of fate. The upper part of the composition shows a level with a plumb-line, an instrument used by workmen to check the level of buildings. The axis of the plumb bob is death (the skull), while below it is a butterfly (the soul) balanced on a wheel (Fortune). Beneath the arms of the level, which are opposed and perfectly balanced, are the symbols of poverty to the right (the knapsack, the beggar’s stick and the cloak) and the symbols of wealth to the left (the sceptre, purple and the crown). It is worth emphasising the care with which the artist uses colour to give greater precision and characterisation to some of the objects such as the skull or the level, where the different shades of colour make it possible to highlight the wooden part of the instrument and the connecting parts in bronze.