A Portrait With a Deathly Secret

Turn this painting around for a surprise

This impressive portrait of a man in the prime of life has been attributed to the early career of Andrea Previtali, an Italian painter from the Bergamo area, who was more commonly known as 'Cordeliaghi', because he was the son of a dealer in threads (corde) and needles (aghi).

But this portrait hides a secret; the artist actually painted both sides of the panel. While the front (or recto) shows this classic Renaissance portrait, the reverse (or verso) holds a surprise...

It's a Memento Mori (literally meaning "remember to die", but more commonly interpreted as "don't forget Death"). These types of paintings typically featured a skull as a reminder of human mortality.

In this panel, Cordeliaghi suspends a Latin inscription above the broken skull which balances precariously on its two remaining teeth. The inscription reads: “This is the beauty, this the form that remains. This law is the same for all.”

According to the experts at the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, the painting is meant as a warning against the vanity of earthly beauty; almost as a counterpoint to the youthful vitality of the man on the front.

To make sure viewers could see both sides of the panel, it was originally set in a frame which probably rested on a rotating support, as indicated by the fact that the skull is upside down in relation to the portrait.

Behind life, there is always death lurking around the corner.


Explore more examples of death in art:
- The Art of Day of the Dead
- Death: From Our Ancestors to the Artisans