An unusual memento mori etched on iron

A 16th century image featuring two opulently-dressed women vainly admire themselves in a mirror they glimpse Death and the Devil approaching from behind. Death holds a skull and hourglass; the Devil is a contorted creature with two animalistic faces, an imp with a pike in his head. Daniel Hopfer (1471-1536) was an armourer in Augsburg and adapted his techniques to become the earliest artist to created etched iron printing plates. Iron as a medium was soon replaced by copper, which was easier to work and not affected by rust. This allegory of the inevitability of death was etched between 1500 and 1510 and is signed with the initials D.H. and a fir-cone, the emblem of Augsburg. This example was published after David Funcke added a plate number for his 'Operae Hopferianae'.