A Letter to Me and You (Memento Mori)

The concept of "Memento mori" reflects on the insignificance of earthly life in comparison to the enduring experience of the afterlife. This nineteenth-century moralizing double-sided folded letter is addressed to "me and you". It is printed on both sides and reveals various different images and written messages as it is unfolded. On the outside, other than the address to the recipient, a religious illustration is printed. The image begins as Adam depicted alone in Paradise, and then unfolds to show Adam and Eve on either side of the Tree of Wisdom, committing their sin by eating the apple. The image culminates in in the figure of the crucified Christ, and visualizes the sacrifice made to redeem this primordial sin. The other side of the letter addresses worldly sins, and reminds not to care too much for earthly riches. The image begins as a depiction of a well-dressed man and woman in a landscape. By unfolding the letter, the depiction of their lower halves changes to show their skeletons, and below their feet is an image of a corpse being eaten by worms.