A game of skill becomes a macabre joke in this unusual 1922 print by Johannes Josephus Aarts (1881–1934). Dressed as a harlequin, Death attempts to catch a human skull on the pointed end of a bilboquet, a traditional cup-and-ball toy. Combining playful movement with unsettling imagery, the artwork offers a darkly humorous interpretation of mortality and the unpredictability of life.
The print, titled De Dood als harlekijn, bilboquet spelend (Death as Harlequin Playing Bilboquet), depicts Death dressed in a theatrical harlequin costume.
Holding a bilboquet, the skeletal figure attempts to swing a skull onto its pointed spike.
Part of another head appears above the central figure, adding to the composition's mysterious character.
Bold black-and-white contrasts and expressive lines emphasize the unusual subject.
The artwork combines traditional Memento Mori symbolism with elements of dark humor:
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Death as Harlequin: Mortality presented as a playful, unpredictable figure.
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Human skull: The inevitability of death.
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Bilboquet game: Chance, skill, and the uncertainty of human existence.
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Harlequin costume: Theatricality, disguise, and grotesque comedy.
The image transforms a familiar children's game into an unsettling allegory of life and death.
Johannes Josephus Aarts (1881–1934) was a Dutch artist and printmaker known for imaginative, grotesque, and allegorical subjects.
Created in 1922, this print reflects the European tradition of personifying Death through skeletons and theatrical figures.
The subject relates to Memento Mori — Latin for "Remember that you must die" — while introducing a distinctive element of macabre humor.
The original print is preserved in the Rijksmuseum collection, catalogued as De Dood als harlekijn, bilboquet spelend.
- Reproduction of Death as Harlequin Playing Bilboquet by Johannes Josephus Aarts
- Original Dutch print dated 1922
- Skeletal figure dressed in a theatrical harlequin costume
- Death playing a traditional bilboquet game using a human skull
- Unusual combination of Gothic imagery and dark humor
- Traditional Memento Mori symbolism
- Bold historical graphic illustration with expressive linework
- Original artwork held in the Rijksmuseum collection
- Giclée printing on archival paper
- Smooth matte finish
- Available in multiple sizes
- Artwork proportionally scaled to preserve the original composition
- Printed margins may vary by size
- Supplied unframed
- Slight production size tolerance of approximately ±1/16 inch
Handle with clean, dry hands. Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and moisture. Gently remove surface dust with a clean, dry cloth.
