Busacca Gallery

Hand-fabricated 'Memento Mori' necklace in Platinum, 22, 18 and 14 karat white, red, yellow and green golds. Set with a fine Australian Fire Opal weighing 3,35 carats. The wreath is composed of an oval frame of green gold leaves which harbor a multi-colored floral variety. A rose in red gold, an orchid of 22kt yellow gold, a calla lily in white gold with a 22kt yellow gold stamen, along with several 18kt Royal yellow gold forget-me-not blooms. The skeletal hands, arm and leg bone links are all fastidiously made to interlock with a fluid anatomical precision. The clasp is a cleverly designed 'lentoid' mechanism that enables the femurs to securely interlock and rotate yet remain hidden. Unique edition: 01/01

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memento_mori

Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning "Be mindful of death" and may be translated as "Remember that you are mortal," "Remember you will die," "Remember that you must die," or "Remember your death". It names a genre of artistic creations that vary widely from one another, but which all share the same purpose, which is to remind people of their own mortality.



In ancient Rome, the phrase is said to have been used on the occasions when a Roman general was parading through the streets of Rome during the victory celebration known as a triumph. Standing behind the victorious general was a slave, and he had the task of reminding the general that, though he was up on the peak today, tomorrow was another day. The servant did this by telling the general that he should remember that he was mortal: "Memento mori." It is also possible that the servant said, rather, "Respice post te! Hominem te esse memento!": "Look behind you! Remember that you are but a man!", as noted in Tertullian in his Apologeticus.[1] Another phrase used in such a setting is Sic transit gloria mundi.