An eighteenth-century etching by Abraham Delfos documenting the funerary monument of Johannes van den Bergh and Joanna van Teylingen in Leiden.

This print by Abraham Delfos depicts the funerary monument for Johannes van den Bergh and his wife, Joanna van Teylingen, located in Leiden. Executed in 1757, the work captures the formal aesthetic of eighteenth-century Dutch commemorative art. The composition centres on a rectangular tablet inscribed with Latin text, which details the public service and personal virtues of the deceased.

The monument is framed by architectural elements characteristic of the period. Two putti flank the central inscription, each holding a heraldic shield. Above the tablet, a circular emblem features an ouroboros, a symbol of eternity, surrounding a funerary urn. The base of the structure is decorated with acanthus leaf carvings and a skull with crossed bones, a traditional memento mori motif intended to remind the viewer of human mortality.

Delfos employs precise line work to define the textures of the stone, the soft forms of the putti, and the sharp edges of the lettering. The background is filled with fine, diagonal hatching, which creates a subtle depth and allows the monument to project forward from the page. This print serves as a record of a specific memorial, documenting the stylistic choices made by contemporary craftsmen in the Netherlands. The clarity of the engraving reflects the technical skill required to translate three-dimensional stone sculpture into a two-dimensional graphic medium. By preserving the visual details of the monument, Delfos provides insight into the funerary customs and artistic preferences of the Dutch elite during the mid-eighteenth century.