Final answer:
The skull in 'The Ambassadors' serves as a memento mori, a reminder of mortality, creating a stark contrast as viewers walk by and see it in correct perspective.
Step-by-step explanation:
The skull that dominates the pictorial frame in 'The Ambassadors' serves as a reminder of mortality. It is seen in relative perspective as one walks by the painting, and it is anamorphic, meaning it appears distorted when viewed from certain angles. The skull serves as a memento mori, a symbol that reminds viewers of the inevitability of death.
The skull that dominates the pictorial frame in 'The Ambassadors' serves as a reminder of mortality. This anamorphic feature becomes correctly proportioned when viewed from a specific angle, thus confronting viewers with the inevitability of death as they move past the painting. This reflection on the transient nature of life was a common subject during the Renaissance. Additionally, in other contexts like Cézanne's 'Pyramid of Skulls' or the Neolithic decorated skulls from Jericho, skulls often symbolize a resignation to death or the veneration of ancestors, serving as powerful images in the process of mourning or reflection on the afterlife.