Final answer:
The hourglass and skull in Albrecht Dürer's engraving symbolize mortality, reflecting on the finite nature of life and the passage of time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hourglass and skull in the engraving by Albrecht Dürer are both symbols of mortality. These symbols frequently represent the concept of death or the finite nature of life in various forms of art throughout history. For example, the skull and crossbones have long been associated with death as bones are what remain after decomposition, suggesting the end of life's cycle. Dürer's work, particularly the 'Melencolia I,' is replete with allegorical imagery that contemplates the human condition, the limitations of temporal life, and the inexorable passage of time, evidenced by the inclusion of an hourglass indicating time running out.
In 'Melencolia I,' Dürer employs these symbols to perhaps reflect on his own mortality or the human inability to fully comprehend and imagine states beyond our earthly experiences. This connection to themes of death and the afterlife is not unique to Dürer, as ancient and historical art has often grappled with such subjects, whether through the funereal context of Etruscan banquets or the somber contemplations of figures like Cézanne in his 'Pyramid of Skulls.'