Death Surprising a Woman

A sturdy woman, who looks as if she just arose from a Michelangelo tomb, inspects herself in the mirror. But, this moment of vanity will not last. A wheel and a wing indicate the fleeting and unpredictable fortunes of life, and the certainty of Death's arrival is underscored by the Latin inscription, meaning Made human, they shall perish. Is the M monogram a nod to Michelangelo or the signature of an unidentified engraver? The answer seems to have followed the artist to the grave.