Acherontia atropos is a large moth known for the skull-like marking on its thorax. Its name refers to figures from Greek mythology, with Acherontia referring to Acheron, a river linked to the underworld, and Atropos being one of the Fates who cuts the thread of life, symbolising death. In folklore, it was believed to predict events such as illness, famine, or death, and in some traditions its presence in a house meant someone there would soon die. Lizars echoes this sense of unease in his etching, with its sharp lines and strong contrasts reinforcing the subject’s ominous character.