What are vanitas paintings and what do they symbolise?

What are vanitas paintings and what do they symbolise?

A vanitas is a type of still life painting that reminds the viewer about the fleeting nature of life through the use of symbolic objects. It illustrates the futility of earthly pleasures, the transient nature of life, and death's certainty.
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What are vanitas paintings?

A vanitas is a type of still life painting that reminds the viewer about the fleeting nature of life through the use of symbolic objects. It illustrates the futility of earthly pleasures, the transient nature of life, and death's certainty. 

 

Vanitas - Still Life with Books and Manuscripts and a Skull by Evert Collier

Vanitas - Still Life with Books and Manuscripts and a Skull by Evert Collier 

What is the meaning of vanitas paintings?

The term 'vanitas' is inspired by the Bible verse "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 1:2) which emphasises the traditional Christian view that the pursuit of earthly pleasures and possessions is futile when compared to eternal salvation. Vanitas artwork encourages the audience to reflect on the direction of their lives and repent.

Vanitas still life with skull, books and fruit by Harmen Steenwijck

Vanitas still life with skull, books and fruit by Harmen Steenwijck

Understanding the symbolism in vanitas paintings

Common motifs in vanitas paintings include a skull to signify the inevitability of death. Clocks, hourglasses and flowers emphasise the transience of life. In contrast, pipes, playing cards, gold, and jewellery reference worldly wealth, power, and pleasure. Notable vanitas painters include Pieter Claesz (1597– 1660), Harmen Steenwijck (1612 – after 1656) and Evert Collier (1642 – 1708)
Vanitas and memento mori artwork is closely linked. Find out more in our blog post about Memento Mori.

 

Vanitas still-life with 'Boy with Thorn' ('spinario') by Pieter Claesz.jpg

Vanitas still-life with 'Boy with Thorn' ('spinario') by Pieter Claesz 

Interested in learning more? 

Get Death and Mortality: An Image Archive for Artists and Designers in paperback or eBook. This is a brilliantly curated pictorial archive of copyright-free images exploring one of the most prevalently studied subject matters in art, death. This book features an extensive range of 17th and 18th-century etchings and engravings of skeletons, the Grim Reaper, death masks, ghosts, corpses and as extensive pictorial collection from The Dance of Death and much more.

Image Download Included:

We have carefully restored the artwork and provided a download link within the publication where you will locate high-resolution files in JPEG format to speed up your workflow.
No scanning necessary! Follow the instructions found within the book and gain instant access to all images featured.

  
Death and Mortality

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Unusual facts about birds and their skeletons

Unusual facts about birds and their skeletons

An introduction to The Dance of Death and it's symbolic meanings

An introduction to The Dance of Death and it's symbolic meanings