This exhibit consists of four galleries, each focused on a different aspect of vanitas paintings, the symbols found within them, and their connection to Dutch culture. They are presented sequentially, each building on the previous to explore the intricate layers of these paintings.
The items in this exhibit can be found in the Collection. We encourage you to explore freely, notice themes, and appreciate each artist's skill.
Each piece in this collection represents a masterful marriage of art, technology, religion, and culture. This exhibit strives to provide additional context about the symbols found in vanitas pieces as well as the state of Dutch culture at the time. We invite you to reflect on your own perceptions of the European Renaissance and immerse yourself in the world of Vanitas.
Use the NEXT and PREV buttons to navigate through the exhibit pages. Red text indicates a link that provides more information for you to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vanitas is an artistic genre that gained popularity among 17th-century European painters. Evolving from memento mori art, vanitas paintings depict still life objects that point towards the tumultuous religious, political, economic, and intellectual climate following the Protestant Reformation, as well as the transience of life.
Read more about Vanitas paintings!
This collective seeks to present an interactive database of vanitas paintings from the Netherlands in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. By tracing prominent themes and symbolic items within these paintings, this project explores the close connection between religion, technology, and mortality in Early Modern Europe.