Vanitas
During the sixteenth and seventeenth century, many artists were intrigued with the art style of Vanitas. It began in the Netherlands, which then branched out to other countries. Vanitas often symbolized death, aging, the brevity of human life, and some kind of earthy pleasure. Latin for "emptiness," it is a smaller way to describe the meaningless way of the earthiness of the vanity. A vanitas painting often characterizes objects that are not always pleasant to people, like skulls, skeletons, and objects like rotting fruit and smoke. Some of these paintings are usually dark in color and are depicted as creepy, but some of them aren't as creepy as others.
A painting...
![Picture](/uploads/5/1/8/7/5187189/9119825.jpg)
Vantias 1625
This vanitas painting, "Vanitas, 1625" is by Dutch artist Pieter Claesz. He uses monochromatic palettes and and little light, that makes the scene much more realistic and eerie. Claesz also paints still life paintings. As for the emptiness for the picture, the vanitas is dark and cold. In this still life, he uses a candle and watch to prelude the passing of time, while the skull and the wilted flower depict death. The painting acts as as warning about holding onto material possessions and earthy matters of the earth.
Vanitas List
Old watch; wilted leaves; textbook; calendar; diary; coins; candlestick; old toy; skeleton