Vanitas still life

Treck, Jan Jansz. (ca. 1606-1652)

Item type:

painting

Date of creation:

1648

Height:

90.5 cm  (35 5/8 in.)

Width:

78.4 cm  (30 7/8 in.)

Technique / Medium:

oil on oak

Description

Musical references include a stringed instrument, probably a violin (only the neck can be seen); a bow is tucked beneath a music book; and a recorder wedged behind the hourglass. The latter juxtaposition embodies the concept of music requiring time to be performed; death interrupts the passage of time and life, and thus also the playing of music. Similarly, the shallow shell and reed used for blowing bubbles resting upon the open music book is a reminder of the inherently ephemeral aspect of musical performance.

Iconclass

11R6
'Vanitas' still life

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Violin [3573] (only the neck can be seen)
Recorder [4039]
Bow [2207]

Musical works

legible music notation

RIdIM images

Image URLs

image link 2

Bibliographic references

Wieseman, Marjorie E. Vermeer and music: The art of love and leisure (London: National Gallery Company, 2013) 58, cat. no. 19. RILM 2013-5919.

RIdIM record id

3561