This is a painting by a 17th Century Dutch painter named Willem Claeszoon Heda. This painting features a lot of symbolism in the objects used within the painting and is a clear representation of a ‘Vanitas’ still life painting whihc was incredibly popular in the mid 17th century wiht ‘vanitas’ being Latin for ‘vanity’. It was the only religious art approved in the netherlands.

Willem Claeszoon Heda, has put the white paper in the middle of the painting as our eye is immediately drawn to the brightest part of the painting/photograph. From there, the pipe leads out eye towards the rotten fruit, whereas the glass takes our attention to the skull. What I assume to be an empty candle holder is placed the highest in the painting, therefore it must carry the most amount of meaning. The light is painted as coming from the side, directly shining onto the skull and creating many eerie shadows, reflecting the many death motifs.

Heda incorporates a lot of skulls, which was a key component of a vanitas painting. The skulls were meant to serve as a reminder of ones mortality and came about around 1620 in The Netherlands after 2 outbreaks of bubonic plague. They were meant to serve as a remider of the inevitability of death. The overturned glass in this painting is a symbol of the emptiness of life and the candle holder reminds the viewer that life is eventually snuffed out and we dont live forever. The pipes represent earthly pleaures and the rotting fruit symbolises the futility of trying to live without God and was also another reminder of mortality.