Vanitas

Vanitas is a genre of still life that originated in Holland and Northern Europe in the 17th century. Its name comes from the Latin 'vanitas' — 'vanity'. The main theme is the transience of earthly life and the inevitability of death. Paintings often feature skulls, hourglasses ⏳, withered flowers, candles, musical instruments, books — all symbolizing the fleeting nature of beauty, pleasures, and riches.

Such a still life was not intended as interior decoration, but rather as an invitation to reflection. Sometimes artists added humorous details — for example, a skeleton playing a violin. Vanitas is a kind of philosophical note to a contemporary, urging not only to enjoy life but also to remember its fragility.