Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" so says the Bible, but Luther bluntly states "teach us so to reflect on death that we may be wise.:
Showing posts with label Vanitas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vanitas. Show all posts
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Vanitas Ode to Hallow The Eve
I'm not one for celebrating Halloween, but hey if you want all things skeletal, then here's a shadow box with a surprising collection of artifacts resembling those objects used in vanitas paintings.
Check out the detail!
Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" so says the Bible, but Luther bluntly states "teach us so to reflect on death that we may be wise.:
Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" so says the Bible, but Luther bluntly states "teach us so to reflect on death that we may be wise.:
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Vanities
Here it is again, vanitas and done as a scrapbook page (oh wow). Plus another sort of poster type vanitas.
My posts are not meant to be this macabre, but these are just depicting the vanities of life.
My posts are not meant to be this macabre, but these are just depicting the vanities of life.
Sunday, 20 June 2010
Vanitas
Not the nicest thing to look at, but back in the 16th and 17th centuries these were quite popular! The images below are taken from the public domain, I have added them here so one can get the idea of how to make one, or do something similar.
This blog posting is something I am anticipating on experimenting with, and that is doing a vanitas of some sort. I am more likely to collage it rather than draw it.
I've posted some images here if anyone else wants to try their hand at it. Basically vanitas is a Latin word that means 'vanities'. The sixteenth century Dutch painters had quite a penchant for it. It was to be representative of the vanity of life and how easily life is snuffed out and gone. So the artists used symbology to depict life and often used a skull to represent the death of life. Generally they were not meant to appear morbid in that respect.
'Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life' by Harmen Steenwyck is a classic example of a Dutch 'Vanitas' painting. It is essentially a religious works in the guise of a still life. 'Vanitas' paintings caution the viewer to be careful about placing too much importance in the wealth and pleasures of this life, as they could become an obstacle on the path to salvation. The title 'Vanitas' comes from a quotation from the Book of Ecclesiastes 1:2, 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.'
Some of the symbols that can be used are:
snuffed candles
skulls (the certainty of death)
flowers (alive or dead)
rotten fruit (about decaying and old age)
ink pottles
smoke
watches
hourglasses
butterflies
seafood
peeled lemon (bitterness)
bubbles
musical instruments
books
regal adornments/ornaments
jewellery (these outlive their wearer)
empty or topped over cup
money
purple silk cloth (wealth again)
Dutch Hendrik Andrieszen
More can be found here and here.
This blog posting is something I am anticipating on experimenting with, and that is doing a vanitas of some sort. I am more likely to collage it rather than draw it.
I've posted some images here if anyone else wants to try their hand at it. Basically vanitas is a Latin word that means 'vanities'. The sixteenth century Dutch painters had quite a penchant for it. It was to be representative of the vanity of life and how easily life is snuffed out and gone. So the artists used symbology to depict life and often used a skull to represent the death of life. Generally they were not meant to appear morbid in that respect.
'Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life' by Harmen Steenwyck is a classic example of a Dutch 'Vanitas' painting. It is essentially a religious works in the guise of a still life. 'Vanitas' paintings caution the viewer to be careful about placing too much importance in the wealth and pleasures of this life, as they could become an obstacle on the path to salvation. The title 'Vanitas' comes from a quotation from the Book of Ecclesiastes 1:2, 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.'
Some of the symbols that can be used are:
snuffed candles
skulls (the certainty of death)
flowers (alive or dead)
rotten fruit (about decaying and old age)
ink pottles
smoke
watches
hourglasses
butterflies
seafood
peeled lemon (bitterness)
bubbles
musical instruments
books
regal adornments/ornaments
jewellery (these outlive their wearer)
empty or topped over cup
money
purple silk cloth (wealth again)
Dutch Hendrik Andrieszen
More can be found here and here.
