Lot number 3479 - Auction 150
VANITAS STILLLEBEN MIT DER ZERBROCHENEN FIGUR DER FLORA, AUFGESCHLAGENEN BÜCHERN MIT MORALISIERNDEN INSCHRIFTEN UND MUSIKINSTRUMENTEN

ATTRIBUTED TO ABRAHAM VAN DER SCHOOR 1603 Utrecht - 1 September 1672 VANITAS STILL LIFE WITH THE BROKEN FIGURE OF FLORA, OPEN BOOKS WITH MORALISING INSCRIPTIONS AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Oil on canvas (old relined). 96 x 83 cm (F. 105 x 93.5 cm). Partially min. old rest., part old retouching, minimal craquelure, loss of colour. Frame. This haunting Vanitas composition combines allegory, symbolism, and the memento mori motif into a densely layered meditation on mortality and the transience of earthly existence. At the center stands a semi-nude female figure adorned with delicate floral garlands. Her contemplative gaze and subdued complexion evoke both sensual beauty and the inescapable decay that shadows it. In the foreground, a pile of open books-some inscribed with legible, likely theological or philosophical texts-suggests the human pursuit of knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. Prominently placed is a small figurine of a child or putto, seated atop a cracked fruit resembling a skull, holding a ring in one hand. This symbol oscillates between the innocence of birth and the inevitability of death, underscoring the fragile nature of life. A white quill rests upon one of the books-an emblem of the written word, the intellect, and the creative spirit, yet also subject to time's erasure. Light plays a deliberate role: it models the woman's features while simultaneously casting long shadows, visualizing the tension between illumination and oblivion. Stylistically, the work draws from the Flemish and Dutch Vanitas traditions of the 17th century, which aimed to confront viewers with the futility of worldly pursuits and the fleetingness of beauty, pleasure, and wisdom. The somber palette, refined brushwork, and the subtle interplay between light and darkness are characteristic of this period's moralizing still lifes and allegorical portraits. (In conjunction with: OpenAI, ChatGPT from 24 July 2025.)