Stilleven met vissen en een kreeft 1850 - 1891

Théodule Ribot created this still life with fish and a lobster with oil on canvas. Here, the fish and lobster, common symbols in still life painting, speak to more than just everyday objects. They evoke a sense of abundance but also mortality. The motif of the fish, seen here in its stillness, appears throughout art history, from early Christian art where it symbolized Christ, to Dutch Golden Age paintings where it represented wealth and transience. Consider its presence alongside the lobster. This crustacean, with its protective shell, can also be found in earlier artworks as a symbol of status, reminiscent of family crests. Yet here, it lies inert, part of a collection of edible fare. Through Ribot's painting, we see the cyclical journey of symbols, how they can transform from emblems of divinity or power into reminders of our fleeting existence. These images, laden with cultural memory, resonate within us, stirring deep, subconscious recognitions.