Tric-trac Players by Candlelight 1619 - 1628

Lucas Vorsterman the Elder created this engraving, Tric-trac Players by Candlelight, where figures huddle around a table, illuminated by a single candle. The flame, a beacon in the darkness, symbolizes more than mere light. It evokes the ephemeral nature of life and the precarious balance of fortune, much like the game of tric-trac they are playing. The candle motif flickers through art history, from vanitas paintings reminding us of mortality to spiritual illuminations signifying divine presence. Consider the presence of candlelight in Caravaggio’s works, how they amplify the drama and emotional intensity of the scene. There’s an element of the uncanny here, the way the candlelight reveals the figures' faces, pulling them out of the darkness. It's a dance between revelation and concealment. This single light source plays on our subconscious fears and desires, engaging us on a primal level with themes of risk and fate. The candle's flame, like life, dances until it eventually fades. It echoes through centuries, reminding us of our fleeting existence in an endless cycle.