Vanitas stilleven 1888 - 1891

Willem (II) Steelink's "Vanitas stilleven" (1888-1891) is a striking example of the Vanitas genre, which uses symbolic objects to reflect on mortality. The etching depicts a human skull resting on an open book, alongside a quill pen, a goblet, and seashells. The skull, a traditional symbol of death, serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of life, while the objects around it symbolize the passage of time and the inevitability of death.