Allegorie op de vergankelijkheid (Vanitas) 1745

Johannes de (II) Groot's 1745 etching, *Allegorie op de vergankelijkheid (Vanitas)*, is a classic example of the *vanitas* genre, emphasizing the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. Depicting three figures amidst a scattering of symbolic objects, the work highlights themes of mortality and the ephemerality of earthly pleasures. The artist's use of light and shadow creates a sense of drama, while the intricate detail of the objects and the figures' poses further emphasizes the richness and fragility of human existence.