Allegory of Transience 1670 - 1681

Willem van Mieris's "Allegory of Transience" (1670-1681) is a Dutch Golden Age painting that exemplifies the genre of *vanitas*. The painting features a young woman in a window niche, pointing towards a skull and an open book, symbolizing mortality and the fleeting nature of life. Other elements like the wilting flowers and ornate rug also contribute to the theme of transience. The painting is now on display at the Rijksmuseum, and serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death, a popular theme in Dutch art of the 17th century.