An Old Woman scouring a Pot

The old woman, the broken pot, the butterfly and the empty candle-holder are all elements which, taken together, identify the painting as a 'vanitas', an allegory of the transience of life.

This is an early work in the style of Schalcken's teacher, Gerrit Dou. It is reminiscent of Dou's 'niche paintings' - an interior seen through an aperture.