Harmen Steenwyck's 'Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life'

This is a description of 'An Allegory of the Vanities of Human' Life by Harmen Steenwyck, painted around 1640. It is an oil painting on oak wood panel, about 40 cm high and 50 cm wide. A broad frame in dark blackened wood focuses attention on the jewel-like colours, and in the lowered lighting of the gallery, the picture appears to be glowing with its own light source.

The picture is broadly divided into two triangles. In the upper left triangle, there is grey, empty space. In the lower triangle, a collection of objects is heaped on a plain wooden table top, close to eye level. The objects fit tightly within a wedge-shaped arrangement, lowest on the left, highest on the right. The drama is provided by a beam of light which slants diagonally across the composition from the top left corner, catching and gleaming on the reflective surfaces of the objects, making them gently glow. A profound stillness makes us aware of the care taken to organise what initially seems a random composition.

Starting at the left edge of the table, a sea-shell is set slightly apart from the other objects. It is large enough to fill the palm of a hand, a cream-coloured spiral shape with a pearl-like shine. To the right of the shell is the black and gold handle and hilt of a sword. The blade is in a black and gold sheath, extending across the table to the right, becoming hidden among the other objects, which include a bundle of pink silk cloth. Just in front of the sword hilt is an open pocket watch.

Protruding over the front edge of the table is one end of a pale wooden recorder. It disappears under the jaw of a human skull that stares out at us from empty eye sockets, its teeth hanging over the table edge. The skull tilts to the right, resting on one of two leather bound books, the other propped up behind it. Their covers are slightly lifted, as if they have been read and held open many times. Behind the skull’s polished, rounded cranium, a small brass spherical oil lamp is releasing a wisp of smoke from its spout.

Stacked up towards the back of the table, to the right, is the domed back of a wooden lute, and below that, the fluted mouth of a type of oboe.

Furthest to the right, and forming the highest point of the triangular shaped mound of objects, is a large earthenware wine flask, with a frayed loop of rope as a handle.

Wide bellied and with a narrow base, it stands on a box with the artist’s signature on it. Its volume is balanced by heavy folds of dark fabric, falling over the side of the table, in deep blue tones.

The artist uses his mastery of oil paint techniques to convey the details of textures and surfaces: we might imagine exploring them with the fingers, the cool metal, warm polished wood, and slippery sheen of satin.

Each object appears real, and yet has a symbolic meaning. The skull reminds us of the brevity of life, the musical instruments suggesting pleasure, the pocket watch, the passing of time. They remind us of the futility of pursuing riches, power, or accolades. This was a popular theme for Dutch still life paintings, referred to in the painting’s title of vanitas, or vanity. The painting suggests we should spend our time wisely, and appreciate the beauty of life around us.