Vase with Flowers by Jan Davidsz. de Heem
If you’ve seen a painting like this in real life, you never
forget it. Way back in the 1600s, Dutch
artists seemed to have secretly developed the art of high-definition full-color
photography some 200 years before the appearance of the first camera. The excruciatingly realistic detail is
phenomenal, and ironically, almost impossible to capture in a photograph!
Initially, you’re stunned by the riotous beauty of the flowers. But looking closer, it is common to find that some of the petals and leaves have begun to wither and decay. You might assume that this is because the artist is merely recording what he actually sees, but you’d be wrong.
You see, these flowers don’t bloom at the same time. So it was actually impossible for the artist to paint this as he saw it because it could never have existed exactly like this. So the wilting and decay were introduced intentionally by the artist.
This painting is an example of a vanitas painting. It seeks to remind the viewer of the fragility of life, and the ultimate destiny of us all. As glorious as things may be now, like the seeded fruit and the grains of wheat, we will all eventually be buried in the earth where we, too, will wither and decay.
It’s somewhat amusing to me, though, that while Dutch vanitas painters sought to emphasize the transient nature of life, their depictions are still with us long after the artists have succumbed to their own prophecies. The paintings preserve the fading beauty, almost forever.
Unlike other Dutch artists, though, de Heem also includes butterflies and moths in his paintings. The transformation of a caterpillar into a beautiful flying creature is used as a symbol of the transformation of a condemned sinner into an eternal being, redeemed by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
De Heem’s butterflies project the hope we have that, in our resurrected state, Beauty will never fade.
Initially, you’re stunned by the riotous beauty of the flowers. But looking closer, it is common to find that some of the petals and leaves have begun to wither and decay. You might assume that this is because the artist is merely recording what he actually sees, but you’d be wrong.
You see, these flowers don’t bloom at the same time. So it was actually impossible for the artist to paint this as he saw it because it could never have existed exactly like this. So the wilting and decay were introduced intentionally by the artist.
This painting is an example of a vanitas painting. It seeks to remind the viewer of the fragility of life, and the ultimate destiny of us all. As glorious as things may be now, like the seeded fruit and the grains of wheat, we will all eventually be buried in the earth where we, too, will wither and decay.
It’s somewhat amusing to me, though, that while Dutch vanitas painters sought to emphasize the transient nature of life, their depictions are still with us long after the artists have succumbed to their own prophecies. The paintings preserve the fading beauty, almost forever.
Unlike other Dutch artists, though, de Heem also includes butterflies and moths in his paintings. The transformation of a caterpillar into a beautiful flying creature is used as a symbol of the transformation of a condemned sinner into an eternal being, redeemed by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
De Heem’s butterflies project the hope we have that, in our resurrected state, Beauty will never fade.
If this is meaningful to you, feel free to keep the artcoin, or place it in another cache to share it with someone else. Whether it's meaningful to you or not, I'd really like to hear from you about your reaction. If you get a chance, send me a note
Want to know more about how God speaks to us through visual art?
Check out Art to Heart: Encounters with God in the world's great art