Title
Vanitas
17th century
Artists
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Details
- Date
- 17th century
- Media category
- Materials used
- engraving
- Dimensions
- 39.8 x 31.8 cm platemark; 52.4 x 39.1 cm sheet (irreg.)
- Signature & date
Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Purchased 1987
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 223.2007
- Copyright
- Artist information
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Jeremias Falck
Works in the collection
- Artist information
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after Bernardo Strozzi
Works in the collection
- Share
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About
An old woman observes her reflection in a mirror held by one of her maids. Her dressing table is littered with perfume bottles and pearls. Images of a lady at her toilet often carried a moralising message about the vanity or emptiness of the things of the world and the inevitability of death. The flowers that the old woman holds are symbols of impermanence and hence of decay. Previously this print was thought to be by Cornelis Visscher after Rubens (see the old pen and ink inscription below the image). The painting by Strozzi on which it is based is in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow.
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Exhibition history
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Old Europe: Prints & drawings from the collection 1500-1800, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 03 Jun 2006–06 Aug 2006
European prints and drawings 1500-1900, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 30 Aug 2014–02 Nov 2014