
Pieter Claesz
Vanitas, 1656

One of the most important Dutch still-life painters of the 17th century, Pieter Claesz pioneered tabletop still lifes, depicting carefully composed meals that included breads, fruits, and wines. Claesz’s simple compositions are noted for bringing a remarkable presence to familiar items, capturing their rich textures, three-dimensional forms, and the play of light on surfaces. Claesz often included memento mori in his paintings, as in Vanitas (1656), in which a skull and bone are represented alongside an overturned chalice, burning incense, and script music, inviting viewers to reflect upon mortality and the passing of time.


One of the most important Dutch still-life painters of the 17th century, Pieter Claesz pioneered tabletop still lifes, depicting carefully composed meals that included breads, fruits, and wines. Claesz’s simple compositions are noted for bringing a remarkable presence to familiar items, capturing their rich textures, three-dimensional forms, and the play of light on surfaces. Claesz often included memento mori in his paintings, as in Vanitas (1656), in which a skull and bone are represented alongside an overturned chalice, burning incense, and script music, inviting viewers to reflect upon mortality and the passing of time.