Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 16: Still Life - Vanitas Still Life with Self-Portrait

by Pieter Claesz

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the artwork's genre.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

Dutch painter Pieter Claesz's 'Vanitas Still Life with Self-Portrait' is a special kind of still life called a 'vanitas.' In vanitas artwork, the objects symbolize 'the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death.' ('Veritas' entry on Wikipedia.org) This painting features a violin and its bow, a glass mirror ball, an extinguished oil lamp, a face-down pocket watch with its back open to expose its inner gears, a cracked nut, an overturned glass roemer, a skull, a book, folders, papers, an overturned inkwell, a black pen holder, and a quill. Look closely at the glass ball to expand your view of the room. Note the brightly lit window, the beams of the ceiling, the doorways, the chairs, and the artist sitting at his easel while creating this painting. Note how the objects emphasize the fleeting passage of time and transience of life - the wine has been consumed, the lamp is extinguished, the ink is expended, and perhaps the pocket watch has stopped.

Vocabulary

Still Life: A painting or drawing of an arrangement of objects, typically including fruit and flowers and objects contrasting with these in texture, such as bowls and glassware.
Vanitas: A still-life painting of a 17th-century Dutch genre containing symbols of death or change as a reminder of their inevitability.
Pocket Watch: A watch on a chain, intended to be carried in the pocket of a jacket or vest.
Roemer: A traditional German drinking glass.
Easel: Not alive and showing no sign of life, especially not in the manner of animals and humans.
Transience: The state or fact of lasting only for a short time.

Concepts

1. Still life genre artwork features inanimate objects such as flowers, fruit, books, musical instruments, and bowls and other dinnerware.
2. Still lifes may include small bugs or other living creatures, but breathing, moving things are not the focus of paintings classified in the genre.
3. Although still lifes are not a well-respected form of painting artistically, still lifes sell well commercially.
4. Still lifes may contain animals, although the animals in still lifes are typically non-living unlike animal art where the animals are alive.
5. Four common types of still life include 1) Flowers, 2) Fruit, 3) Non-living animals, and 4) Symbolic.
6. See below examples of the four common types of still lifes: 1) Hans Memling's 'Vase of Flowers' (Flowers), 2) Fede Galizia's 'Maiolica Basket of Fruit' (Fruit), 3) Giacomo Francesco Cipper's 'Still Life of Fish and Shellfish' (Non-living animals), and 4) 'Vanitas' by Harmen Steenwijck (Symbolic).

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:

• Pieter Claesz
• Glass Ball
• Pen Holder
• Opened Pocket Watch
• Quill
• Inkwell
• Violin and Bow
• Oil Lamp
• Skull
• Cracked Nut
• Roemer
• Folder

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Map the Artist

Zoom in on the map of Europe to find the artist's country, the Netherlands.

Activity 4: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 35 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 5: Create Your Own Still Life   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 36 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'
• Using crayons, color pencils, pastels, or paint, create your own still life.
• Beforehand, discuss which type of still life you plan to create: 1) Flowers, 2) Fruit, 3) Non-living animals, 4) Symbolic, and/or 5) Your Own Special Creation.
• Also consider whether you plan to create a special type of still life such as a trompe-l'oeil or a vanitas.

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The character is the artist himself, Pieter Claesz, although we only see his inanimate reflection.

1 / 5

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 5

Answer 2

The setting is in an indoor room, perhaps in a house.

2 / 5

Question 3

What reminders does the painting provide about the fleeting passage of time and transience of life?

3 / 5

Answer 3

The wine has been consumed, the lamp is extinguished, the ink is expended, and perhaps the pocket watch has stopped.

3 / 5

Question 4

Into which genre is this painting classified?

4 / 5

Answer 4

This painting falls into the still life genre.

4 / 5

Question 5

What special type of still life is the painting?

5 / 5

Answer 5

This painting is a vanitas still life.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? The character is the artist himself, Pieter Claesz, although we only see his inanimate reflection.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is in an indoor room, perhaps in a house.
3. What reminders does the painting provide about the fleeting passage of time and transience of life? The wine has been consumed, the lamp is extinguished, the ink is expended, and perhaps the pocket watch has stopped.
4. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the still life genre.
5. What special type of still life is the painting? This painting is a vanitas still life.

References

'Vanitas.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Still Life.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.