This is a drawing of a skeletal figure in a sarcophagus with the inscription "VANITAS ET STRVA." The image contains a skeleton lying within a sarcophagus or open coffin, along with symbols of vanity and mortality like a skull and a broken urn. To the right, a goat is next to scattered book pages. In the background are a stone wall and trees. This scene is common in vanitas art, reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and possessions.

Democritus Meditating

1654

Medium: etching on laid paper
Classification: Print
Period: 1651 to 1700
Image size: 3332 × 4145px

Description

This is a drawing of a skeletal figure in a sarcophagus with the inscription "VANITAS ET STRVA." The image contains a skeleton lying within a sarcophagus or open coffin, along with symbols of vanity and mortality like a skull and a broken urn. To the right, a goat is next to scattered book pages. In the background are a stone wall and trees. This scene is common in vanitas art, reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and possessions.

Rights & Source

Open access image from the National Gallery of Art, released under its open access program. Metadata via the NGA Open Data Program (CC0).

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