Futility Collection (#5)

Allegory of Death (Book of Hours), c. 1510. Artist: Master of Jacques de Besancon (active 1500-1515)
Allegory of Death (Book of Hours), c. 1510. Found in the collection of the Free Library of Philadelphia

The visit at the death. From the Series Capriccios, Mid of the 18th cen Artist: Tiepolo, Giambattista (1696-1770)
The visit at the death. From the Series Capriccios, Mid of the 18th cen.. Found in the collection of the State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

The Three Ages of Man (Reading a Song), c. 1501. Artist: Giorgione (1476-1510)
The Three Ages of Man (Reading a Song), c. 1501. Found in the collection of the Palazzo Pitti, Florence

The Triumph of Death, ca 1445-1447. Artist: Anonymous
The Triumph of Death, ca 1445-1447. Found in the collection of the Palazzo Abatellis, Palermo

Time orders Old Age to destroy Beauty, 1746. Artist: Batoni, Pompeo Girolamo (1708-1787)
Time orders Old Age to destroy Beauty, 1746. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Death Comes to the Banquet Table (Memento Mori), c. 1635. Artist: Martinelli, Giovanni (1604-1659)
Death Comes to the Banquet Table (Memento Mori), c. 1635. Found in the collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art

Opportunity makes a thief. (La commodita fa l uomo ladro), 1678. Artist: Mitelli, Giuseppe Maria (1634-1718)
Opportunity makes a thief. (La commodita fa l uomo ladro), 1678. From a private collection

Where gold speaks, every tongue is silent. (Dove l oro parla, ogni lingua tace), 1678. From a private collection

Vanitas. Artist: Paolini, Pietro (1603-1682)
Vanitas. Found in the collection of the State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Vanitas Still Life, 1648. Artist: Treck, Jan Jansz. (1605-1652)
Vanitas Still Life, 1648. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Allegory of Wealth and Luxury, 1611. Artist: Swanenburgh, Willem van (1582-1616)
Allegory of Wealth and Luxury, 1611. From a private collection

Allegory of the Vanity and Transitory Nature of Worldly Possessions, 1608. Artist: Swanenburgh, Willem van (1582-1616)
Allegory of the Vanity and Transitory Nature of Worldly Possessions, 1608. From a private collection

Death with an Arrow About to Strike the Man Down, 1609. Artist: Swanenburgh, Willem van (1582-1616)
Death with an Arrow About to Strike the Man Down, 1609. From a private collection

An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life, c. 1640. Artist: Steenwijck, Harmen (1612-1656)
An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life, c. 1640. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Jan Uytenbogaert, the Goldweigher, 1639. Artist: Rembrandt van Rhijn (1606-1669)
Jan Uytenbogaert, the Goldweigher, 1639. From a private collection

Memento mori. Artist: Vinne, Vincent Laurensz, van der (1629-1702)
Memento mori. From a private collection

The Topsy-Turvy World (In Weelde Siet Toe), 1663. Artist: Steen, Jan Havicksz (1626-1679)
The Topsy-Turvy World (In Weelde Siet Toe), 1663. Found in the collection of the Art History Museum, Vienne

Still Life with a Boy Blowing Soap-bubbles, c. 1635. Artist: Dou, Gerard (Gerrit) (1613-1675)
Still Life with a Boy Blowing Soap-bubbles, c. 1635. Found in the collection of the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo

Allegory of Vanity, c. 1640. Artist: Bramer, Leonaert (1596-1674)
Allegory of Vanity, c. 1640. Found in the collection of the Art History Museum, Vienne

Harmony before Matrimony, 1805. Artist: Gillray, James (1757-1815)
Harmony before Matrimony, 1805. From a private collection

Peasant with Coins, Second Half of the 18th cen Artist: Hess, Carl Ernst Christoph (1755-1828)
Peasant with Coins, Second Half of the 18th cen.. From a private collection

None of the two (Ni L Un, Ni L Autre), Early 19th cen Artist: Fleischmann, Friedrich (1791-1834)
None of the two (Ni L Un, Ni L Autre), Early 19th cen.. From a private collection

The ill-assorted Couple, c. 1495. Artist: Durer, Albrecht (1471-1528)
The ill-assorted Couple, c. 1495. From a private collection

The Four Ages of Man, c. 1629. Artist: Valentin de Boullogne (1591-1632)
The Four Ages of Man, c. 1629. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Time unveiling Truth, 1733. Artist: Troy, Jean-Francois de (1679-1752)
Time unveiling Truth, 1733. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Death and the Maiden, before 1872. Artist: Puvis de Chavannes, Pierre Cecil (1824-1898)
Death and the Maiden, before 1872. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Double Temptation, 18th century. Artist: Mesnil (Menil), Elie (active Mid of 18th cen. )
Double Temptation, 18th century. From a private collection

The Pawnbroker, Second Half of the 18th cen Artist: Julien, Laurent (1740-1820)
The Pawnbroker, Second Half of the 18th cen.. From a private collection

Pleasures of Old Age (after the painting by David Teniers the Younger), Mid of the 18th cen Artist: Basan
Pleasures of Old Age (after the painting by David Teniers the Younger), Mid of the 18th cen.. From a private collection

Le grand Diable d argent, patron de la finance, Early 19th cen Artist: Anonymous
Le grand Diable d argent, patron de la finance, Early 19th cen.. From a private collection

Vanity, 1670. Artist: French master
Vanity, 1670. From a private collection

The Triumph of Death, ca 1562-1563. Artist: Bruegel (Brueghel), Pieter, the Elder (ca 1525-1569)
The Triumph of Death, ca 1562-1563. Found in the collection of the Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Death of Queen Sophie Amalie, 1882. Artist: Zahrtmann, Kristian (1843-1917)
The Death of Queen Sophie Amalie, 1882. Found in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

Death and Life, 1910-1915. Artist: Klimt, Gustav (1862-1918)
Death and Life, 1910-1915. Found in the collection of the Leopold Museum, Vienna

Sisyphus pushing his stone up a mountain, 1733. Artist: Bernard Picart
Sisyphus Pushing His Stone up a Mountain, 1733. A plate from Le Temple des Muses, Amsterdam, 1733. Found in the collection of Jean Claude Carriere

Flemish proverb, c1558-1560. Artist: Pieter Bruegel the Elder
Flemish proverb, c1558-1560. Detail from Twelve Flemish Proverbs. From the Museum Mayer van der Berg, Antwerp, Belgium

General Riddle, 1819-1823. Artist: Francisco Goya
General Riddle, 1819-1823. Plate 9 of Proverbs, published in 1864. The series also known as disparates (absurdities) or suenos (dreams) is seen as symbolic of the absurdity of the human condition

Aspasia surrounded by Greek philosophers. Artist: Corneille, Michel, the Younger (1642-1708)
Aspasia surrounded by Greek philosophers. Found in the collection of the Musee de l Histoire de France

Battle of Loos, France, World War I, 1915. Scottish regiments charging and overwhelming German trenches. The Battle of Loos was a major British offensive on the Western Front

Air filters, Maginot Line, France, 1939. Conceived by Andre Maginot (1877-1932) as an impegnable wall on Frances eastern frontier, the Maginot Line was a vast linked set of fortifications

Electric light plant, Maginot Line, France, 1939. Conceived by Andre Maginot (1877-1932) as an impegnable wall on Frances eastern frontier, the Maginot Line was a vast linked set of fortifications

Bombed Buildings
A devastated landscape showing a ruined church and surrounding buildings; the ravages war. Date: 1940s

WW1 - Belgian Cavalry in action
WW1 - Recalling the Balaclava Charge, the Belgian Cavalry ride out to attack. The force were covering the Belgian retreat to Louvain. Germans opened fire upon them with machine guns

That 16-inch sensation - Bairnsfather postcard
" That 16-inch sensation" - Bairnsfather postcard. Bairnsfather was badly wounded by a shell burst in April 1915 and during his weeks of convalescence suffered recurring nightmares

Tanks on display at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Kiev, Ukraine, Europe

Tanks on display and Rodina Mat monument, Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Kiev, Ukraine, Europe

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"Futility: A Reflection on the Inevitable Dance with Death" In a world where life and death intertwine, artists throughout history have captured the essence in their works. From Arnold Bocklin's haunting "Self-portrait with Death Playing the Fiddle" to Konstantin Andreyevich Somov's melancholic "Harlequin and Death, " these masterpieces remind us of our mortality. Amidst ancient walls and steps that lead nowhere, like those found in Sintra's Castelo dos Mouros, we are confronted with the futile pursuit of permanence. Just as an Armadillo Lizard bites its own tail while trying to hold onto itself, we too often find ourselves trapped in cycles of self-destruction. As depicted in the suffragist cartoon "Excelsior. , " women fighting for their rights face a Sisyphean task against societal resistance. Similarly, the anonymous painting "The Happy Cuckold" portrays a man resigned to his fate, highlighting how sometimes even happiness can be elusive. History is rife with instances where futility reigned supreme. The Battle of Isandlwana during the Anglo-Zulu War serves as a grim reminder that even valiant efforts can succumb to overwhelming odds. Yet Charles Edwin Fripp's artistic portrayal immortalizes this tragic event forever etched into our collective memory. But amidst darkness, there is also light; Alfred Rethel's depiction of Death as a friend reminds us that acceptance can bring solace. However, Cupid perched atop a mountain of skulls armed with a pistol challenges notions of love and power while Frans Hals' young man holding a skull (Vanitas) forces introspection upon viewers. Even caricatures such as Norman Angell serve as reminders that individual actions may seem futile against larger systems but still possess transformative potential.