Vain Collection (#6)

Death and the Peasant, 1896. Creator: Simberg, Hugo (1873-1917)
Death and the Peasant, 1896. Found in the collection of Ateneum, Helsinki

The triumph of Death: the death of Laura. Miniature from Petrarque, Les Triomphes, 1500-1505. Found in the collection of Bibliotheque Nationale de France

Le Chemin de la Mort (The Path of Death), c. 1898. Creator: Trigoulet
Le Chemin de la Mort (The Path of Death), c. 1898. Private Collection

Couple with Matchmaker, c. 1750. Creator: Platzer, Johann Georg (1704-1761)
Couple with Matchmaker, c. 1750. Found in the collection of Art Museum Basel

Allegory of Worldly Riches with the Scene of the Death of the Rich Man, ca. 1600. Found in the collection of Szepmuveszeti Muzeum, Budapest

The Fight Against Death, 1625. Creator: Droochsloot, Jost Cornelisz (1586-1666)
The Fight Against Death, 1625. Private Collection

Death and Lansquenet, 1510. Creator: Dürer, Albrecht (1471-1528)
Death and Lansquenet, 1510. Private Collection

Vanity, 1545-50. Creator: Enea Vico
Vanity, 1545-50

The Triumph of Pride, from The Cycle of the Vicissitudes of Human Affairs, plate 3, 1564

AMERICAN GIRL FRENCH HAT
An American girl tries on a selection of fashionable, broad brimmed hats trimmed with ostrich plumes in a Paris Milliners. Date: 1909

GHOST OF PATROCLUS
Achilles tries - in vain - to seize hold of the ghost of Patroclus Date: BC

Religious differences, Atheism and Christianity
Atheists seek to pull down the Holy Cross, but in vain, for the True Christian, encouraged by divine beings, holds it up while his good lady instructs the young in the True Way Date: circa 1790s

French Barracks, August 12, 1791. August 12, 1791. Creators: Thomas Rowlandson
French Barracks, August 12, 1791

Footman, August 30, 1799. August 30, 1799. Creator: Thomas Rowlandson
Footman, August 30, 1799

Danse macabre, 1490. Creator: Anonymous
Danse macabre, 1490. Found in the Collection of Bibliotheque Mazarine, Paris

Manuel de confession, ca 1487-1488. Creator: Anonymous
Manuel de confession, ca 1487-1488. Found in the Collection of Bibliotheque Mazarine, Paris

La mort et le bucheron (The Death and the Woodcutter), 1755. Creator: Oudry, Jean-Baptiste
La mort et le bucheron (The Death and the Woodcutter), 1755. Found in the Collection of Bibliotheque Sainte-Genevieve, Paris

The Girl and the Death, 1916. Creator: Schnug, Leo (1878-1933)
The Girl and the Death, 1916. Private Collection

Mira que bonita era, 1895. Creator: Romero de Torres, Julio (1874-1930)
Mira que bonita era, 1895. Found in the Collection of Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid

Ars moriendi (The Art of Dying), 1496. Creator: Anonymous
Ars moriendi (The Art of Dying), 1496. Found in the Collection of Bibliotheque Sainte-Genevieve, Paris

Madame La Mort, 1890-1891. Creator: Gauguin, Paul Eugene Henri (1848-1903)
Madame La Mort, 1890-1891. Found in the Collection of Musee d Orsay, Paris

Evening, 1887. Creator: Ring, Laurits Andersen (1854-1933)
Evening, 1887. Found in the Collection of Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

The coat of arms with the skull, 1503. Creator: Dürer, Albrecht (1471-1528)
The coat of arms with the skull, 1503. Private Collection

Vanitas Still Life with musical instruments, books, sheet music, skeleton, skull and armour, 17th century. Private Collection

Vanitas. Creator: Krenes, Heinrich (1874-1923)
Vanitas. Private Collection

Prayer over the grave, 1895. Creator: Mednyanszky, Laszlo (1852-1919)
Prayer over the grave, 1895. Found in the Collection of Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava

Vanitas Still Life, 1661. Creator: Collier, Edwaert (1642-1708)
Vanitas Still Life, 1661. Found in the Collection of Sinebrychoffin Taidemuseo, Helsinki

La Bellezza che scaccia il Tempo. Creator: Sirani, Elisabetta (1638-1665)
La Bellezza che scaccia il Tempo. Private Collection

Chronos, 1582-1585. Creator: Butteri, Giovanni Maria (c. 1540-1606)
Chronos, 1582-1585. Private Collection

Roman Elegy, 1791. Creator: Sablet, Jacques (1749-1803)
Roman Elegy, 1791. Found in the Collection of Musee des beaux-arts, Brest

Allegoria del Tempo (Allegory of Time), c1650. Found in the Collection of Collezione Cavallini-Sgarbi

Il Silenzio (The Silence). L enigma umano (The Human Enigma) Triptych, 1900. Found in the Collection of Musei Civici, Pavia

Vanitas still life with a skull, a shield, an hour glass, books and papers on a tabletop. Private Collection

Death and the Maiden, 1915. Found in the Collection of O sterreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna

WW1 - French soldiers firing (in vain) toward a German Taube
WW1 - French soldiers firing (in vain) toward a German Rumbler Taube Aircraft flying over their position on a reconnaisance mission. Date: 1914

The Power of Death, c. 1890. Creator: Beard, William Holbrook (1824-1900)
The Power of Death, c.1890. Found in the Collection of Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge

The Pursuit of Happiness, 1863-1868. Creator: Henneberg, Rudolf (1825-1876)
The Pursuit of Happiness, 1863-1868. Found in the Collection of Staatliche Museen, Berlin

La Danse macabre (The Dance of Death). Private Collection

Genius (Artist). From the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

Integer Vitae... (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

War (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

And yet (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

Plague (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

Time and fame (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

To Beauty. (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

Dead mother. (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

Temptation. (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

Ruler (from the series On Death II), 1898-1910. Private Collection

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"Vanity Unveiled: A Captivating Glimpse into the Human Obsession with Self" In Arnold Bocklin's "Self-portrait with Death Playing the Fiddle, " vanity dances in harmony with mortality. The artist's blue dress from 1922, reminiscent of a frothy beer, symbolizes indulgence and self-absorption. Lovis Corinth's haunting "Selfportrait with skeleton" serves as a chilling reminder that even beauty succumbs to decay. Antoine Wiertz captures the essence of vanity in "The Two Young Girls - The Beautiful Rosine. " Their delicate features and coquettish smiles reflect an obsession with outward appearance. Meanwhile, "The Last Stand Of The Northamptons At Saran Sar" showcases how pride can lead to downfall on the battlefield. Daniel Maclise's portrayal of Malvolio and the Countess depicts the folly of arrogance, while Narcissus' infatuation with his own reflection in c. 1597-99 reveals a dangerous self-love. Konstantin Andreyevich Somov's whimsical "Harlequin and Death" reminds us that vanity blinds us to our inevitable fate. "Fable / Fox & Grapes" teaches us about unattainable desires born out of conceit, while Princess Ka-Iulani embodies both grace and vulnerability amidst societal expectations. Lastly, a photomontage showcasing women adorned in feathered hats highlights society's obsession with fashion as a means for validation. Through these captivating artworks spanning centuries, we witness humanity grappling with its own image – forever entranced by its own reflection yet blind to its fleeting nature. Vanity remains an enigmatic force that drives us towards self-obsession but also exposes our deepest insecurities.