Phenomenal 19th century still life oil on panel in the manner of 17th century Dutch Golden Age, Vanitas style. After the work of Pieter de Ring (1615/1620-1660) titled “Still Life With Musical Instruments” c. 1650. The back features an aged, dark-stained wooden panel and an old inventory tag indicating a previous museum, gallery, or estate collection record.

Vanitas is a genre of memento mori symbolizing the transience of life, the uselessness of pleasure, and the certainty of death, and thus the vanity of ambition and all worldly desires. The paintings involved still life imagery of transitory items. The genre began in the 16th century and continued into the 17th century.

Pieter de Ring was a Dutch Golden Age painter, famous for his opulent, flashy still lifes or banquet pieces with fruit, a lobster, a goblet, shrimps, oysters, a rug and Chinese porcelain.

Although, for the most part in excellent shape, this gorgeous piece of history does have a flaw or two. There is some minimal paint loss. Please zoom in on the photos. It might look like there’s streaks at the top but that’s the reflection from the light. This may benifit from a professional cleaning but to me, this is perfect as is!

Measurements: 16” x 12”