The artwork, “Still Life. Skull and Writing Quill” by Pieter Claesz, created in 1628, embodies the Baroque art movement. Measuring 24.1 x 35.9 cm, it belongs to the vanitas genre and is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York City, NY, US.
In the artwork, viewers are presented with a meticulously detailed still life composition. Central to the piece is a human skull, symbolizing mortality and the transient nature of life. Adjacent to the skull lies an elegant writing quill, draped across a closed book, evoking a sense of historical intellectual pursuit. A gently tilted glass and extinguished oil lamp contribute to the somber atmosphere, highlighting themes of ephemerality and the passage of time. The subdued, earthy palette and careful play of light and shadow contribute to the contemplative and reflective nature typical of vanitas works during the Baroque period.
