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Still Life with Flowers
Undated
22.5 x 15 cm
oil on panel
Georg Flegel shows us very clearly that this is a so-called 'vanitas' painting: one illustrating that earthly beauty and treasures are only fleeting and to rely on them is vanity.
The coins and exotic shells next to the vase are the earthly treasures we hoard. The skull on the vase emphasises that the flowers, although beautiful, will fade and die.
The beans in the foreground could have several meanings. They are thought to be castor beans, which can be extremely poisonous when not cooked properly and are thus a reminder of death. But because they can cause wind during digestion they could also be an allusion to a second life or the afterlife.
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