12/02/2025
The Dutch were secular society as well as accepting. Dogs pooping and women breastfeeding are a reminder of reality within church sanctuary's and other settings. Vermeer was particularly subtle in this regard, like for example Woman weighing gold is a commentary about materialism, but a closer look reveals a painting of the Last Judgment with Jesus right over top of her head. Vanitas paintings spoke about many issues in a secular world including Memento Mori symbols and everything within the still-life paintings has some kind of meaning: Ants represent decadence, Bees represent productivity, Lilacs repesent ephewmeral beauty, Red Roses are a reminder of the garden of Eden-fragrant and beatrifulk, but unapproachable because of the thorns etc.
