Chapter 3 | AN ALLEGORICAL STILL LIFE

In an allegorical still life, the objects refer to a certain concept or idea. In the following example, the objects refer to the five senses: The guitar for: hearing / The green woolen shawl: feeling / The old television: seeing / The flowers: smelling / The glass of wine: tasting.

In so-called ‘vanitas’ still lifes the objects refer to transience. Hence often skulls, burnt-out candles, hourglasses or all sorts of watches, half-decayed books and overturned empty drinking cups.

For children, such a moralistic subject is a bit out of place. Yet, once upon a time, a few pupils of about 10-11 years old enjoyed drawing a vanitas still life.

EXTRA: choose a number of objects that refer to a concept or idea. It doesn’t have to be something complicated; it can also be about concepts such as vacation, work, school or sports.