Chapter 3 | AN ALLEGORICAL STILL LIFE
In an allegorical still life, the objects refer symbolic to a certain concept or idea. In the following example, the objects refer to the five senses: The guitar > hearing / The green woolen shawl > feeling / The old television > seeing / The flowers > smelling / The glass of wine > tasting.
EXTRA: Draw one or more objects that refer to a concept or idea. It doesn’t have to be something complicated or profound; the object(s) could also refer to vacation, work, school or sports. If necessary, take a photo of your still life first as a tool.
The most famous examples of allegorical still lifes are the so-called Vanitas still lifes that refer to transience. Hence often skulls, burnt-out candles, hourglasses or all kinds of watches, half-decayed books and overturned empty drinking cups.
For children, such a moralistic subject is a bit out of place. Yet they know very well that something valuable could be lost. A few pupils of about 10-11 years old even enjoyed drawing a vanitas still life after having seen some art works.
