The 17th century, also referred to as the Golden Age nort he Netherlands, was a time of great changes in socio-cultural and economic terms. These post-Protestant social changes had influenced Nothern European Art, had led to the emergence of a new concept of art named “Genre Painting” especially in the Netherlands. Vanitas paintings which keep alive “Memento Mori” tradition had also gained popularity in this period of time. Vanitas Paintings, aiming to remind death and mortal created a symbolic language through objects.The aim of this study is to explain the concept of death which Vanitas paintings attempt to address through the sense of time, social structure and Kalvin morality and to read the artworks through the symbolic language which is created.
Keywords: Vanity, Stillife, Calvinism, Dutch, Art.