Floral and animal
The floral and animal paintings used in the print are the work of French painter Nicolas Baudeson and Flemish painter David de Coninck. Nicholas Baudesson was born on December 6, 1611 in Troyes, France. He made a name for himself as a still life painter of flowers, and many of his works are kept in the Palace of Versailles. David de Coninck was famous in the 17th century for animals and hunting scenes.
David de Coninck`art work
Flanders still life painting
Until the 15th century, still life paintings in Western Europe were often painted for religious purposes. Pure still life paintings began to be produced around 1600 in Flanders, Holland, and other regions. It gradually became the mainstream of painting along with genre, portrait, and landscape paintings.
Nicolas Baudeson`art work
Vanitas- the emptiness of life
In Flemish and Dutch still life painting, Christian content is incorporated figuratively, especially the allegory of vanitas (Latin: the emptiness of life), so the motifs depicted in the painting often contain very deep meanings. The flowers represent the shortness of life, the insects around the flowers have different meanings too. The butterfly symbolizes the human soul, the cochlea, which cannot move fast enough, represents old age, and the chrysalis symbolizes rebirth and resurrection.