Bellenblazend kind met schedel, zittend in een nis 1677 - 1755

Elias van Nijmegen made this drawing, "Bellenblazend kind met schedel, zittend in een nis," which translates to "Child Blowing Bubbles with Skull, Sitting in a Niche" using pen in the late 17th to early 18th century. At first glance, the image shows a playful scene, but the presence of the skull introduces a somber note, a meditation on mortality. During the Baroque period, artists like Van Nijmegen often explored themes of vanitas and the transience of life. The imagery serves as a reminder of our inevitable fate. The child blowing bubbles is a conventional symbol of the brevity of life. The skull may act as a stark reminder that even in moments of play, death is always present. Van Nijmegen asks us to consider the fleeting nature of existence and the simultaneous innocence and awareness that define our human experience.