Still Life c. 1877

Paul Gauguin created this still life with paint, presenting us with a seemingly simple arrangement of fish, shellfish, and a rustic jug. Yet, within these mundane objects lie potent symbols deeply rooted in the human psyche. Consider the fish, an ancient symbol of abundance and fertility, often linked to early Christian iconography as a representation of Christ himself. Here, the fish laid bare, evokes not life, but the stark reality of mortality. This is a memento mori, a reminder of the transience of earthly existence. The arrangement mirrors the vanitas tradition where symbolic objects reveal the vanity of earthly life and material possessions. This motif has been carried through various cultures, evolving from ancient Roman mosaics to Dutch Golden Age paintings. In each iteration, the message remains—life is fleeting. Gauguin taps into this collective memory, presenting a scene that is at once familiar and unsettling, reminding us of the cyclical nature of life and death, a theme that echoes through time.