Niki de Saint Phalle, Vanitas (mixed media collage), ca. 1980

Niki de Saint Phalle

Vanitas (mixed media collage), ca. 1980

Mixed media colour lithograph, with hand coloured pencil additions and colored metal foil on Arches buff handmade paper

Hand signed and numbered 11/100 by the artist on the front

This gorgeous mixed media collage multiple with text, foil and hand coloring is elegantly floated and framed in a hand made museum frame with Optium acrylic glazing - the highest quality.

It is Niki de Saint Phalle's whimsical and unique take on the classic "Vanitas" (Latin for 'vanity') - a genre of art which uses symbolism to show the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death. Works in this style involve still life imagery of transitory items. The genre began in the 16th century and continued into the 17th century. In Niki's interpretation, we see imagery of a skull, a skeleton, a watch (symbolizing the ephemeral nature of time), small animals, the word "Vanitas", "The Book", animals, a playing card (symbolizing the role of fate and luck), as well as literal artifact symbolizing 'vanities' (the secondary meaning of the word) such as a female, a hair comb, necklace and personal grooming devices.
Nowadays, this 16th century genre is coming back into vogue with contemporary artists. In fact, on June 26, 2023, Artsy published an article entitled "Contemporary Artists are Reviving Vanitas, Reflecting on Death and Decadence.*

Measurements:
Frame:
25 x 32 x. 1.25 inches
Artwork:
22 x 29.5 inches