Many old master still lifes were very symbolic The spilt ink and empty ink pot, the run through hour glass, the guttering candle, dried flowers with the refracted skull and a reflected window in a crystal ball fortell one's mortality, all bizarlly collected around the mandolin, as symbols of memento-mori
On the topic of memento mori that's the theme over on FivePlusTwo this week.
My challenger reversed the tables on me and set me the challenge I set him- a still life in the style of an old master.
Thank you all. Doing this prevented me doing the ironing!! I did have to dust the mandolin and fossicked finds I used though!!