This macabre illustration appears in a manuscript on cabbalistic alchemy by Jodocus Müller, an apothecary of 17th century Dresden. The title scroll reads, “The faithful mirror of the miserable condition of all men.” Below, worms feast on a bishop’s corpse. The wall of his tomb is decorated with Bible passages: “Sons of men, how long will you be dull in heart, so that whatever you love is in vain, and whatever you seek is false?” [Psalms 4:3], “All flesh is grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. The grass has dried up and the flower has fallen,” [Isaiah 40:6-7], “But I am a worm and not a man: a disgrace among men, and an outcast of the people,” [Psalms 21:7], “Remember, man, you are dust and to dust you will return,” [Genesis 3:19].
Beneath a row of skulls, Müller quotes Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” The Latin vanitas might be better translated as “emptiness,” “futility,” or “meaninglessness.” In allusion to this verse, a “vanitas” has come to refer to any symbolic work of art concerned with the transience of life and the futility of worldly pursuits.
Credit Line: Image by the Wellcome Library, London (CC BY 4.0).
Product Information
Expect crisp detail and vivid color from our giclée process fine art prints. We use archival pigment inks on cotton fiber paper to achieve a wide color gamut, deep blacks and beautiful tonal transitions. Unlike posters, they will not fade or yellow, but maintain their original quality for as long as you own them.
How to Frame
Historical artworks were produced in whatever shapes and sizes best suited the artists and their patrons, and these rarely correspond to the proportions of modern, mass-produced frames. Most reproductions sold on the web are cropped to an arbitrary standard, compromising the integrity of the original artwork. We solve this by using accent borders to make up any differences in proportion.Framing may be as simple as inserting the print into a standard size frame with the borders showing. In many cases, our customers choose to have them matted. Borders allow space for framers to mount the print while covering little, if any, of the artwork. Our images are sized to provide desirable mat widths in common frames.Sizes 9” x 12”, 12” x 16”, and 16” x 20” are designed to be matted in larger frames, such as 11” x 14”, 16” x 20” and 20” x 24”, respectively. Larger prints may be matted in frames of equal size, the borders corresponding to the shape of the mat. Where the artwork is unusually square or narrow, other sizes may be preferred.If our sizing does not meet your requirements, we provide customization free of charge. Please contact us to discuss the details.
Shipping and Returns
All orders ship within one business day. The following services are available at checkout:
United States
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class Parcel |
Free |
3 – 5 business days |
USPS Priority Mail |
$3.99 |
2 – 4 business days |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$29.99 |
1 – 3 days, guaranteed |
Canada *
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class International |
$11.99 |
1 – 3 weeks |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$56.99 |
3 – 5 business days |
International, Excluding Canada *
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class International |
$17.99 |
1 – 4 weeks |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$62.99 |
3 – 5 business days |
* International orders may be subject to import taxes at time of delivery.
Returns Policy
If you are unhappy with your order for any reason, you are welcome to return it within 60 days for a full refund. Please contact us and return your item(s) to:
The Ibis
809 Grant Street
Endicott, NY 13760
Your return will be processed on receipt.