c. 1685

Goblet with a Boy Blowing Bubbles and a Deer beneath the Sun

A boy blowing bubbles was a popular image in the Netherlands from the late sixteenth century onward. The soap bubble itself symbolizes the fragility of human existence, and the withered stump to the left of the boy is a reminder of mortality. On the back of the glass, a deer beneath a radiant sun represents an older tradition that likens the animal to a soul looking for salvation. In the 1600s, these subjects served as a caution against enjoying too many earthly pleasures.