Hidden Moral Messages

Dutch and Flemish still lifes hid moral messages beneath their gorgeous surfaces. A lemon with its peel spiraling off stood for the deceptive nature of beauty — attractive outside, bitter within. A burning candle marked the passage of time. Wilting flowers reminded viewers that all earthly pleasures fade.

The contradiction was deliberate: you were meant to admire the painter's skill while recognizing that the objects themselves meant little next to spiritual truth.