Cornelis Norbertus Gysbrechts

In the 17th century, Europe saw an advancement of theories of perspective and composition; the Flemish painter Cornelis Norbertus Gysbrechts used such developing techniques to create trompe l’oeil paintings, which trick the viewer’s eye. The trompe l’oeil genre that rendered the 2-dimensional space of the canvas into seemingly 3-dimensional objects was popular in Gysbrechts’ time. His work stands out because he combined the vanitas genre—paintings that remind viewers of the ephemerality of life—with the trompe l’oeil genre. The image of a skull and burning candle are much more ominous when they appear tangible and within the viewer’s real space, making the themes of life and death more penetrating. Not much is known about Gybrechts’ life other than that he spent much of his career working as a royal court painter for the Danish king.