In Ictu Oculi, By Juan De Valdes Leal

1. What is the difference between a. and a. )   Reading chapter one, I gained a deeper understanding of Juan de Valdés Leal's art piece, Vanitas, painted in 1660 and now placed in the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut. The painting captured my attention with its intricate details, such as the trinkets on the unknown persons desk, each holding significant representations and deeper meanings. For example, the author explained on page 18 how the dice and cards suggest the unpredictability of life, and how the flowers symbolize the fleeting nature of life, with fallen petals representing the death in our human existence. The angels hand being placed on the last judgment day painting, drawing our attention to reinforces the theme of mortality and the afterlife, with nothing in this life is forever and the things we achieve have no meaning when it comes down
The piece was created for the hospital's burial ground. It is said to be a memento mori; the skeleton on the right side of the painting holds a coffin and a scythe in one arm, while standing over valuable items from that time period to display wealth and status. From the elements in the painting, it is clear that the skeleton represents the grim reaper, symbolizing the spirit that takes our souls when we pass away. Similar to his other piece "Vanitas," this intricate artwork symbolizes the last judgment day. On the front of a book lying on the floor with a picture of a trumpet on the side, it reads "In momento in ictu oculi in novissima tuba canet enim et mortui resurgent incorrupti et nos inmutabimur" (In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed), showing that our achievements and world We are judged not by what we own or our accomplishments, but by our