The art exhibition « C’est la vie! –Vanités de Caravage à Damien Hirst ! » at the Musée Maillol in Paris, presents more than 160 classic and contemporary works all based on the theme of vanitas art.  Vanitas art reminds us of our mortality and the transience of life.

Andy WARHOL, Skull, 1976

Beginning with a profusion of contemporary artwork and going back in time through rare masterpieces previously hidden by famous collectors, the art exhibition presents a particular course of art history.  Going beyond morbid clichés often inherent in death representations, this collection benefits from some lighter philosophy as well, with works that show an ultimate attempt to resist life’s limitations.

Jean-Michel Alberola, Rien, 1994

The chronological course begins with contemporary artwork which composes two thirds of the displayed works.  The skull image is omnipresent throughout the exhibition.  The plethora of skull representations symbolizes a paradox that Patrizia Nitti, the new artistic director of the Musée Maillol, wished to highlight: « Jamais l’art des vanités n’a été aussi vivant, » asserting that art about death has never been so alive.  Viewing this morbid theme made chic, we experience an unusual and striking art exhibition.

Georges BRAQUE, L’Atelier au crâne, 1938

Going through the show, we encounter a host of skulls in the vanitas images through the ages.  The skull is clearly the central symbol of vanitas art, from skulls by Damien Hirst and Jean-Michel Alberola to Caravaggio’s Saint-François en méditation and a fresco from Pompei featuring a skull.  Although the skull continually manifests, the art exhibition shows fascinating variety in the artistic representations of death presented by masters of the past and present.

Philippe PASQUA, Crâne aux papillons

Fondation Dina Vierny -Musée Maillol, 59 rue de Grenelle, Paris, 75007.

Until June 28, 2010.

Tags: art exhibition, contemporary artwork, Musée Maillol, vanitas art