Pieter Claesz – Still Life with Lighted Candle Mauritshuis

In this still life painting, a single lit candle casts a warm glow on a collection of objects resting on a wooden surface. The candle, in a brass holder, is the primary light source, its flame flickering and illuminating the scene in a dramatic chiaroscuro effect. To its right, a glass goblet filled with a pale liquid sits on a green, textured base. The liquid within the goblet reflects the candlelight.
Behind the goblet, two books are stacked. The top one is open, revealing pages of text, and the bottom one is closed with a reddish spine. Resting on the open book are a pair of spectacles. In the foreground left, a pair of long-handled tools, possibly for trimming a candle or for smoking a pipe, are laid out. Next to them, a small, dark box, perhaps for tinder or tobacco, and a pipe are also visible. The background is a dark, indistinct void, which further emphasizes the lit objects. The overall impression is one of quiet contemplation and the passage of time.
This painting is a memento mori, with elements symbolizing the fleeting nature of life, earthly pleasures, and the importance of intellectual pursuits. The lit candle, a common symbol of life, is burning down, suggesting mortality. The wine in the goblet can represent earthly pleasures, which are also transient. The books and spectacles point to the importance of knowledge and learning, which are seen as more enduring pursuits. The tools and pipe might allude to the habits of scholarly or intellectual life, or perhaps the vanities of worldly existence. The darkness surrounding the objects signifies the oblivion that awaits after life.