Lot #19: All is Vanity artwork by Charles Allan Gilbert

All Is Vanity is an allegory of death that shows a sophisticated late-Victorian era woman gazing into a mirror as she is seated at the vanity table in what appears to be her bedroom. The round mirror, connecting with the cloth on the table, creates the image of a human skull. The site of the skull in the picture can be appreciated only if it is looked at from a distance. The skull’s eyes are created, on the right-hand side, by the reflected image of the woman’s face and on the left-hand side by the actual head of the woman. The nose appears to be the reflection of some nearby drapes. If you look closely at the picture, you can see there are numerous bottles lined up on the vanity table. These create the appearance of the skull’s teeth. While you are looking at this, move your gaze just a little further to the right, and you will see a lone lighted candle (most likely representing life) on the edge of the table. Just think how easily it could be extinguished. Measurements: 18 X 14 overall framed size. Pickup category timeslot {C}