“Although Cowper did not belong to a particular artistic group this, like many of his paintings, relates to the work of artists now known as ‘Second Generation Pre-Raphaelites’. Decorative and richly coloured, ‘Vanity’ suggests the romance of the past and alludes to notions of the chivalric and courtly love.”

Royal Academy UK

“The title of the painting references a genre of painting known as vanitas, which was popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. Usually still-lives, vanitas paintings aimed to remind viewers of their mortality and the fleeting nature of earthly possessions, taking their name from the biblical insistence that “all is vanity”.

In Cowper’s 1907 portrait, the title reminds us that neither the beautiful woman in her luxurious clothes or the ripe grapes in the background can flourish forever – in time, both will fade and die.”

How to read it: Frank Cadogan Cowper’s Vanity

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How to read it: Frank Cadogan Cowper’s Vanity

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