thumb|333px|Vanitas by [[Antonio de Pereda]]

Vanitas is a genre of symbolizing the transience of life, the uselessness of pleasure, and the certainty of death, and thus the vanity of ambition and all worldly desires. The paintings involved still life imagery of transitory items. The genre began in the 16th century and continued into the 17th century. Vanitas art is a type of allegorical art representing a higher ideal. It was a sub-genre of painting heavily employed by Dutch painters during the Baroque period (c.1585–1730). The message is that human action is temporary and faith is forever.

  • Vanitas is the name of one of the two main characters from Vanitas no Carte.
  • Philippe Pasqua, series of skulls, sculpture, 1990s – present.
  • Vanitas in the London National Gallery
  • Vanités An exhibition at Musée Maillol, Paris
  • "An Exploration of Vanitas: The 17th Century and the Present", online exhibit at Google Arts & Culture