What I see:

• Messy table
• Skeleton/skull • Hourglass
• Sculpture • Flowers
• Self portrait • Candle
• Coins • Book
• Wine glass • Papers
• Pearls • Wooden stick
• Young woman’s portrait • Different faces
• Faded image of a • The painter
woman on the wall • Hanging palette
• Bubbles
Interpretation:

At first glance, you can feel how strong and historical the message of the
painting is. It is full of commonplace objects which are either natural or man-made.
Moreover, it has also a lot of faces including the painter, himself as an important
element that sends a message to the viewers.

The dramatic table is loaded with still-life objects with its corresponding
meaning. Book and paper express knowledge; The hanging palette and wooden
stick symbolizes talent/career; Wine glass signifies success; Coins and Pearls
represents wealth; Bubbles, hourglass, flowers, and candle denotes shortness of
time; and Skull marks the end which is death. All of these are earthly things that
humans come to enjoy it at a limited time. Furthermore, a noticeable portrait of
the painter and a woman creates an idea of a grown-up beings. The woman’s
portrait is also seen faded on the wall. This gives me an idea that the woman is
important to the life of the artist that regardless of her disappearance, her
existence will be cherished.

To sum up my interpretation, the painting depicts life, death, and everything

in between. It tells its viewers that life is beautiful but short. Everything we enjoy
here in vain is finite because all of us must come to death. Therefore, we must
leave a powerful and remarkable existence (just like the faded image of the woman)
that with your absence, people will remember your greatness.