A variation on the ‘vanitas’ theme: the art of painting itself, showing not the true, eternal world but only its transient imitation, becomes a vanitas-symbol together with the skulls and the candles
The new attribution to Molenaer is by F. Meyer (R.K.D.). Before, the painting was attributed to Hendrik Pot.
The skulls on the floor had been painted away and only came to light after a restoration in 2001.