A vase of flowers, various fruits, a tiny human skull, a clock and an hourglass, a single die, a glass bird, and brightly colored insects come together to form this vibrant scene. Created during the height of Flack’s Photorealist period, Time to Save once again pays homage to the artist’s fascination with life and death, a theme that is prevalent in the 17th-century vanitas style of painting. Time moves onward, as represented in the clock and hourglass, and even the most beautiful things—flowers, butterflies, ripe fruits—are subject to death and decay.
The following text was researched and written by: Lily Hopkins, MSIS 4+1 Program: Archives and Records Administration '21, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation Intern
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