Photo By Gail

In this oil painting by Abraham Susenier (circa 1660s), a glistening lobster shell and two freshly shucked North Sea oysters entice the viewer with their succulence. This feast for the body is set against symbols of spiritual nourishment: a Römer glass filled with white wine and a cluster of grapes — both common Eucharistic emblems.

The theme of temptation versus temperance is heightened by the striking use of vermilion, a costly red pigment imported from China, which stands out in the otherwise monochromatic still life.

For the prosperous yet pious middle-class merchants of the Dutch Golden Age, such meticulously detailed and symbol-laden depictions of luxury goods — known as pronkstillevens — reflected both their material success and moral contemplation.

Photographed at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City.