Herbs, Butterflies and a Serpent, Christian Jansz Striep, Nationalmuseum, SWE
This still life painting forms an entire little natural scene. Against the dark background vivid whitish butterflies flutter among leaves and plants. But something very dramatic is also about to happen—the grayish yellow snake stretches to catch one of the butterflies in its open jaws. In many Dutch still lifes from the seventeenth century the artists included a variety of symbols. In this case the snake could be interpreted as a symbol for Satan, while the luminous butterflies could symbolize Jesus or the human soul.