nature in a cooler, more distant and sterile manner, through the precision in detail and drawing. His flower pieces are marked by their careful finish and delicate handling. Mignon preferred a red, yellow and blue color palette and highly realistic manner of depicting nature. His favourite scheme was to introduce red or white roses in the centre of the canvas and to set the whole group of flowers against a dark background. Mignon also took inspiration from Willem van Aelst and Otto Marseus van Schrieck in his game and insect pieces. Willem van Aelst was clearly an inspiration for the game pieces while the influence of Otto Marseus van Schrieck is particularly visible in Mignon's forest floor still lifes. Themes As can be expected in still life paintings from the 17th century, religious symbolism is often present in the works of Mignon, an artist who was deeply religious. Such symbolism is clearly present in the Still life with peonies, roses, parrot tulips, morning glory, an iris and poppies in a glass vase set within a stone niche and caterpillars, a snail, a bee and a cockchafer on the ledge below (Sotheby's London sale of 4 July 2007 lot 41) in which various religious themes are expressed symbolically. God's creation is symbolised through the four elements which at the time were believed to be the building blocks for everything existing in the visible world: earth is symbolised by its products (flowers, insects, stone), air by the flying insects, fire by the glass vase (which is made by fire) and water is present through the water inside the vase. The ears of corn are usually a reference to the Resurrection of Jesus as well as to the cycle of life. This theme is further expressed by the presence of caterpillars, an insect which turns into butterflies. The motif of Vanitas or transience of life is also often present. This motif is inspired by the Christian belief that the world is only a temporary place of fleeting pleasures and sorrows from which mankind can only escape through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus. Mignon often represents the theme of transience through the poppies in his still lifes. For example, in the Still life with peonies, roses, parrot tulips, morning glory, an iris and poppies in a glass vase set within a stone niche and caterpillars, a snail, a bee and a cockchafer on