Private Collection of Isabel Atherton & James Duffett-Smith, NY

“I painted this as a Vanitas thing

“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that have received--only what you have given.” – St Francis

There is a painting – an image of a Franciscan monk in his robes, holding a skull, which St. Francis frequently did, to remind us of the fragility of life. St Francis is one of my favourite saints. Skulls can symbolize death - which is what this quote is about - or they can symbolize knowledge & wisdom. Both this painting of the monk and mine of the skull and blue rose are a type of "Carpe diem, requiem morte , tempus fugit or Memento Mori" (Seize the day, remember death - vanitas theme) How can you convey your love to your loved ones when you are gone? I leave my Art in this painting the image of a blue rose.” – Christian Furr

The skull depicted is the human skull used for Hamlet by the Actor Sir Henry Irving (1838-1905) It is on display in the Irving room at the ‘mysterious museum’ Russell-Cotes in Bournemouth. Furr had visited and photgraphed it for the still life. The blue rose was added seperately.The blue rose motif also appears in the Straubenzee portrait of the same year and as a separate circular rose painting four years later in ‘Blue Rose 2018’