Quiz

QUIZ: The Skulls Speak—Death, Vanity, and Bones in Art

Joanna Kaszubowska 25 October 2025

Welcome, quiz lovers and curious minds, to an adventure through the haunting and symbolic world of skulls in art! For centuries, artists have used this bony icon to evoke mortality, transformation, and the mysterious ties between life and death. From Renaissance still lifes encouraging contemplation to modern masterpieces pushing the limits of symbolism, skulls have found a home in the works of rebels, visionaries, and provocateurs alike.

This quiz will test your knowledge of artists, motifs, periods, and unexpected appearances of skulls across art history. Whether you’re a seasoned art historian or a casual explorer, prepare to peer into the eye sockets of cultural memory!

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Which Dutch Golden Age painter is known for his highly refined vanitas still lifes that often include skulls?

Skull in art quiz: Still Life with a Skull and a Writing Quill, 1628, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, NY, USA.

Still Life with a Skull and a Writing Quill, 1628, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, NY, USA.

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