Homo Bulla: A Boy Blowing Bubbles in a Landscape

Van der Helst's signature style combines formal flattery with a lively naturalism. The bubbles here indicate the "homo bulla" theme which has a long history with classical origins. This theme conveys a moralizing warning that human life is as transient as a soap bubble. Thus life is not to be spent in pursuit of worldly vanities which are embodied by this child's luxurious clothing