The title of this picture, translated means 'In the twinkling of an eye' and is derived from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians:"Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed".
This shows that death can vanish in the twinkling of an eye, and mortality can become immortality - a note of hope therefore, in so doleful a painting. The sombre intent of this picture is enhanced by its colour scheme. The way the light loses intensity as the space goes back indicates the shadowy view of death held by mortals. The skeleton extinguishes the candle of life, intensifying the drama, dominating the picture, just as death conquers all earthly attributes. Emblems of power and wealth are all cast here in the shadow of death which makes them meaningless. Even non-material human achievements become worthless. The scholarly books - the writings of royalty, a prophet and Pliny - are just mere words of no interest to death who leers out of the picture with his shroud and scythe, more powerful than the armoury and rich cloth displayed around the coffin. Consolation may be found in the following from John:
"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, the Son of Man must also be lifted up. So that everyone who believes can have eternal life in him. God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him. People who believe in God's Son are not judged guilty".
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