#the flayed ox

[ducissatenebrarum]

"The Flayed Ox", 1655, Rembrandt. 

This is one of the two known nature morte or still lives by Rembrandt.  According to some scholars, there is more than meets the eye in this work; the salughtered ox represents the idea of death and ties in with the many momenot mori works in Dutch art. The ox might also be a refernce to the he slaughtered calf in the story of the prodigal son