Soap Bubbles

As symbols of fragility, of the transience of human ambition, and of life itself, soap bubbles have fascinated generations of artists since the sixteenth century with their colorful games, their brightness, and their lightness. This volume documents the beginning of scientific interest in soap films, symbols of ephemeral beauty and vanitas, and the inspiration artists drew from them over a period ranging from the sixteenth century to today. Through paintings, engravings, photographs, flyers, and advertising posters, we trace the evolution of this iconographic subject: from Guido Reni, Fra' Galgario, Jan Brueghel the Younger, Gerrit Dou, and Karel Dujardin, to the twentieth century works of Man Ray, Max Beckmann, Giulio Paolini, and arriving at never-before-seen creations in the field of contemporary architecture. This is an exemplary story of the connection between art and science that spans all of Europe, filling us with wonder to this day.