Find hidden meanings at MFA exhibition

In “A Feast for the Eyes: European Masterpieces from the Grasset Collection,” the new exhibition of old master paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, look for hidden meanings.

From rodents to insects to falling petals, these symbols on still life paintings remind us that beauty and luxury are nice, but pleasant things never last and success can be fleeting. In “A wooded river landscape, with a fish market and fishing Boats” (1610), by Jan Brueghel the Elder, a windmill symbolizes prosperity, but also refers to religion and the crucifixion.

The MFA exhibition runs until July 28.

– Julie Wilson, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg