A Latin metaphorical expression homo bulla, man is a bubble, was coined by an ancient Roman writer Marcus Terentius Varro who in his “Rerum Rusticarum Libri Tres” compared human life to a thin iridescent soap bubble that shimmers with rainbow colors for only a brief moment of time and is quick to explode with the slightest puff of wind. By the 16 of Rotterdam further popularized homo bulla which has firmly entered an arsenal of vanitas – pictorial motives in still lifes and genre scenes allegorically alluding to the transience and futility of human existence.

 This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.