With his sensuous depictions of beautiful women Titian created numerous variations of a type of erotic painting that was commonly found in Venice. The so-called belle donne are idealised images that are generally laden with symbolic meaning. Here, the mirror initially identified the young woman as an allegory of prudence or pride. Years later, Titian himself added the objects seen in the mirror and the snuffed candle. With these references to the fleetingness of all earthly things, he transformed beauty into vanitas.