During the time of the First World War, Evard created several oil paintings in a very painterly and more classical painting style for him. In doing so, he processed the horrors and cruelties of the war in very dark tones. An example of this is an impressive Vanitas still life from 1917.
It is to be understood as a metaphor for the transience of all things worldly, which is symbolized by the skull, the wilted red flowers, and the burnt-out candle. A heavy, velvety green curtain also reveals a view of a back room in which three ghostly beings are dancing.
Evard signed the upper, left edge of the picture in red writing with “Louvrier” (worker). As is known, the artist used this pseudonym between 1912 and 1919 and is to be understood as a socio-political statement.