the theme of the miser and, in particular ‘death and the miser’, goes back to the 15th century netherlandish art. an example is the work death and the miser by hieronymus bosch dated to 1494 or later. a number of smout's works deal with this theme. as is common in the treatment of this subject matter, smout uses it to include lavish still lifes of precious objects such as expensive metal plates, antiques, globes, coffers likely filled with coins or other treasury, etc., which are then combined with vanitas symbols such as still lives of game (referencing death) and even the physical entry of death itself in the form of a skeleton. a painting depicting "", which contains similar imagery as the miser pictures, was sold at bonhams (18 january 2012, london, lot 238) as 'circle of balthasar van den bossche' but has now been attributed to dominicus smout.