Trophies of Vanity is a metaphor for art collectors. Like hunters, they hunt (at fairs, auctions, etc.) so they can show the catch and demonstrate their own strength and alpha role to others. Where hunter uses his intelligence and technical superiority, there collector uses his money. At the same time both of them rip the thing from its natural and shared environment - hunter kills an animal and hang it at home for himself, the collector buys a work and makes it impossible to see it for the public. Both are therefore killing things so that they can look at them.