Still life
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Donkey Kong: Nature's Revenge - NES
Arlo Sinclair
Painting - 70.1 x 70.1 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 inch
$2,695
Atari CX40: Joystick Driver Disk - 3.5" Grey
Arlo Sinclair
Painting - 70.1 x 70.1 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 inch
$2,695
Big Bang sur papier 15
Joëlle Kem Lika
Painting - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$475
Big Bang sur papier 14
Joëlle Kem Lika
Painting - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$475
Big Bang sur papier 16
Joëlle Kem Lika
Painting - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$475
Aperture 14
Nicolas Sanchez
Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 43.2 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 17 x 2 inch
$5,000
Aperture 7
Nicolas Sanchez
Fine Art Drawings - 35.6 x 43.2 x 5.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14 x 17 x 2 inch
$5,000
Blossom and bird song
Arevik Gasparyan
Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$300
XXX Begonia
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 30 x 26 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 10.2 x 0 inch
$113
XXVIII Sempervivum
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 30 x 22 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 8.7 x 0 inch
$113
XXIX Physalis
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 30 x 25 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.8 x 0 inch
$113
XXIV Metrosideros
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 38 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$226
XXI Chrysanthemum
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 30 x 43 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.9 x 0 inch
$226
XX Ornithogalum
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 30 x 43 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.9 x 0 inch
$226
XVIII Taraxacum
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$226
XVII Cichorium
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$226
XIV Phalaenopsis
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 30 x 39 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.4 x 0 inch
$226
La part de chacun
Gérard Willemenot
Painting - 20 x 20 x 1 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch
$3,280
IV (Lilium)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 40 x 43 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 16.9 x 0 inch
$317
V (Anemone)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 53 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20.9 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$317
XXIII (Atriplex)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 44 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 17.3 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$249
VI (Hibiscus)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 48 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 18.9 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$317
IX (Lilium)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 40 x 43 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 16.9 x 0 inch
$452
VIII (Taraxacum)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 40 x 53 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 20.9 x 0 inch
$452
X (Begonia)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$486
XI (Kohleria)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 45 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 17.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$452
XII (Hibiscus)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 48 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 18.9 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$452
XVI (Begonia)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 51 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20.1 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$249
XXVI (Thunbergia)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 55 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 21.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$249
XIX (Begonia)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 38 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$215
XV (Fuchsia)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 50 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$215
XIII (Begonia)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 47 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 18.5 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$215
XXII (Cymbidium)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$215
III (Begonia)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 53 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20.9 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$317
VII (Cymbidium)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 40 x 53 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 20.9 x 0 inch
$317
Des songes qui brûlent 2
Andisheh Moghtaderpour
Painting - 20 x 20 x 1.5 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.6 inch
$141
Rethinking Botany: Crocus
Tanya Sviatlichnaya
Painting - 39 x 27 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.4 x 10.6 x 0 inch
$588
Golden Petal Symphony
Vahe Bagumyan
Painting - 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$450
Vase fantôme
Nadine de Lespinats
Painting - 100 x 70 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch
$2,556
Warhol Paint Brushes (3)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 152.4 x 152.4 cm Photography - 60 x 60 inch
$20,000
Vareadores de Flores
Baptiste Laurent
Painting - 162 x 130 x 4 cm Painting - 63.8 x 51.2 x 1.6 inch
$3,619
Livre I / Berteroa incana (L.) DC. (Alysse blanche, Alysson blanc, Bertéroa Blanc), 2021, in Herbarium Florum obsidionalium (2021-2023)
Sophie Zénon
Photography - 30.5 x 41 cm Photography - 12 x 16.1 inch
$4,524
Nature morte
Mr Popart
Fine Art Drawings - 13.2 x 15.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.2 x 6.1 x 0 inch
$226
Fashion Publication
Erte Tirtoff
Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 54.5 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 13.8 x 21.5 x 0.4 inch
$6,785
Manifesto Bananero
Jean-François Boclé
Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 32 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 12.6 x 0.4 inch
$3,030
Manifesto Bananero
Jean-François Boclé
Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 32 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 12.6 x 0.4 inch
$3,030
Manifesto Bananero
Jean-François Boclé
Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 32 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 12.6 x 0.4 inch
$3,030
Pears (classical realistic fruits)
Marlene Llanes
Painting - 40.6 x 50.8 x 2 cm Painting - 16 x 20 x 0.8 inch
$335
Reflet d'or
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 70 x 70 x 1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch
$1,696
Ondulations lumineuses
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 60 x 80 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch
$1,696
Retour de pêche
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
$2,036
Still life
Although at its heart a classic subject, the still life was the preferred approach of Cézanne, the artist who paved the way for art to enter its most modern phase. From Cubism to Hyperrealism via Pop art, sculpture, and photography, almost all art forms have been at some point shown that it is still possible to breathe new life into this age old theme.
Be it completely de-structured, funny, classic, or minimalist, the contemporary still life is far from old fashioned, despite the fact that it boasts a long, celebrated history.
Let's take a closer look at this theme that recurs so often across art history… even in antiquity, Pliny had already written about a painter called Piraikos, known for his paintings of 'provisions for cooking', and the optical illusions of Zeuxis, from which it was said that birds would try to pick off the raisins because they looked so real. The conventional still life as we know it today, however, dates back to the 17th century, where it developed in Holland under strict aesthetic codes.
Generally, oils on canvas were the preferred method for representing inanimate objects of varying types (lots of fruit, fish, game…) and flowers. The colours were muted, the background a monochromic black, the atmosphere heavy, and the light at a steep diagonal angle. There were few elements but they were precisely arranged and loaded with religious symbolism.
Even though still life was never considered a genre in its own right, almost all of the great masters have tried their hand at it at some point or other. Across the 19th century, all the art movements went through a still life phase: romanticism, impressionism, symbolism… and under the brushes of Degas, Cézanne, Monet, etc., still life evolved.
Little by little, artists added colours, erased the biblical references and replaced them with everyday objects in ever greater numbers: cooking utensils, cups of coffee, gas lamps, musical instruments…
In the 20th century, modern art once more dusted off this 'boring' subject, and began to play with its strict codes. From cubism to pop art to surrealism, all of the artistic movements made their mark on still life. Bit by bit, they took it to pieces and rebuilt it, moving ever closer to the contemporary still life, which has little to do with the original genre except for its central theme.
After his separation from Olga Khokhlova in 1936, Pablo Picasso painted 'Still Life Under a Lamp' whose plastic elements suggested themes that would later be developed in his famous 'Guernica' the following year. Pale lamplight dominates the triangular composition in the centre of the canvas and the arms of the antique sculpture appear to be on the verge of falling off the table. Although the piece altogether seems to move away from the classic still life, it maintains the traditional heavy atmosphere.
In 1956 the Catalan surrealist painter Salvador Dali painted 'Living Still Life' in his typical humorous style. The canvas – divided in two to represent night and day – shows a table on a balcony. The elements (wine, water, a pear, a knife…) are in motion, or rather levitating, as though someone has just struck the tabletop.
Artsper invites you to explore a range of contemporary still life pieces that are both traditional and surprising in our unique selection. Discover the work of Syvie Andlauer Baruch, Gonzalo Sicre, Zbigniew Wozniak, and many more…