Still life

Painting, Lecture en bleu majeur, Sophie Dumont

Lecture en bleu majeur

Sophie Dumont

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm

$2,247

Painting, Ruby Richness, Stepan Ohanyan

Ruby Richness

Stepan Ohanyan

Painting - 30 x 40 x 2 cm

$280

Painting, Pomegranates 10, Rafal Gadowski

Pomegranates 10

Rafal Gadowski

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2.5 cm

$1,807

Painting, Cornflowers and Phloxes, Yuriy Demiyanov

Cornflowers and Phloxes

Yuriy Demiyanov

Painting - 40 x 50 x 3 cm

$1,468

Photography, Still life #16, Maroc, FLORE Photographer

Still life #16, Maroc

FLORE Photographer

Photography - 11 x 9 cm

$1,694

Painting, Untitled, Noyem Khachatryan

Untitled

Noyem Khachatryan

Painting - 165 x 123 x 2 cm

$1,807 $1,626

Painting, Des fleurs pour Salinger, Jeff Alarie

Des fleurs pour Salinger

Jeff Alarie

Painting - 61 x 45.7 x 5.1 cm

$1,210

Painting, Still Life Flowers, Juan Jose Abella

Still Life Flowers

Juan Jose Abella

Painting - 46 x 38 x 1 cm

$1,242

Painting, Vibrant Sun Bouquet, Marieta Martirosyan

Vibrant Sun Bouquet

Marieta Martirosyan

Painting - 100 x 80 x 2 cm

$999

Print, Sappy hour, Low Bros

Sappy hour

Low Bros

Print - 70 x 50 x 0.01 cm

$226

Painting, Printemps, Louis Magre

Printemps

Louis Magre

Painting - 60 x 73 x 3 cm

$2,710

Painting, You are my sweet strawberry berry, Lilya Volskaya

You are my sweet strawberry berry

Lilya Volskaya

Painting - 50 x 60 x 0.2 cm

$1,016 $833

Painting, Trinity, Philippe Huart

Trinity

Philippe Huart

Painting - 124 x 114 cm

$10,728

Painting, Autumn's Bounty, Kamo Ohanyan

Autumn's Bounty

Kamo Ohanyan

Painting - 40 x 50 x 2 cm

$600

Painting, Bouquet et livres, Benjamin II Vautier

Bouquet et livres

Benjamin II Vautier

Painting - 46 x 38 x 2 cm

$892

Painting, Lemon yelow and violet, Luis Miguel Aparisi

Lemon yelow and violet

Luis Miguel Aparisi

Painting - 81.3 x 100.1 x 3 cm

$2,020

Painting, Still life with cherries, Simona Tsvetkova

Still life with cherries

Simona Tsvetkova

Painting - 50 x 60 x 2 cm

$994

Painting, Fleurs n°2, Georges Darel

Fleurs n°2

Georges Darel

Painting - 45.7 x 33 x 0.5 cm

$811

Painting, Apples, Claudio

Apples

Claudio

Painting - 41 x 33 x 2 cm

$1,355

Painting, Lavender and Roses, Ania Pieniazek

Lavender and Roses

Ania Pieniazek

Painting - 60 x 50 x 10 cm

$922

Painting, Les bogues 8, Cehel

Les bogues 8

Cehel

Painting - 22 x 16 x 2 cm

$356

Sculpture, Bonsai Skull vase, Patrick Bergsma

Bonsai Skull vase

Patrick Bergsma

Sculpture - 40 x 35 x 30 cm

$3,896

Painting, Notturno con pistola, Sergio Ceccotti

Notturno con pistola

Sergio Ceccotti

Painting - 50 x 35 cm

$3,162

Print, Chai automnal, Steve Drevet

Chai automnal

Steve Drevet

Print - 70 x 100 x 3 cm

$620

Photography, II (Columnea), Zornitsa Gramkova

II (Columnea)

Zornitsa Gramkova

Photography - 120 x 90 x 0.1 cm

$1,174

Painting, Chiaruscoro of still life, Lisbeth Buonanno

Chiaruscoro of still life

Lisbeth Buonanno

Painting - 40 x 50 x 1.8 cm

$1,355

Print, Belle, Karim Benchebra

Belle

Karim Benchebra

Print - 59.4 x 42 x 0.1 cm

$565

Painting, La chispa de la vida, Pilar Margenat

La chispa de la vida

Pilar Margenat

Painting - 80 x 80 x 5 cm

$621

Print, Vanitas 13, Damien Valero

Vanitas 13

Damien Valero

Print - 78 x 58 cm

$1,355

Painting, Draped, Philippa Brück

Draped

Philippa Brück

Painting - 200 x 180 x 4 cm

$14,116

Painting, Porcelain, Irina Trushkova

Porcelain

Irina Trushkova

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm

$2,033

Photography, Still life with the Warren Cup 2, Zoltan Gerliczki

Still life with the Warren Cup 2

Zoltan Gerliczki

Photography - 80 x 64.8 x 0.3 cm

$2,200

Painting, Still life in red, Marc Jesús-Vives

Still life in red

Marc Jesús-Vives

Painting - 89 x 116 x 0.3 cm

$2,483

Painting, Blue Silence, Christine Connelly

Blue Silence

Christine Connelly

Painting - 100 x 100 x 4 cm

$4,032

Painting, Still life with cherries, Valeri Tsvetkov

Still life with cherries

Valeri Tsvetkov

Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm

$1,750

Painting, Falling, Galya Popova

Falling

Galya Popova

Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm

$2,033

Painting, Garlic, Adda Donato

Garlic

Adda Donato

Painting - 100 x 110 cm

$1,016

Painting, Nature morte au faisan, Raymond Guerrier

Nature morte au faisan

Raymond Guerrier

Painting - 100 x 78 x 3 cm

$2,597

Painting, Ruby of the Orchard: Still Life, Arayik Murdaynan

Ruby of the Orchard: Still Life

Arayik Murdaynan

Painting - 40 x 20 x 2 cm

$199

Fine Art Drawings, Fleurs, Gen Paul

Fleurs

Gen Paul

Fine Art Drawings - 40.5 x 30 x 0.05 cm

$1,694

Painting, Fruits, J. Asensio

Fruits

J. Asensio

Painting - 38 x 47 x 2 cm

$1,129

Painting, Sunny Side Up, Melinda Patrick

Sunny Side Up

Melinda Patrick

Painting - 50.8 x 50.8 x 3.8 cm

$825

Painting, Summer bouquet, Volodymyr Kolesnyk

Summer bouquet

Volodymyr Kolesnyk

Painting - 38 x 38 x 2 cm

$1,242

Painting, Le vase, Alfred Defossez

Le vase

Alfred Defossez

Painting - 35 x 27 x 2.5 cm

$1,073

Print, Rolex, Cxmpaign

Rolex

Cxmpaign

Print - 90 x 60 x 5 cm

$2,259

Painting, Le fond de ma tasse de café (1), Andisheh Moghtaderpour

Le fond de ma tasse de café (1)

Andisheh Moghtaderpour

Painting - 30 x 24 x 1.5 cm

$215

Painting, Salon IlI, Juan Li

Salon IlI

Juan Li

Painting - 44 x 23 x 1 cm

$791

Painting, Capolago, Lucia Bergamini

Capolago

Lucia Bergamini

Painting - 101.6 x 71.1 x 3.8 cm

$3,300

Painting, Sun 2, Valérie Butters

Sun 2

Valérie Butters

Painting - 36 x 36 x 2 cm

$3,049

Painting, Coffee pot with lemon tree in blue, Gordon Hopkins

Coffee pot with lemon tree in blue

Gordon Hopkins

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3.5 cm

$5,082

Painting, Bouquet d'été_, Liubov Orlova

Bouquet d'été_

Liubov Orlova

Painting - 49 x 39 x 1.5 cm

$960

Painting, Banquet au Rialto, Nathalie Lemaître

Banquet au Rialto

Nathalie Lemaître

Painting - 80 x 120 cm

$3,388

Painting, Bouquet printanier en carafe, Alexis Louis Roche

Bouquet printanier en carafe

Alexis Louis Roche

Painting - 45.7 x 55 x 0.5 cm

$672

Print, Lover's Eye, Technicolora

Lover's Eye

Technicolora

Print - 62.5 x 50 x 0.1 cm

$664

Painting, Sans titre, Jean-Michel Mefort

Sans titre

Jean-Michel Mefort

Painting - 73 x 54 x 5 cm

$1,525

Painting, Still life swimming duck with croissant, Gevorg Sinanyan

Still life swimming duck with croissant

Gevorg Sinanyan

Painting - 37 x 47 x 0.6 cm

$450

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Juan Luis Goenaga

Untitled

Juan Luis Goenaga

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 66 cm

$5,421

Painting, Still life with smoked fish, Igor Sventitski

Still life with smoked fish

Igor Sventitski

Painting - 40.3 x 40.3 x 2.5 cm

$1,355

Painting, Still life, Rafael Illana

Still life

Rafael Illana

Painting - 60 x 73 x 2 cm

$3,388

Painting, Clays and glazes, Karina Lara

Clays and glazes

Karina Lara

Painting - 24.5 x 33.5 cm

$451 $407

Painting, Serata, Tamara Bellarte

Serata

Tamara Bellarte

Painting - 60 x 50 x 3 cm

$338

Painting, Le retour du petit bancal, Philippe Vercellotti

Le retour du petit bancal

Philippe Vercellotti

Painting - 33 x 33 x 1 cm

$2,259

Painting, Midnight poppies, Zhirayr Khachatryan

Midnight poppies

Zhirayr Khachatryan

Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm

$250

Painting, Three Red Apples, Miljan Vasiljevic

Three Red Apples

Miljan Vasiljevic

Painting - 22.9 x 38.1 x 5.1 cm

$1,050

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Irmgard Sigg

Sans titre

Irmgard Sigg

Fine Art Drawings - 69.5 x 49.5 x 0.1 cm

$903

Painting, Tea Time - Museum Ludwig Cologne, Linda Moufadil

Tea Time - Museum Ludwig Cologne

Linda Moufadil

Painting - 31 x 61 x 1.5 cm

$1,807

Fine Art Drawings, Remember, Rosemary Achata

Remember

Rosemary Achata

Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 25 cm

$282

Painting, Manifesto Bananero, Jean-François Boclé

Manifesto Bananero

Jean-François Boclé

Painting - 24 x 32 x 1 cm

$3,025

Fine Art Drawings, Manifesto Bananero, Jean-François Boclé

Manifesto Bananero

Jean-François Boclé

Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 32 x 1 cm

$3,025

Photography, United for Hope, Sylvia Fournier

United for Hope

Sylvia Fournier

Photography - 30 x 45 x 1 cm

$361

Painting, Still life, Alceu Ribeiro

Still life

Alceu Ribeiro

Painting - 65 x 92 x 2 cm

$3,273

Print, El resplandor [The shining], Gloria Matarazzo

El resplandor [The shining]

Gloria Matarazzo

Print - 20 x 30 x 0.5 cm

$547

Painting, Canari dans un intérieur, Toshio Bando

Canari dans un intérieur

Toshio Bando

Painting - 33 x 24 x 5 cm

$2,823

Painting, Lucille, Stefano Mazzolini

Lucille

Stefano Mazzolini

Painting - 108 x 99 x 1 cm

$4,517

Print, Still life, Mira Stern

Still life

Mira Stern

Print - 70 x 70 x 5 cm

$339 $305

Painting, Washing 07, Nancy Barwell

Washing 07

Nancy Barwell

Painting - 82 x 116 x 4 cm

$2,259 $2,033

Painting, Gran Gala, Claudio Missagia

Gran Gala

Claudio Missagia

Painting - 150 x 100 x 2 cm

$5,421

Painting, Vae soli, Sandra Paris

Vae soli

Sandra Paris

Painting - 42 x 30 cm

$367

Sculpture, La force III, Jeff Alarie

La force III

Jeff Alarie

Sculpture - 61 x 7.6 x 7.6 cm

$1,000

Painting, Velvet blueberries, Tamar Nazaryan

Velvet blueberries

Tamar Nazaryan

Painting - 24 x 18 x 2 cm

$120

Fine Art Drawings, Une poire et demie, Daniel Nadaud

Une poire et demie

Daniel Nadaud

Fine Art Drawings - 55 x 37 x 0.1 cm

$678

Painting, Le plateau d’huîtres, Edmond Ceria

Le plateau d’huîtres

Edmond Ceria

Painting - 27 x 41 x 3 cm

$2,823

Painting, Fruits et vin en Touraine, Jacques Despierre

Fruits et vin en Touraine

Jacques Despierre

Painting - 40 x 80 x 3 cm

$8,470

Fine Art Drawings, Cuina amb finestra i porta en groc i verd, Montse Roldos

Cuina amb finestra i porta en groc i verd

Montse Roldos

Fine Art Drawings - 37 x 53 x 0.3 cm

$311

Print, Nature Morte, Fruits et Couleurs (2), Brooke Range

Nature Morte, Fruits et Couleurs (2)

Brooke Range

Print - 100 x 100 x 5 cm

$903

Painting, Constantly moving I, Lidia Domagala

Constantly moving I

Lidia Domagala

Painting - 70 x 50 cm

$1,073

Painting, Life in Plastic III, Gergana Tabakova

Life in Plastic III

Gergana Tabakova

Painting - 55 x 55 x 2 cm

$1,016

Photography, Nature-morte aux pinceaux, Pierre Brochet

Nature-morte aux pinceaux

Pierre Brochet

Photography - 30 x 40 cm

$508

Painting, At the End of the Day, Natia Sapanadze

At the End of the Day

Natia Sapanadze

Painting - 44 x 33 x 2 cm

$2,146

Sculpture, Écorce, Lionel Hamon

Écorce

Lionel Hamon

Sculpture - 60 x 35 x 25 cm

$5,647

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… 

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