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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Painting, Profession of Faith, Su Yu

Profession of Faith

Su Yu

Painting - 160 x 100 x 4 cm Painting - 63 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

€18,300

Painting, Maguy, Foucaud Stéphane

Maguy

Foucaud Stéphane

Painting - 85 x 73 x 4 cm Painting - 33.5 x 28.7 x 1.6 inch

€1,166

Painting, Casa, Xavi Figueras

Casa

Xavi Figueras

Painting - 73 x 60 x 1 cm Painting - 28.7 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

€1,950

Painting, Springtime, Nelli Tsenova

Springtime

Nelli Tsenova

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€1,150

Painting, Roses, Pereta Vyacheslav

Roses

Pereta Vyacheslav

Painting - 50 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€415

Painting, Peonies, Pereta Vyacheslav

Peonies

Pereta Vyacheslav

Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€315

Painting, Roses, Shapoval Ivan

Roses

Shapoval Ivan

Painting - 57 x 45 x 2 cm Painting - 22.4 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

€510

Painting, Daisies, Boris Serdyuk

Daisies

Boris Serdyuk

Painting - 50 x 38 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15 x 0.8 inch

€270

Sculpture, Running out (1), Santicri

Running out (1)

Santicri

Sculpture - 26 x 16 x 6 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 6.3 x 2.4 inch

€490

Painting, French breakfast, Arome

French breakfast

Arome

Painting - 50 x 50 x 3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

€550

Painting, Orchids, Aurélie Trabaud

Orchids

Aurélie Trabaud

Painting - 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€290

Painting, Manto, Iglesias15680

Manto

Iglesias15680

Painting - 41.5 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Painting - 16.3 x 11.6 x 0 inch

€750

Painting, Geranium, Iglesias15680

Geranium

Iglesias15680

Painting - 41.5 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Painting - 16.3 x 11.6 x 0 inch

€750

Painting, Flower pot, Iglesias15680

Flower pot

Iglesias15680

Painting - 41.5 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Painting - 16.3 x 11.6 x 0 inch

€750

Painting, Flowers, Iglesias15680

Flowers

Iglesias15680

Painting - 41.5 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Painting - 16.3 x 11.6 x 0 inch

€700

Photography, Frivole, Dominique Jullien

Frivole

Dominique Jullien

Photography - 20 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

€350

Print, M271, Jesús Perea

M271

Jesús Perea

Print - 100 x 70 cm Print - 39.4 x 27.6 inch

€1,545

Print, M272, Jesús Perea

M272

Jesús Perea

Print - 70 x 100 cm Print - 27.6 x 39.4 inch

€1,545

Print, M288, Jesús Perea

M288

Jesús Perea

Print - 70 x 100 cm Print - 27.6 x 39.4 inch

€1,545

Print, M420, Jesús Perea

M420

Jesús Perea

Print - 100 x 70 cm Print - 39.4 x 27.6 inch

€1,545

Painting, Veronica, Elena Mardashova

Veronica

Elena Mardashova

Painting - 50 x 70 x 4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 27.6 x 1.6 inch

€540

Painting, Cherries, Elena Mardashova

Cherries

Elena Mardashova

Painting - 40 x 40 x 0.2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

€540

Print, Billabong, Jill Moser

Billabong

Jill Moser

Print - 58.4 x 53.3 cm Print - 23 x 21 inch

€1,792

Painting, 40 mm, Ruslan Kolomiyets

40 mm

Ruslan Kolomiyets

Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,800

Painting, Magnolia, Irina Trushkova

Magnolia

Irina Trushkova

Painting - 33 x 27 x 2 cm Painting - 13 x 10.6 x 0.8 inch

€900

Painting, Lemons, Irina Trushkova

Lemons

Irina Trushkova

Painting - 48 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 18.9 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€2,500

Painting, Window, Irina Trushkova

Window

Irina Trushkova

Painting - 48 x 48 x 2 cm Painting - 18.9 x 18.9 x 0.8 inch

€2,200

25/93