Still life
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Profitons du moment présent
Alione
Painting - 89 x 134 x 3 cm Painting - 35 x 52.8 x 1.2 inch
$6,337
Birth (Circle II)
Krista Campagnaro
Painting - 40 x 30 x 3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch
$2,886
Spring Flowers and Green Grapes
Karen Daigle
Painting - 20.3 x 25.4 x 0.8 cm Painting - 8 x 10 x 0.3 inch
$219
Cherry Blossoms and Vase
Karen Daigle
Painting - 12.7 x 30.5 x 0.8 cm Painting - 5 x 12 x 0.3 inch
$227
Worcester Fruit
Christopher Hughes
Painting - 18 x 20.1 x 4.1 cm Painting - 7.1 x 7.9 x 1.6 inch
$402
Buttercups in tiny Vase
Karen Daigle
Painting - 15.2 x 15.2 x 0.8 cm Painting - 6 x 6 x 0.3 inch
$171
Plate with fresh fruits
Guido Guidi
Painting - 35 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 13.8 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$470
Annabelle-hydrangeas
Annabell Mozer
Painting - 57 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 22.4 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$2,829
Draperies XIV
Madar Lili Adrienn
Painting - 120 x 140 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 55.1 x 1.2 inch
$2,490
Draperies XII
Madar Lili Adrienn
Painting - 140 x 200 x 3 cm Painting - 55.1 x 78.7 x 1.2 inch
$2,716
Draperies VIII
Madar Lili Adrienn
Painting - 140 x 120 x 3 cm Painting - 55.1 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch
$2,490
Throw it in, forget it
Anna Sobczak
Painting - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
$4,866
Watercolour roses salmon
Annabell Mozer
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch
$3,225
Anemonen / anemones
Annabell Mozer
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch
$3,225
Tulpen orange in vase / orange tulips in vase
Annabell Mozer
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch
$2,942
Hydrangeas in vase
Annabell Mozer
Painting - 70 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 27.6 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
$4,300
And are there growing pomegranates?
Vyusal Rain
Painting - 50 x 70.1 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
$450
The Hall of Lost Steps 2
Izabela Apananska
Print - 26 x 20 x 0.3 cm Print - 10.2 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch
$509
The Hall of Lost Steps 4
Izabela Apananska
Print - 29 x 20 x 0.3 cm Print - 11.4 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch
$509
Grisaille still life 1
Claudia Benavente
Painting - 26 x 20 x 2 cm Painting - 10.2 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch
$339
Nature morte aux fleurs et au piano
Claude Vénard
Painting - 135 x 190 x 3 cm Painting - 53.1 x 74.8 x 1.2 inch
$81,477
Still life (lamp)
Larry Snider
Photography - 30 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$339
Nature morte confinement 2
Lionel le Jeune
Photography - 50 x 50 x 5 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 2 inch
$849
Nature morte confinement 1 - best picture award
Lionel le Jeune
Photography - 52.3 x 60 x 5 cm Photography - 20.6 x 23.6 x 2 inch
$849
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…