Artworks

All artworks

Artists

All artists

Galeries

All galleries

Categories

Subcategories

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… 

Read more

Save your search and find it in your favorites

Saved search

Your search is accessible from the favorites tab > My favorite searches

Unsaved search

A problem occurred

Fine Art Drawings, Seducing Lady, Luigi Bompard

Seducing Lady

Luigi Bompard

Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 18 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 7.1 x 0.1 inch

$667

Painting, House & gate, Mark Hopkins

House & gate

Mark Hopkins

Painting - 48 x 48 x 10 cm Painting - 18.9 x 18.9 x 3.9 inch

$1,905

Painting, Untitled, Kcho

Untitled

Kcho

Painting - 199.898 x 199.898 x 3.175 cm Painting - 78.7 x 78.7 x 1.3 inch

$21,500

Fine Art Drawings, Nappe rouge, Jacques Despierre

Nappe rouge

Jacques Despierre

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 33 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 13 x 0 inch

$1,012

Painting, Watermelon_01, Helal Uddin

Watermelon_01

Helal Uddin

Painting - 30.5 x 40.6 x 0.3 cm Painting - 12 x 16 x 0.1 inch

$837

Painting, Tableau, Bernard Sannier

Tableau

Bernard Sannier

Painting - 92 x 73 x 3 cm Painting - 36.2 x 28.7 x 1.2 inch

$952

Painting, Bouquet en vase, Reiner

Bouquet en vase

Reiner

Painting - 62 x 46.5 x 0.5 cm Painting - 24.4 x 18.3 x 0.2 inch

$736

Sculpture, Frutta mista, GiFoArs

Frutta mista

GiFoArs

Sculpture - 10 x 40 x 40 cm Sculpture - 3.9 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch

$595

Fine Art Drawings, The Sandman, Odona Bones

The Sandman

Odona Bones

Fine Art Drawings - 19.5 x 14.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.7 x 5.7 x 0 inch

$1,131

Fine Art Drawings, Freya, Elena Borstein

Freya

Elena Borstein

Fine Art Drawings - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 40 x 0.04 inch

$4,000

Painting, L'invitée, Bernard Vié

L'invitée

Bernard Vié

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

$2,857

Photography, No title, Philippe Pasqua

No title

Philippe Pasqua

Photography - 200 x 156 x 1 cm Photography - 78.7 x 61.4 x 0.4 inch

$17,858

Painting, Roy's, Yann Argentin

Roy's

Yann Argentin

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

$2,143

Painting, Girl, Oswaldo Figueroa

Girl

Oswaldo Figueroa

Painting - 41 x 41 cm Painting - 16.1 x 16.1 inch

$691

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Irmgard Sigg

Sans titre

Irmgard Sigg

Fine Art Drawings - 69.5 x 49.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.4 x 19.5 x 0 inch

$952

Print, Café, Hossein Borojeni

Café

Hossein Borojeni

Print - 80 x 60 x 3 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

$356

Print, Manège, Sylvie Schambill

Manège

Sylvie Schambill

Print - 50 x 60 x 0.2 cm Print - 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch

$1,191

8/100