Still life

Painting, Douceur orange, Joseph Piermatteo

Douceur orange

Joseph Piermatteo

Painting - 41 x 33 cm Painting - 16.1 x 13 inch

$1,678

Painting, Petit déjeuner à Paris, Joseph Piermatteo

Petit déjeuner à Paris

Joseph Piermatteo

Painting - 30 x 30 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 inch

$1,342

Photography, Portrait 06, The Sugar Project, Amrita Bilimoria

Portrait 06, The Sugar Project

Amrita Bilimoria

Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 x 0.5 cm Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 inch

$5,000

Painting, Orangé, Gaëlle Kondrat

Orangé

Gaëlle Kondrat

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

$145 $131

Painting, Capriccio I, Fernando Spano

Capriccio I

Fernando Spano

Painting - 76.5 x 61.5 x 0.3 cm Painting - 30.1 x 24.2 x 0.1 inch

$7,829 $7,438

Print, Farandole 5, Hans Hartung

Farandole 5

Hans Hartung

Print - 49 x 74 cm Print - 19.3 x 29.1 inch

$1,678

Painting, Roses in flower, Natalya Mougenot

Roses in flower

Natalya Mougenot

Painting - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Painting - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch

$391 $294

Design, Pumpkin (yellow), Yayoi Kusama

Pumpkin (yellow)

Yayoi Kusama

Design - 9.5 x 7.5 x 7.5 cm Design - 3.7 x 3 x 3 inch

$481

Photography, Oceani Mentali n°6, Luca Izzo

Oceani Mentali n°6

Luca Izzo

Photography - 70 x 50 x 0.4 cm Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch

$391 $352

Fine Art Drawings, The Violets' Celebration, Tanya Sviatlichnaya

The Violets' Celebration

Tanya Sviatlichnaya

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 29.5 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.6 x 0 inch

$447

Painting, Introspection 7, Benedicte Caillat

Introspection 7

Benedicte Caillat

Painting - 30 x 30 x 1.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

$1,230

Print, Rivière 21, Serge Poliakoff

Rivière 21

Serge Poliakoff

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

$8,948

Photography, Leaf Knot, The Sugar Project, Amrita Bilimoria

Leaf Knot, The Sugar Project

Amrita Bilimoria

Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 x 0.5 cm Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 inch

$5,000

Photography, CutCane, The Sugar Project, Amrita Bilimoria

CutCane, The Sugar Project

Amrita Bilimoria

Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 x 0.5 cm Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 inch

$5,000

Painting, Orchidées, Michèle Kaus

Orchidées

Michèle Kaus

Painting - 100 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,566 $1,409

Sculpture, Li Lihong's Apple China grand format - Or - Edition Loft, Li Lihong

Li Lihong's Apple China grand format - Or - Edition Loft

Li Lihong

Sculpture - 28 x 28 x 28 cm Sculpture - 11 x 11 x 11 inch

$2,796

Fine Art Drawings, Lilies, Isabelle Hirtzig

Lilies

Isabelle Hirtzig

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

$106

Painting, The end of vacation, Nora Ampova

The end of vacation

Nora Ampova

Painting - 80 x 90 x 3 cm Painting - 31.5 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

$1,678 $1,510

Painting, Life in Plastic II, Gergana Tabakova

Life in Plastic II

Gergana Tabakova

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

$1,007

Painting, Strao (Black powder collection), Alessandra Bisi

Strao (Black powder collection)

Alessandra Bisi

Painting - 30 x 20 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0 inch

$190

Painting, RGB Danza Zulu, Alessandra Bisi

RGB Danza Zulu

Alessandra Bisi

Painting - 150 x 51 x 3 cm Painting - 59.1 x 20.1 x 1.2 inch

$3,579

Photography, Boxes #1 Blue on Red & Red on Blue, Ignacio Barrios

Boxes #1 Blue on Red & Red on Blue

Ignacio Barrios

Photography - 62 x 42.5 x 4 cm Photography - 24.4 x 16.7 x 1.6 inch

$503

Painting, Through the Pale Twilit Meadows, Katharina Husslein

Through the Pale Twilit Meadows

Katharina Husslein

Painting - 120 x 140 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 55.1 x 1.2 inch

$4,138

Painting, Among the Flowers Face to face with the sky, Katharina Husslein

Among the Flowers Face to face with the sky

Katharina Husslein

Painting - 125 x 140 x 3 cm Painting - 49.2 x 55.1 x 1.2 inch

$4,138

Painting, Love's Philosophy, Katharina Husslein

Love's Philosophy

Katharina Husslein

Painting - 100 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

$2,908

Print, Two parcels in harmonic motion, Yrjö Edelmann

Two parcels in harmonic motion

Yrjö Edelmann

Print - 55 x 81 cm Print - 21.7 x 31.9 inch

$895

Sculpture, L’esprit du feu., Bengt Lindström

L’esprit du feu.

Bengt Lindström

Sculpture - 66.5 x 42 x 9 cm Sculpture - 26.2 x 16.5 x 3.5 inch

$7,382

Painting, Large Pears 51, Large Pears Series, Alexander Lufer

Large Pears 51, Large Pears Series

Alexander Lufer

Painting - 100 x 160 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 63 x 0.8 inch

$4,809

Painting, Large Pears 47, Large Pears Series, Alexander Lufer

Large Pears 47, Large Pears Series

Alexander Lufer

Painting - 100 x 160 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 63 x 0.8 inch

$4,809

Painting, Large Pears 43, Large Pears Series, Alexander Lufer

Large Pears 43, Large Pears Series

Alexander Lufer

Painting - 100 x 160 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 63 x 0.8 inch

$4,809

Fine Art Drawings, Ñatitas, Edgar Quispe

Ñatitas

Edgar Quispe

Fine Art Drawings - 32 x 26 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.6 x 10.2 inch

$391

Painting, Flower Pot I, Helder Batista

Flower Pot I

Helder Batista

Painting - 42 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

$1,118

Fine Art Drawings, Petits formats Québécois (Série), Kitty Sabatier

Petits formats Québécois (Série)

Kitty Sabatier

Fine Art Drawings - 25 x 22 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.8 x 8.7 x 0 inch

$559

Painting, Still Life, Laura Newman

Still Life

Laura Newman

Painting - 102 x 76 cm Painting - 40.2 x 29.9 inch

$7,613

Painting, Nénuphars, Françoise Augustine

Nénuphars

Françoise Augustine

Painting - 81 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.9 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

$2,908

Painting, East side, Mea Ambrozo

East side

Mea Ambrozo

Painting - 20 x 20 x 1 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

$559

Painting, Dance floor, Mea Ambrozo

Dance floor

Mea Ambrozo

Painting - 25 x 20 x 1 cm Painting - 9.8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

$783

Painting, Exotic, Mea Ambrozo

Exotic

Mea Ambrozo

Painting - 25 x 25 x 1 cm Painting - 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch

$671

Print, Purple Spell, Hunt Slonem

Purple Spell

Hunt Slonem

Print - 48.3 x 49.5 cm Print - 19 x 19.5 inch

$750

Print, Horns Of Plenty, Hunt Slonem

Horns Of Plenty

Hunt Slonem

Print - 71.1 x 66 cm Print - 28 x 26 inch

$750

Print, Curtains, Hunt Slonem

Curtains

Hunt Slonem

Print - 66 x 74.9 cm Print - 26 x 29.5 inch

$850

Photography, Hiding in the city, Paris - n°14, Pharmacy, Liu Bolin

Hiding in the city, Paris - n°14, Pharmacy

Liu Bolin

Photography - 90 x 120 cm Photography - 35.4 x 47.2 inch

$16,218

Painting, Introspection 11, Benedicte Caillat

Introspection 11

Benedicte Caillat

Painting - 18 x 14 x 1.5 cm Painting - 7.1 x 5.5 x 0.6 inch

$895

Painting, Introspection 10, Benedicte Caillat

Introspection 10

Benedicte Caillat

Painting - 18 x 14 x 1.5 cm Painting - 7.1 x 5.5 x 0.6 inch

$895

Painting, Introspection 1/1, Benedicte Caillat

Introspection 1/1

Benedicte Caillat

Painting - 70 x 50 x 1.5 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch

$1,566

Painting, Franco Sigg, Dan Levenson

Franco Sigg

Dan Levenson

Painting - 119 x 84 cm Painting - 46.9 x 33.1 inch

$9,600

Sculpture, Piaf Noir à picots argent, Valerie Marty

Piaf Noir à picots argent

Valerie Marty

Sculpture - 17 x 12 x 12 cm Sculpture - 6.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inch

$447

Painting, Still life with summer flowers, Viktoria Ganhao

Still life with summer flowers

Viktoria Ganhao

Painting - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

$1,342

Print, Visual Healing 5, Sumit Mehndiratta

Visual Healing 5

Sumit Mehndiratta

Print - 100 x 100 x 0.1 cm Print - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0 inch

$1,118

Painting, Green library, Sophie Dumont

Green library

Sophie Dumont

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,208

Painting, Gray tones, Sophie Dumont

Gray tones

Sophie Dumont

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,208

Print, Crocus jaunes, Bernard Buffet

Crocus jaunes

Bernard Buffet

Print - 58 x 75 cm Print - 22.8 x 29.5 inch

$2,461

Painting, Cage / Sans Titre, Meteo Meteo

Cage / Sans Titre

Meteo Meteo

Painting - 32 x 24 x 0.1 cm Painting - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0 inch

$151

Sculpture, Rouge Ballon de Chien 21, Miguel Guía

Rouge Ballon de Chien 21

Miguel Guía

Sculpture - 21.5 x 7 x 20 cm Sculpture - 8.5 x 2.8 x 7.9 inch

$761

Print, Vanitas 3, Markus Lüpertz

Vanitas 3

Markus Lüpertz

Print - 56 x 77 cm Print - 22 x 30.3 inch

$2,237

Fine Art Drawings, Coltelli, Valerio Adami

Coltelli

Valerio Adami

Fine Art Drawings - 48 x 36 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.9 x 14.2 inch

$8,948

Photography, Sans titre, 2019, Mathieu Trautmann

Sans titre, 2019

Mathieu Trautmann

Photography - 65 x 48.5 cm Photography - 25.6 x 19.1 inch

$2,796

Painting, Smell of summer, Galya Popova

Smell of summer

Galya Popova

Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$727

Painting, Nature morte aux poissons, Antoine Lombardo

Nature morte aux poissons

Antoine Lombardo

Painting - 33 x 41 x 2 cm Painting - 13 x 16.1 x 0.8 inch

$445

Print, MP 62, Bram van Velde

MP 62

Bram van Velde

Print - 66 x 49 cm Print - 26 x 19.3 inch

$1,007

Painting, River, Ludovic Mercher

River

Ludovic Mercher

Painting - 60 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$951

Painting, Le bouquet de l’esperance, Valérie Dragacci

Le bouquet de l’esperance

Valérie Dragacci

Painting - 55 x 45 x 2 cm Painting - 21.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,118

Painting, Paysage I, Shahram Nabati

Paysage I

Shahram Nabati

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

$3,355

Sculpture, Bouteille champagne 66-22, Philippe Buil

Bouteille champagne 66-22

Philippe Buil

Sculpture - 30 x 10 x 10 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 3.9 x 3.9 inch

$783

Sculpture, L'age de glace 16-24, Philippe Buil

L'age de glace 16-24

Philippe Buil

Sculpture - 12 x 14 x 12 cm Sculpture - 4.7 x 5.5 x 4.7 inch

$671

Painting, Carrigan, Kollabs

Carrigan

Kollabs

Painting - 121.9 x 121.9 x 6.4 cm Painting - 48 x 48 x 2.5 inch

$9,130

Painting, Pip & Pipper, Kollabs

Pip & Pipper

Kollabs

Painting - 121.9 x 121.9 x 5.1 cm Painting - 48 x 48 x 2 inch

$9,130

Painting, Cuisine campagnarde, Françoise Bircher

Cuisine campagnarde

Françoise Bircher

Painting - 46 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch

$391

Print, Melody for Strings III, Arman

Melody for Strings III

Arman

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

$1,286

Print, Fleur, Fernand Léger

Fleur

Fernand Léger

Print - 32.5 x 24.5 x 0.1 cm Print - 12.8 x 9.6 x 0 inch

$3,355

Painting, Retrouver les bons souvenirs, Christos Kalfas

Retrouver les bons souvenirs

Christos Kalfas

Painting - 30 x 30 x 3 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

$1,678

Painting, Pear season in Cochabamba, Karina Lara

Pear season in Cochabamba

Karina Lara

Painting - 50 x 65 cm Painting - 19.7 x 25.6 inch

$1,096

Painting, Fruits rouges, Rudyard Heaton

Fruits rouges

Rudyard Heaton

Painting - 95 x 95 x 2.5 cm Painting - 37.4 x 37.4 x 1 inch

$1,342

Painting, Fight Club, New Things Series, Alexander Lufer

Fight Club, New Things Series

Alexander Lufer

Painting - 120 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$3,188

Painting, Engagement Day, New Things Series, Alexander Lufer

Engagement Day, New Things Series

Alexander Lufer

Painting - 120 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$3,188

Painting, Les fleurs pour une inconnue, Volodymyr Kolesnyk

Les fleurs pour une inconnue

Volodymyr Kolesnyk

Painting - 100 x 85 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 33.5 x 1 inch

$6,040

Print, Royal Guns, Arman

Royal Guns

Arman

Print - 76.2 x 55.9 cm Print - 30 x 22 inch

$1,200

Print, Hydra, Arman

Hydra

Arman

Print - 76.2 x 55.9 cm Print - 30 x 22 inch

$1,200

Painting, Esquitxos, Tomàs Sunyol

Esquitxos

Tomàs Sunyol

Painting - 70 x 70 x 5 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 2 inch

$2,841

Painting, Syngonium, Noyem Khachatryan

Syngonium

Noyem Khachatryan

Painting - 90 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$1,230

Photography, Radial bleu, Jean François Humbert

Radial bleu

Jean François Humbert

Photography - 78 x 60 x 0.15 cm Photography - 30.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch

$1,957

Painting, Bright Irises, Nikolay Dmitriev

Bright Irises

Nikolay Dmitriev

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

$1,678

Print, Backwaters Call, Nadia Attura

Backwaters Call

Nadia Attura

Print - 100 x 100 x 0.1 cm Print - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0 inch

$1,456

Print, Les téléphones, Arman

Les téléphones

Arman

Print - 63 x 90 x 0.5 cm Print - 24.8 x 35.4 x 0.2 inch

$1,678

Painting, Ô langage des comparaisons, Cécile Jaunet

Ô langage des comparaisons

Cécile Jaunet

Painting - 225 x 225 x 1 cm Painting - 88.6 x 88.6 x 0.4 inch

$2,796

Painting, Donkey Kong: Nature's Revenge - NES, Arlo Sinclair

Donkey Kong: Nature's Revenge - NES

Arlo Sinclair

Painting - 70.1 x 70.1 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 inch

$2,695

Painting, Atari CX40: Joystick Driver Disk - 3.5" Grey, Arlo Sinclair

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

Painting, Tactile memory #134, Natasha Zupan

Tactile memory #134

Natasha Zupan

Painting - 24.1 x 19.1 x 7.6 cm Painting - 9.5 x 7.5 x 3 inch

$2,150

Painting, Pegasus, Robert Ieuan de Haan

Pegasus

Robert Ieuan de Haan

Painting - 40 x 30 x 3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

$1,454

Painting, Vase and mug, Joaquim Falcó

Vase and mug

Joaquim Falcó

Painting - 46 x 55 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 inch

$783

Painting, Epure, Sophie Dumont

Epure

Sophie Dumont

Painting - 30 x 24 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch

$660

Painting, Untitled, Joaquim Falcó

Untitled

Joaquim Falcó

Painting - 64 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting - 25.2 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$1,230

Print, Violon et clé à molette, Arman

Violon et clé à molette

Arman

Print - 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print - 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$951

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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