Still life
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Raffinerie de Cognac
Laurence Gasior
Painting - 55 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 21.7 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
$1,492
Zapatos rojos
Ernest Carneado Ferreri
Painting - 60 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch
$1,122
Sans titre, velvet serie
Baptiste Laurent
Painting - 59 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 23.2 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,346
Sans titre, Velvet serie
Baptiste Laurent
Painting - 62 x 52 x 2 cm Painting - 24.4 x 20.5 x 0.8 inch
$1,402
De chlore et de rosé
Christopher Barraja
Photography - 90 x 60 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 inch
$1,346
Substances N°10
Marine Foissey
Photography - 40 x 94 x 2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 37 x 0.8 inch
$2,188
1972 MMCA Museum Collection Sculpture Vase
Moon Shin
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 inch
$5,609
Sculpture Black Vase 1973
Moon Shin
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 inch
$5,497
Sculpture Vase Korean Lettrism 1973
Moon Shin
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 inch
$4,375
Sculpture Black Vase 1973
Moon Shin
Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 12 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.9 x 4.7 inch
$4,375
VASE Black Sculpture 1978
Moon Shin
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 inch
$3,254
Paris Sculpture Black Vase Duo 1977
Moon Shin
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 8.3 inch
$3,254
Building my Nest - 2 Trees
Joanna Glazer
Painting - 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$550 $275
Peras en almibar de vino rojo II
Dora Franco
Photography - 52 x 80 x 0.2 cm Photography - 20.5 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Peras en almibar de vino rojo. From Bodegon series
Dora Franco
Photography - 52 x 80 x 0.3 cm Photography - 20.5 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Nature morte avec thé
Henry Meylan
Painting - 54.5 x 74 x 2 cm Painting - 21.5 x 29.1 x 0.8 inch
$827
Nature morte avec des coquilles
Sergey Kovalenko
Painting - 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$2,019
Raw Umber Cornus Kousa
Irena Tone
Painting - 19.5 x 14.5 x 0.1 cm Painting - 7.7 x 5.7 x 0 inch
$146
Burgundy Chair (Views and Vantage Points)
Theresa Vandenberg Donche
Painting - 91.4 x 91.4 x 3.8 cm Painting - 36 x 36 x 1.5 inch
$2,765
Still Life (Artichoke)
Larry Snider
Photography - 56 x 56 x 0.1 cm Photography - 22 x 22 x 0 inch
$1,683
Com en el meu cor, a cada raconet un record
Carol Tomàs Alcaine
Painting - 100 x 100 x 3.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.4 inch
$1,122
Enciéndeme...O déjame volar
Carol Tomàs Alcaine
Painting - 50 x 50 x 1.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch
$898
No sé si te abracé lo suficiente
Carol Tomàs Alcaine
Painting - 20 x 40 x 3.5 cm Painting - 7.9 x 15.7 x 1.4 inch
$898
Necesito tu calor
Carol Tomàs Alcaine
Painting - 20 x 25 x 3.5 cm Painting - 7.9 x 9.8 x 1.4 inch
$898
Enganchado a ti
Carol Tomàs Alcaine
Painting - 50 x 50 x 1.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch
$898
Haz que lo cotidiano no pierda su encanto
Carol Tomàs Alcaine
Painting - 100 x 75 x 3.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 29.5 x 1.4 inch
$1,683
S/T Serie Del zaguán de Fico al patio de Matilde (1)
Sonia Almaguer
Photography - 24 x 32 x 2 cm Photography - 9.4 x 12.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,346
Caisse d'yeux
Jean-Luc Parant
Fine Art Drawings - 49 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.3 x 15.7 inch
$2,805
"House of Bacchus" ("La Cave de Bacchus")
Christian Jodin
Painting - 60 x 120 x 1 cm Painting - 23.6 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch
$1,116 $559
In Good Spirit for Today
Joanna Glazer
Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$550 $275
Limones II. From "Bodegon" Series
Dora Franco
Photography - 80 x 53 x 0.3 cm Photography - 31.5 x 20.9 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Peras en almíbar de vino rojo III
Dora Franco
Photography - 55 x 80 x 0.3 cm Photography - 21.7 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Bodegón con pimentón II. From "Bodegon" Series
Dora Franco
Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.3 cm Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Hongos con nueces. From "Bodegon" Series
Dora Franco
Photography - 50 x 80 x 0.3 cm Photography - 19.7 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Alcachofas. From "Bodegon" Series
Dora Franco
Photography - 80 x 64 x 0.3 cm Photography - 31.5 x 25.2 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Alcachofas con jarra II. From the bodegon series
Dora Franco
Photography - 58.9 x 79.8 x 0.3 cm Photography - 23.2 x 31.4 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Bodegón con pimentón. From "Bodegon" Series
Dora Franco
Photography - 56 x 80 x 0.3 cm Photography - 22 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Limones. From "Bodegon" Series
Dora Franco
Photography - 53 x 80 x 0.2 cm Photography - 20.9 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
$1,750
Bouquet près de la fenêtre
Louis Henri Salzmann
Painting - 46 x 38 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 15 x 0.8 inch
$713
Câblages (Kabelage)
Henrik Jacob
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 7.9 inch
$898
Ordres des fumeurs
Henrik Jacob
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 20 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 7.9 inch
$898
Fleurs en vase au napperon
Benjamin II Vautier
Painting - 61 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 24 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
$827
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…