Still life
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Symphonie de fruits
Théo Tobiasse
Painting - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$12,303
Bouquet d’artichauts
Serge Kalinowski
Painting - 100 x 81 x 5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 2 inch
$2,853 $2,568
Bouquet of dahlias
Annabell Mozer
Painting - 50 x 40 x 3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch
$1,454
Polymerase Ciconia
Laurent Lamarche
Sculpture - 32 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
$2,700
The first spring flowers
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 50 x 60 x 1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
$1,700
A summary report of the yelcho expedition to the antarctic, 1909-1910.
Jessica Houston
Painting - 22.9 x 30.5 x 5.1 cm Painting - 9 x 12 x 2 inch
$2,013
Flowers of the East
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 48 x 64 x 2 cm Painting - 18.9 x 25.2 x 0.8 inch
$1,800
Naturaleza Geométrica
Delia Solari
Painting - 24 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$4,158
Bleu Orange et Citron
Pierrick Tual
Painting - 70 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
$2,684
Still life in the interior
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 60 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$2,000
In anticipation _ oil on cardboard
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 55 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 21.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,400
Absurdity in hyperspace
Psy-Pix
Painting - 120 x 100 x 4.5 cm Painting - 47.2 x 39.4 x 1.8 inch
$3,053
Still Life with Pink Tulips and an Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still Life with a Yellow Tulip and a Yellow Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with Tulips, and a Pale Blue Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with Tulips, a Ladder and a Yellow Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with a shell and a rope, Paris
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with a Wooden Hanger, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with a Broken Vase, n.d.
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still Life with a Coral Branch and a Crystal Globe, NYC, 2002
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
One Pink Rose, n.d.
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
O, Hyacinthus (Diptych)
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Hydrangeas
Manuel Santelices
Fine Art Drawings - 61 x 45.7 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 18 x 0.1 inch
$2,500
Milieu de soirée
Lionel le Jeune
Photography - 50 x 50 x 0.5 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch
$839
Main, étude expressionniste
Lionel le Jeune
Sculpture - 24 x 8 x 8 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 3.1 x 3.1 inch
$1,118
I hide myself within my Flower
Anika Manuel
Painting - 18 x 18 x 2 cm Painting - 7.1 x 7.1 x 0.8 inch
$179
Nature Morte - Still Life
Robert Labor
Painting - 58 x 85 x 3 cm Painting - 22.8 x 33.5 x 1.2 inch
$20,132
Untitled de Matilisguate Series 2022
Isabel Herrera
Photography - 35.56 x 35.56 x 1 cm Photography - 14 x 14 x 0.4 inch
$1,063
Moment
Taiwo Samuel Olutimileyin
Painting - 121.9 x 121.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 48 x 48 x 1 inch
$2,250
Light Blue Pillow (Views & Vantage Points)
Theresa Vandenberg Donche
Painting - 81.3 x 81.3 x 3.8 cm Painting - 32 x 32 x 1.5 inch
$2,125
Rencontre cascade d'eau
San Zi
Painting - 100 x 130 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 51.2 x 1.2 inch
$26,960
Bottiglia e matite
Massimiliano Carisdeo
Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$671
Une île #5 "arbres dans la brume" n°21/30
Anne Eliayan et Christian Pic
Photography - 50 x 70 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch
$1,007
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…