Still life
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Naturaleza Suspendida 5
Santiago Carrera
Photography - 30 x 24 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch
$448
Naturaleza Suspendida 2
Santiago Carrera
Photography - 30 x 24 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch
$448
Naturaleza Suspendida 3
Santiago Carrera
Photography - 30 x 24 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch
$448
Un petit bouquet de lilas dans un vase
Gabriel Riesnert
Painting - 16 x 15 x 0.1 cm Painting - 6.3 x 5.9 x 0 inch
$437
Promenade au parc
Jocelyne Deschamps-Kus
Painting - 30 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$448
Living rooms with pink walls
Michael Callas
Painting - 100 x 150 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch
$23,000
Recueillir la rosée
Thaddée
Fine Art Drawings - 12.5 x 12.5 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 4.9 x 4.9 x 0.1 inch
$157
Orchidée
Thaddée
Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 12.5 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.9 x 4.9 x 0.1 inch
$168
Soleil légèrement voilé
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 70 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$1,682
Déchet sublime 1
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
$1,345
Bouteille champagne 76-23
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 31 x 10 x 11 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 3.9 x 4.3 inch
$785
Bombe spray Bleu mer
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 22 x 19 x 14 cm Sculpture - 8.7 x 7.5 x 5.5 inch
$673
Achitecture des mangues
Catherine Clare
Painting - 50 x 65 x 3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 25.6 x 1.2 inch
$1,682
Campagne et gourmandises
Catherine Clare
Painting - 50 x 70 x 2.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 27.6 x 1 inch
$1,457
Dream cactus
Catherine Clare
Painting - 55 x 47 x 2 cm Painting - 21.7 x 18.5 x 0.8 inch
$1,413 $1,271
Palms of spring
Catherine Clare
Painting - 81 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.9 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,603 $1,443
Reflet d'or
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 70 x 70 x 1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch
$1,682
Ondulations lumineuses
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 60 x 80 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch
$1,682
Sans titre (#10-13)
Pawel Zak
Photography - 67 x 93 x 0.1 cm Photography - 26.4 x 36.6 x 0 inch
$4,484
Core Curiculum (#16-13)
Pawel Zak
Photography - 67 x 93 x 0.1 cm Photography - 26.4 x 36.6 x 0 inch
$4,484
Gumball machine & red trunk no. 2
Christopher Stott
Painting - 91.44 x 60.96 x 10.16 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 4 inch
$6,149
Gumball machine & red trunk no. 1
Christopher Stott
Painting - 91.44 x 60.96 x 10.16 cm Painting - 36 x 24 x 4 inch
$6,148
Oranges with Yellow Pitcher
Kevin Frank
Painting - 45.7 x 55.9 x 3.81 cm Painting - 18 x 22 x 1.5 inch
$7,932
Patterns of Force
Kevin Frank
Painting - 30 x 55.88 x 3.81 cm Painting - 11.8 x 22 x 1.5 inch
$8,439
Oliver no.3
Christopher Stott
Painting - 60.96 x 91.44 x 3.81 cm Painting - 24 x 36 x 1.5 inch
$61,263
1937 Western electric telephone
Christopher Stott
Painting - 101.6 x 38 x 3.81 cm Painting - 40 x 15 x 1.5 inch
$7,408
White meditation #6 (série méditation)
José Luis Lopez Lara
Painting - 25.7 x 37.7 cm Painting - 10.1 x 14.8 inch
$448
White meditation #3 (série méditation)
José Luis Lopez Lara
Painting - 25.7 x 37.7 cm Painting - 10.1 x 14.8 inch
$504
White meditation #1 (série méditation)
José Luis Lopez Lara
Painting - 25.7 x 37.7 cm Painting - 10.1 x 14.8 inch
$504
Consonances #6 (série méditations)
José Luis Lopez Lara
Painting - 25.7 x 37.7 cm Painting - 10.1 x 14.8 inch
$504
Variation #10 (série méditation)
José Luis Lopez Lara
Painting - 25.7 x 37.7 cm Painting - 10.1 x 14.8 inch
$504
Variation #9 (série méditation)
José Luis Lopez Lara
Painting - 25.7 x 37.7 cm Painting - 10.1 x 14.8 inch
$504
Retour de pêche
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
$2,018
Nature morte aux callistemons et céramique
Catherine Clare
Painting - 73 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,794 $1,614
Ton bouquet de fleurs
Noël Granger
Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 45 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 17.7 inch
$774
Vaisselle 2
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 100 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 39.4 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
$2,242
Abstraction, chaise
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 100 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 39.4 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
$1,682
Sardines
Jean-Robert Franco
Photography - 100 x 80 x 1 cm Photography - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch
$2,242
Composition aux groseilles blanches
Sylvie Julkowski-Egard
Painting - 92 x 130 x 2 cm Painting - 36.2 x 51.2 x 0.8 inch
$2,579
Still life-I
Stanislav Bojankov
Painting - 44 x 51 x 0.5 cm Painting - 17.3 x 20.1 x 0.2 inch
$729 $656
Bouquet de fleurs
Nourreddine Guesmia
Painting - 90 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
$280
Lilacs and Zinnias
Peggie Blizard
Painting - 60.96 x 45.72 x 5.08 cm Painting - 24 x 18 x 2 inch
$45,846
Parrot feathers
Anand Manchiraju
Painting - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$6,000
Signe émotionnel Pays/Danger/Culture II
Eddy Firmin
Print - 83.8 x 124.5 x 2.5 cm Print - 33 x 49 x 1 inch
$3,924
Signe émotionnel Pays/Danger/Culture I
Eddy Firmin
Print - 83.8 x 124.5 x 2.5 cm Print - 33 x 49 x 1 inch
$3,924
Exuberance printanière.
Odile Pinto-Corbin
Painting - 50 x 61 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 24 x 0.8 inch
$1,682
A fragrant bouquet
Alexander Shandor
Painting - 60 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch
$3,000
Yosemite Awakens
Drew Doggett
Photography - 45.7 x 68.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 18 x 27 x 0.1 inch
$2,130
French vase with Citrus tachibana
Hikaru O
Painting - 149 x 100 x 0.1 cm Painting - 58.7 x 39.4 x 0 inch
$1,642
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…