Still life
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Splendor of Still Life
Narek Qochunc
Painting - 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$300
Infinity Stone (Oliver), New Things Series
Alexander Lufer
Painting - 100 x 110 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 43.3 x 0.8 inch
$1,696
Infinity Stone (Thomas), New Things Series
Alexander Lufer
Painting - 100 x 110 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 43.3 x 0.8 inch
$1,696
Pomegranate splendor
Arevik Gasparyan
Painting - 60 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,050
Serenade in Pink
Marieta Martirosyan
Painting - 100 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$999
Room with a chair and artwork
Schagen Vita
Painting - 25 x 25 x 1 cm Painting - 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch
$226
Big bang sur papier 18
Joëlle Kem Lika
Painting - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$475
Exotic Emperor Tulip II (XXL)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 177.8 x 177.8 cm Photography - 70 x 70 inch
$50,000
Exotic Emperor Tulip II (XL)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 152.4 x 152.4 cm Photography - 60 x 60 inch
$20,000
Exotic Emperor Tulip II (L)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 114.3 x 114.3 cm Photography - 45 x 45 inch
$10,000
Delicate and Juicy
Ania Pieniazek
Painting - 91 x 91 x 10 cm Painting - 35.8 x 35.8 x 3.9 inch
$2,118
Evening Fragrances
Ania Pieniazek
Painting - 60 x 60 x 10 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 3.9 inch
$1,059
Horse Chestnut Leaves
Ania Pieniazek
Painting - 60 x 80 x 10 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 3.9 inch
$1,191
Christmas Morning
Ania Pieniazek
Painting - 80 x 60 x 10 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 3.9 inch
$1,191
Infinity Stone (Hannah), New Things Series
Alexander Lufer
Painting - 100 x 110 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 43.3 x 0.8 inch
$1,696
Love Sparkle (Lightbox)
David Drebin
Photography - 121.9 x 182.9 cm Photography - 48 x 72 inch
$36,000
Last Chance (Lightbox)
David Drebin
Photography - 121.9 x 152.4 cm Photography - 48 x 60 inch
$36,000
Le vieux pot de peinture bleu - 354
Yannick Bouillault
Sculpture - 13 x 23 x 15 cm Sculpture - 5.1 x 9.1 x 5.9 inch
$407
Taylor Swift's Breakfast
Christian Jodin
Painting - 40 x 40 x 1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$334
Exploding Rose (Lightbox)
David Drebin
Photography - 152.4 x 121.9 cm Photography - 60 x 48 inch
$36,000
Dripping With Love (Lightbox)
David Drebin
Photography - 121.9 x 152.4 cm Photography - 48 x 60 inch
$36,000
Dripping With Love (L)
David Drebin
Photography - 121.9 x 152.4 cm Photography - 48 x 60 inch
$14,500
Dripping With Love (M)
David Drebin
Photography - 76.2 x 95.3 cm Photography - 30 x 37.5 inch
$8,000
Timeless Elegance
Hrach Baghdasaryan
Painting - 30 x 24 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch
$199
Mantel y frutas
José Luis Pagador Ponce
Painting - 54 x 65 x 3.5 cm Painting - 21.3 x 25.6 x 1.4 inch
$2,827
I (Cattleya)
Zornitsa Gramkova
Photography - 90 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 47.2 x 0 inch
$1,176
Pomegranate Perfection
Stepan Ohanyan
Painting - 24 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$200
Hotel Chelsea, New York. Fifth Floor, South
Victoria Cohen
Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 20 x 30 x 0.1 inch
$2,300
Hotel Chelsea, New York. Room 622
Victoria Cohen
Photography - 67.6 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 26.6 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$3,200
Hotel Chelsea, New York. First Floor, North
Victoria Cohen
Photography - 67.6 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 26.6 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$3,200
Hotel Chelsea, New York. Room 822
Victoria Cohen
Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 20 x 30 x 0.1 inch
$2,300
Inner space Contemporary still life
Giulnara Khabibulina
Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$15,832
Hotel Chelsea, New York. Room 227
Victoria Cohen
Photography - 67.6 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 26.6 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$3,200
Hotel Chelsea, New York. Room 712
Victoria Cohen
Photography - 67.6 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 26.6 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$3,200
Vivid Poppies in Bloom
Mateos Sargsyan
Painting - 50 x 35 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch
$450
Two Glasses of Champagne (M)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 cm Photography - 30 x 30 inch
$5,000
The Symphony Of Summer
Delyafruz Bagirova
Painting - 70 x 95 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 37.4 x 0.8 inch
$1,923
The Etude Of Summer
Delyafruz Bagirova
Painting - 70 x 95 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 37.4 x 0.8 inch
$1,923
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…