Poetry of Daily Life
The tradition of depicting everyday life in art dates back to the 17th century in Europe, when artists turned away from idealized depictions of royalty and classical figures. These artists instead created representations of contemporary life and ordinary people, known as “genre painting." With the elimination of any imagined or idealized content, genre paintings were rooted in the reality of modern life.
Since this period, artists have turned increasingly to the contemporary world as artistic inspiration. From photography to painting to fine art drawing, artists of diverse forms and styles look for the beauty in their present, lived reality as the principal source of inspiration for their work. Some of our current favorite artists inspired by the everyday include Jean-Christophe Béchet, whose photographs capture candid moments in both urban and natural settings, and Isabelle Lebret, who illustrates the poetry of the human form in her monochrome portrait paintings. Discover the works of these artists among many others inspired by the poetry of everyday life, today!
Théo Gosselin
Lost and Found
Théo Gosselin
Photography - 40 x 60 x 2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,357
Clara Delaporte
California IV
Clara Delaporte
Photography - 40 x 60 x 4 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
$1,131
California II
Clara Delaporte
Photography - 40 x 60 x 4 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
$1,131
La tête à l'envers
Clara Delaporte
Photography - 60 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$1,131
Xavier-Alexandre Pons
Nouveau départ
Xavier-Alexandre Pons
Photography - 100 x 100 x 1 cm Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
$2,375
Jean-Christophe Béchet
Eureka Car
Jean-Christophe Béchet
Photography - 90 x 74 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 29.1 x 0 inch
$1,911
Djenné, Mali
Jean-Christophe Béchet
Photography - 24 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 9.4 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$780
Tamanrasset, Algerie
Jean-Christophe Béchet
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$780
Macadam Color, Hong Kong
Jean-Christophe Béchet
Photography - 26 x 39 x 0.1 cm Photography - 10.2 x 15.4 x 0 inch
$780
Eureka, USA
Jean-Christophe Béchet
Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch
$780
Gruyaert, Le Touquet, France
Jean-Christophe Béchet
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$780
Madrid, Espagne
Jean-Christophe Béchet
Photography - 30 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
$780
Maud Chalard
Lost and Found
Maud Chalard
Photography - 40 x 60 x 2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$1,809
Lost and Found
Maud Chalard
Photography - 40 x 53.3 x 2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 21 x 0.8 inch
$1,809
Lost and Found
Maud Chalard
Photography - 60 x 40 x 2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,809
Alain Le Garsmeur
St Louis Ladies
Alain Le Garsmeur
Photography - 51 x 61 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 24 x 0 inch
$990
Daily Bread - Limited Edition Archival Pigment Print
Alain Le Garsmeur
Photography - 60 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$673
All Night Food - Limited Edition Archival Pigment Print
Alain Le Garsmeur
Photography - 50 x 76 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 29.9 x 0 inch
$752
Harlem rain
Alain Le Garsmeur
Photography - 76 x 101 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.9 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$1,006
Waiting to cross
Alain Le Garsmeur
Photography - 51 x 76 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20.1 x 29.9 x 0 inch
$735
Amtrak Dining Car - Limited Edition Archival Pigment Print
Alain Le Garsmeur
Photography - 121 x 182 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.6 x 71.7 x 0 inch
$1,634
Isabelle Lebret
Hélène Hubert
Jean-Claude Mathier
Parcelles de vigne
Jean-Claude Mathier
Photography - 80 x 120 x 2 cm Photography - 31.5 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch
$1,235
Etre dans le bleu
Jean-Claude Mathier
Photography - 100 x 150 x 2 cm Photography - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch
$1,441
Chapelle de Mario Botta
Jean-Claude Mathier
Photography - 100 x 150 x 2 cm Photography - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch
$1,441
Islande sauvage 2
Jean-Claude Mathier
Photography - 70 x 105 x 1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 41.3 x 0.4 inch
$847
Marais salants
Jean-Claude Mathier
Photography - 80 x 200 x 2 cm Photography - 31.5 x 78.7 x 0.8 inch
$1,716
Langage des mains 2
Jean-Claude Mathier
Photography - 70 x 105 x 2 cm Photography - 27.6 x 41.3 x 0.8 inch
$1,121
Huelva 1
Jean-Claude Mathier
Photography - 70 x 105 x 1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 41.3 x 0.4 inch
$847
Islande 1
Jean-Claude Mathier
Photography - 80 x 120 x 2 cm Photography - 31.5 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch
$1,235
Brian Otieno
What do you have in mind?
Brian Otieno
Photography - 60 x 90 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch
$1,470
Mathematics Corner
Brian Otieno
Photography - 60 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
$1,470
Slum fashionista
Brian Otieno
Photography - 60 x 90 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch
$2,488
Such in a rush
Brian Otieno
Photography - 60 x 90 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch
$1,470
Looking at you
Brian Otieno
Photography - 60 x 90 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch
$1,470
Artists in post-apocalyptic costumes
Brian Otieno
Photography - 40 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$1,470
Cristina J. Rey
Orange is the mediterranean
Cristina J. Rey
Photography - 28 x 39 cm Photography - 11 x 15.4 inch
$215
A sandy for Edward Hopper
Cristina J. Rey
Photography - 28 x 39 cm Photography - 11 x 15.4 inch
$215
Ultima Cancion del Verano
Cristina J. Rey
Photography - 28 x 39 cm Photography - 11 x 15.4 inch
$215