Category Archives: still life

A still life painting is mostly thought to concern itself with inanimate objects such as household furniture and implements, or food items like fruit and bottles of wine. Yet animals also find their way into still life, often in the … Continue reading →

Although still life art traditionally depicts inanimate subjects for the purpose of admiration, observation and, for some, even meditation around the subject matter of the work, there are many examples where hidden movement is also suggested in the piece.

Some of us may think of still life paintings and remember sitting in an art class at school staring at a bowl of fruit, but that’s not the real story. Still life paintings can be incredible snapshots of a moment … Continue reading →

On the surface, symbolism and still life painting seem like something of an oxymoron. Can flora and fauna or man-made items like drinking glasses and jewellery really have a deeper meaning when they are so commonplace in the world? At … Continue reading →

What’s the connection between books, bottles, food, flowers and dead animals? The answer is that all have been popular subjects for still life paintings over many centuries.

Fruit has been used as subject matter in paintings for centuries. From Caravaggio’s delectable fruit baskets and sensual pomegranate halves through to Cezanne’s citrus shades and Wesselman’s overtly political pears, fruit is traditionally used as a symbol of decay and … Continue reading →

Still life paintings featuring inanimate objects have long been associated with the ephemeral nature of earthly existence and the inevitability of death and decay. Flowers, fruits, food and everyday household items are common themes, and, whilst caught in a moment … Continue reading →

Depictions of fruit in art can be dated back 3000 years to Ancient Egypt, where still life paintings of food could be found in the majority of Egyptian tombs. The common belief of the era was that these artistic representations … Continue reading →