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Still Life Paintings

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BUY A STILL LIFE PAINTING FROM CARRÉ D'ARTISTES

 

Are you considering purchasing a still life artwork?


At Carré d'artistes, discover modern still life art pieces that renew traditional forms, colors, and compositions.
Widely popular from the 17th to the 20th century, a still life painting represents inanimate elements whose arrangement is defined by the artist, where light, shadow, and subject matter most.

More than just inanimate objects, artists create life composition that can resonate with you and even with the decor of your space!.

 
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Find still life paintings for sale at Carré d'artistes, of all styles and medium:

  • Abstract still life painting
  • Figurative still life painting
  • Surrealism still life paintings
  • And even, still life oil painting or watercolor.


No matter the style, themes, or technique, you are in the right place! Each of the works of art at Carré d'artistes is original and certified unique.

 

Why buy a still life painting ? 


Let yourself be seduced by musical instruments, mirrors, fruits, and flowers. Modern still life painting is undoubtedly an ideal gift.

Painting conveys emotion through simplicity, transporting you to an authentic world. Whether you are looking for a still life artwork for your kitchen or for another room, you’ll definitely find the perfect piece for you or your loved ones.


 
Still life paintings - Artists square. Paintings by Geraldine Morales representing a bouquet of flowers in a vase


 

WHAT IS STILL LIFE PAINTING?


A still life is a painting that represents inanimate objects belonging to the realm of nature or products of human industry, such as fruits, flowers, as well as dead objects and animals.
 

History


The term "still life" appeared in France in the 18th century. Before that, "cose naturali" (natural things) was used to describe this type of painting.

During the 17th century, paintings representing objects took on an important role.
During this golden age of still life art pieces, three themes emerged in the northern countries: the served tables, the flowers, and the vanities. The genre developed rapidly in Holland and Flanders, which created two distinct schools: the Dutch school, with paintings of small format and few objects represented ; and the Flemish school, with an accumulation of object on large canvas.

Still lifes also developed throughout Europe, particularly in France and Spain, which are the two other schools of this genre.

Still life has often been considered a minor genre, in opposition to history painting or portraiture, but over time it has evolved.
This theme is the most complex in the art history because it pushes painters to study objects and the environment in which they evolve for a long time.
 

 

Meaning of the objects

 

  • The crab represents resurrection, as it sheds its shell in spring to take on a new one. The crab and the lobster can also symbolize inconstancy and instability due to their characteristic backward gait.

  • Fruits, vegetables and game illustrate the reckless abuse of the pleasures of the senses.

  • A lemon peel spiraled may represent the course of earthly life, with the individual freeing their spirit from its material envelope to reach the pulp of spiritual essence.

  • The grape is a symbol of the Passion of Jesus Christ; as the origin of wine, it is associated with the blood of Christ.

  • Cut roses and an overturned cup represent youth struck down.

  • The hourglass and the half-filled glass of water invoke the inexorable flow of life.


     

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CONTEMPORARY STILL LIFE PAINTING?


The way each element is arranged in relation to the others and the way they interact defines the charm and beauty of these paintings. Often, these paintings are related to food or the art of the table, but not exclusively.

There are also still lifes that represent other types of everyday objects, such as particular works or paintings of flower pots, like Vincent Van Gogh's “Sunflowers”. The possibilities for composition are endless.

These paintings have an intimate, confidential dimension and a profound silence that comes from the immobility of the objects depicted.

 

FAMOUS STILL LIFE PAINTINGS

 
Caravaggio was the first great painter to have painted still lifes with fruit in 1599. In the 18th century, Jean Siméon Chardin became famous for his still life art pieces, like La Raie in 1728.

The genre saw little innovation in the 19th century, even with the unpublished works of Delacroix or Goya. However, it was Paul Cézanne who revitalized the genre with his fresh perspective and his colored brush. As an example, we can cite Still life with apples and oranges. He initiated a new path, which the greatest artists of the 20th century, such as Picasso or Dali, will take.

At Carré d'artistes, discover contemporary still life paintings, such as Pascal Lionnet and Laurent Bergues, who explore the possibilities and revive the symbolic and aesthetic power of this type of painting.

 
The neo collector's guide
 
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