What Is the Definition of Still Life in Art
Still Life painting adult as an art genre from the earliest centuries during the Egyptian and Roman periods. The history of the object can exist tracked in many still lifes, from fruits, vegetables, skulls, and goblets. This commodity volition explore the history of Still Life and famous However Life paintings.
Table of Contents
- ane Freedom of Selection: What Is a All the same Life?
- 1.1 Still Life Definition
- two History of Still Life Painting
- 2.ane Academic Art and the Bureaucracy of Genres
- 2.two What Is a Still Life?
- 2.iii The Unofficial Still Life Paintings: From Ancient to Classical Antiquity
- 2.4 Renaissance Still Life
- 2.5 Dutch Nevertheless Life
- two.six Modern Yet Life
- 3 Famous Notwithstanding Life Artists
- three.ane Jan Bruegel the Elder (1568 – 1625)
- 3.2 Frans Snyders (1579-1657)
- iii.3 Willem Claesz Heda (1594–1680)
- 3.4 Pieter Claesz (1597–1661)
- iii.5 Willem Kalf (1619 – 1693)
- 4 Withal Life: Still in the Game
- v Frequently Asked Questions
- five.1 What Is a Yet Life?
- 5.2 What Does "Still Life" Mean?
- 5.3 What Are the Types of Still Lifes?
- 5.4 What Are Vanitas Paintings?
- 5.5 What Is the Plural Discussion for However Life?
Freedom of Selection: What Is a Still Life?
Earlier we await at the history of Still Life or even famous Still Life paintings, information technology is important to sympathise and enquire the question: what is a Even so Life? For many information technology might seem like a dull genre of painting: a mere basin of fruit, flowers, or kitchen utensils arranged in a neat fashion on a table or whatsoever other surface, but this is exactly what a Nonetheless Life is.
A Still Life is composed of a variety of both animate and inanimate objects, such as utensils, foliage, and food (annihilation from man-made to natural), which are and then arranged by the artist in a unique manner.
The diversity of arrangements and objects to choose from are vast, which makes this genre of painting anything but dull. This style of painting also gives artists pregnant freedom of choice. Artists tin choose how to paint a all the same life in terms of what the palette of colors are, the ambiance of the composition, likewise as its size.
Vanitas with musical instruments, fine vessels, books, an extinguished candle, a skull and ears of wheat(1657-1675) by Franciscus Gijsbrechts; Franciscus Gijsbrechts, Public domain, via Wikimedia Eatables
Still Life Definition
The term "Still Life" was officially used to name a genre effectually the late 1500s into the 1600s (16thursday and 17thCentury) in kingdom of the netherlands. It is translated from the Dutch word southwardtill leven. In French, the term for Still Life is nature morte, which means "expressionless nature". In Italian, information technology translates to natura morta, which also ways "dead nature".
The very definition of yet life then alludes to something without life, without movement – an inanimate object.
History of Notwithstanding Life Painting
Nonetheless Life art has its origins in as early on equally Egyptian and Roman times. It was also prevalent during the Middle Ages and Renaissance Era, only officially became a genre of painting after these periods within visual arts history. Still Life every bit an official genre falls amid the lower tiers of the hierarchy of visual fine art genres. In that location are as well different styles of Still Life painting, but let us first discuss the bureaucracy of genres and situate Still Life within this for more context.
Blossom basket (between 1640 and 1684) past January van den Hecke;Attributed to Jan van den Hecke, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Academic Art and the Bureaucracy of Genres
In 1669, the historiographer, André Félibien, who was in the French Academy, provided a succinct categorization for the different styles of visual arts. Other academies included the University of Fine art in Rome and Florence, as well every bit the Royal Academy in London and the aforementioned French Academy.
The categories were ranked from highest to lowest, starting with History Painting, Portraiture, Genre Painting, Landscapes, and lastly Nevertheless Life. The categories, otherwise referred to as ranking systems, were designed to distinguish between different artworks and their monetary value, as well as authorize for exhibition spaces and art prizes.
During this fourth dimension in European history, the ranking organisation for paintings came from the Academic art move, which sought to educate artists according to artistic principles and to distinguish between art and fine art done every bit a craft.
One of the main aims of Academic fine art was that art needs to share a message, more than so a moral message. This was measured by the types of paintings created, for case, the History Painting genre was improve able to convey a moral message than a Yet Life painting genre.
This was because history paintings, for example, were larger in size and utilized within a public space while still life paintings were created every bit smaller paintings for personal apply. Furthermore, history paintings had more scope to portray religious narratives where yet life paintings seemed more limited to a particular subject field matter.
A Still Life with Artichokes, Radishes, Asparagus, Plums, Cherries and Peaches in a Basket, together with a Ham and Pig's Trotters on pewter Plates, a Herring, a Natural language and some Butter on blue-and-white Dishes, Mulberries in a blue-and-white Bowl, a Knife, Staff of life, Grapes and a Lemon with a broken berkemeyer Drinking glass, all on a Table partly covered by a white Material (c. 1615) by Jacob van Hulsdonck;Jacob van Hulsdonck, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
What Is a Still Life?
At that place are various types of even so life paintings, which are referred to as "pieces" and autumn within the following categories: "flowers", "banquet or breakfast", "animal", and "symbolic". Within the symbolic category, nosotros also run across the pop Vanitas Still Life, which made apply of various objects to convey a deeper message about life and decease.
The term vanitas means "vanity" in Latin and relates the message that life is brusque and the attachment to materiality is a vain attempt. The term is too derived from the Bible'south Ecclesiastes verse that states: "Vanity of vanities, everything is vanity". Objects would symbolize these above principles.
Some of the more pop items we see in Vanitas Still Life paintings are skulls, watches, hourglasses, to name a few – all suggestive of the passing of fourth dimension and life, in other words, the transitory nature of life. Other objects utilized would convey materiality and the accruing of wealth and attachments to earthly desires, or pleasures like dice, wine, fabrics, jewelry, gold, among many others.
The Unofficial Still Life Paintings: From Ancient to Classical Antiquity
Notwithstanding Life paintings in ancient Egyptian tombs consisted of common foods and objects, although they held deeper meanings than being mere tombstone decorations. The withal life depictions were in accolade of the dead and their usage in the afterlife. For example, a bowl of food would exist included so that the person would take something to eat in the afterlife.
A detail of an offerings scene from the burial chamber of Menna (c. 1422-1411 BCE); Maler der Grabkammer des Menna, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Tomb of Menna, also referred to every bit TT69 (Theban Tomb 69), is a well-known Egyptian tombstone. Information technology houses a rich and well-preserved display of Still Life paintings as well as depictions of day-to-day living and funerary rituals. Information technology is believed to be the burying site of Menna, who was an official to the King and "Overseer" of agricultural occupations.
We also find Still Life paintings in classical antiquity, during the Greek and Roman periods. During the archaeological excavations in areas like Pompeii and Herculaneum, various Roman villas were discovered depicting Still Life paintings equally frescoes and mosaics.
These depictions appeared more decorative compared to ancient Egyptian art, and illustrated how people indulged in the joys of daily life. It besides ofttimes depicted the lavishness of the homeowner.
One example is the All the same Life with Drinking glass Basin of Fruit and Vases (c. 63 to 79 CE), discovered in Pompeii. Other examples even allude to Still Life already operation as an art genre and decorative painting mode during the Greek times. This originates from the legend of two Greek painters, Zeuxis and Parrhasius, who competed with 1 another in painting.
Still life with glass bowl of fruit and vases(c. 63 and 79 CE) by an unknown Pompeian painter;Naples National Archaeological Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Roman philosopher and writer, Pliny the Elderberry, also mentioned a Greek painter chosen Peiraikos. He wrote well-nigh the artist's success as the top painter in his genre in his publication Natural History (78 CE). He wrote about Peiraikos' subject area matter every bit consisting of "barbers' shops, cobblers' stalls, asses, commons, and similar subjects". He continued to describe the painter as a "rhyparographos", a "painter of dirt/low things".
Renaissance Yet Life
During the Middle Ages and into the Early on Renaissance menses, Still Life painting accompanied religious artworks as supplementary stylistic elements with symbolic meanings. These were usually painted in the backgrounds of religious paintings as well every bit on other artistic works like illuminated manuscripts, which were seen in Northern Renaissance and Early Netherlandish paintings.
There was a primary focus on the role of the Notwithstanding Life inside a religious context. This is evident in the works of the Flemish painter, Jan van Eyck, where his paintings are coupled with what is referred to as "iconographic" paintings.
Other artists similar Leonardo da Vinci and the German language painter Albrecht Dürer painted Still Lifes without religious symbolism. For example, Still Life paintings were done of various natural objects of fauna and flora. At this stage, Renaissance still life paintings were also done to explore the natural world by observing it and and then painting it.
Dutch Still Life
Still Life painting started as a genre in kingdom of the netherlands, or what was termed as the Low Countries, which comprised of Belgica, Flanders, and kingdom of the netherlands. The Dutch Golden Age was a issue of Dutch independence from Espana, which led to the Dutch Republic being built-in. Nonetheless Life was specially prominent as a painting style during this time, especially paintings of flowers.
The Protestant Revolution also minimized the production of religious artworks, which led the style for other types of genres of painting to exist explored. Still Life paintings were favored because they depicted the everyday scenes of people and their lives and had inherent symbolic meanings from diverse objects. This branched into what was called "Dutch Realism".
All the same Life with a Male child Blowing Soap-bubbling(1635-1636) past Gerrit Dou;Gerrit Dou, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Dutch Realism focused on the ordinary depictions of people, specifically the middle class, which consisted of traders and merchants. When it came to painting, artists painted subject field matter for merchants who were more than focused on depicting what they have earned in life. Other popular painting genres were portrait and genre paintings of everyday people and their skills and various embellishments.
Paintings during this period were also small and done for private home display as opposed to paintings done on larger scales for churches or altarpieces, as was mutual for the Cosmic Church.
However, because this was dominantly a Protestant civilization, there was not a need to flaunt artworks in the same manner. Furthermore, the common types of Yet Life paintings, or sub-sets, included the same Vanitas genre, Ontbijtjes (which translates to "breakfast pieces"),Pronkstilleven (which translates to "ornate"), or "ostentatious" displays of Withal Life pieces, too every bit florals.
Modern Still Life
Modern However Life prevailed during fine art movements like Impressionism and Mail service-Impressionism. Notably, during Mail-Impressionism, Vincent van Gogh brought Still Life painting to life with his expressive and bloom and vase paintings. An example of this includes his piece, Sunflowers (1889).
Another French artist from Post-Impressionism, Paul Cézanne, painted Still Lifes with fruit, bread, bottles, and baskets atop a seemingly toppling tabular array, every bit inThe Basket of Apples (c. 1895). The difference betwixt these paintings and the more realistic Dutch Notwithstanding Life paintings was that these modern artists used more expressive brushstrokes, colors, and different perspectives.
La Corbeille de pommes (' The Basket of Apples', 1893) by Paul Cézanne;Paul Cézanne, Public domain, via Wikimedia Eatables
Cézanne also incorporated familiar elements that we find from the Dutch Vanitas era, for example, the characteristic skull in his piece of work titled Even so Life with Skull (c. 1895 to 1900). Accompanying the skull on another seemingly toppling tabletop are diverse fruits, i of them with a slice either cut or bitten out of it, placed direct in front of the skull's mouth.
During the Cubist art movement, popular artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque created Still Life paintings in their characteristic abstruse and cubic style. An example of this is in Picasso's Large Still Life (1881 to 1973) and Braque'sHowever Life with Metronome (1909).
In contemporary Nevertheless Life art, nosotros find photography, computers, and videos as a means of portraying everyday objects and food. The evolution of engineering has allowed a hyper-realistic portrayal of subject field matter, from painting to beeing computer-generated. The canvas of Still Life art has evolved dramatically into the 21st Century.
Famous Even so Life Artists
Notwithstanding Life art is a vast and various genre of painting, with many nifty artists depicting their unique styles and discipline matter. Below, we look at some of the prominent names within this painting manner and some of their famous Still Life paintings.
Jan Bruegel the Elder (1568 – 1625)
Jan Bruegel, a Flemish painter born in Brussels, was a leading artist in the Still Life genre. He specialized in floral paintings and was known by the nickname "Flower" because of his vast experience and occupation with floral Nevertheless Lifes. He also specialized in paradisal landscape paintings.
Ane of his famous paintings includes Flowers in a Wooden Vessel (1606 to 1607), which depicts an elaborate display of diverse types of flowers. Bruegel took great care here to depict each flower without it being in front end or behind some other flower. Nosotros tin see the fine detailing of each flower.
Flowers in a Wooden Vessel(1606-1607) past Jan Brueghel the Elder;Jan Brueghel the Elder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The flowers in the foreground are highlighted against the night groundwork of the painting, giving them more prominence. We also discover an assortment of flowers strewn on the tabletop, making the composition appear more natural.
Other works include Flowers in a Ceramic Vase (c. 1620), which appears like to the abovementioned painting, however, Bruegel managed to describe each painting uniquely despite the subject matter being the same. Here once more, we see a colorful assortment of different flowers arranged delicately equally if past mitt. Interestingly, Bruegel often painted flowers from different seasons, which suggests that he did not paint from an actual model of flowers in a vase.
Small Bouquet of Flowers in a Ceramic Vase(1599) by January Brueghel the Elder;January Brueghel the Elderberry, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frans Snyders (1579-1657)
Frans Snyders was born in Antwerp and is known as one of the pioneers of Flemish Baroque art. He specialized in However Life paintings with different discipline matter, with a special focus on a range of animals similar poultry, monkeys, hares, birds, and dogs, amongst others. He also painted hunting and market scenes.
His paintings are diverse in their composition with a keen eye for detail of different objects and textures.
One of his famous paintings isPantry Scene with a Page (1579 to 1657), which depicts a folio on the left of the composition picking a grape from a bunch of fruit on a stand. We also notice various other foodstuffs like a large shrimp, a boar's head in the height correct corner, and other expressionless animals.
The Pantry (outset one-half of the 17th century) by Frans Snyders;Frans Snyders, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
This limerick depicts the page taking from an elaborate selection of food, a richness of nourishment. This is suggestive of the opulence of life equally well every bit of luxury and being tempted by it. Additionally, the dead animals besides advise the shortness of life and that material goods are not sufficient.
Other works by Snyders include Wild Boar Hunt (1649), Yet Life with a Swan (1613), and Still Life with Dead Game, Fruits, and Vegetables in a Market (1614). The latter painting is a dynamic portrayal of unlike kinds of expressionless animals, fruit and vegetables in baskets, and kitchen utensils. Nosotros see a gentleman standing to the left of the painting holding a basket of food in his right arm while tipping his hat with his left hand, seemingly oblivious of the boy pickpocketing him.
In the forefront of the composition, nosotros find a black cat with a focused gaze on two cocks in a squabble. This further adds to the dynamism of the scene, including the live man figures combined with the still life objects. He was besides influenced by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, whom he also worked with on diverse projects.
Still Life with Dead Game, Fruits, and Vegetables in a Market place(1614) by Frans Snyders;Frans Snyders, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Willem Claesz Heda (1594–1680)
Willem Claesz Heda was born in Haarlem in kingdom of the netherlands and was one of the leading painters only engaged in Still Life paintings. He primarily specialized in "breakfast pieces" (ontbijtjes). He is well-known for his fine attention to particular besides as his rendering of light in how he utilized colors. His works accept a heightened sense of naturalism, nigh inviting the states to bear upon each object equally if it were real.
We will observe his focus on subject matter like silverware and glass along with foods similar oysters, hams, and mincemeat pies.
Some of his famous artworks include Breakfast Table with Blackberry Pie (1631), However Life with Oysters, a Silver Tazza, and Glassware (1635), Nonetheless Life with Oysters, Rummer, Lemon and a Silver Bowl (1634), Still Life with Olives(1634), Still Life with Gold Goblet (1635), Ham and Silverware (1649), and Nonetheless Life with Pie, Silver Ewer and Crab(1658).
When nosotros look at Heda'south Breakfast Tabular array with Blackberry Pie, nosotros notice a table with a silken tablecloth draped over the left half of information technology as if it were specifically placed for the plates and drinking glass cups on it for dining. The tabular array is set for what appears to be two people, merely only one plate has a slice of the blackberry pie, of which a part has been eaten. Nosotros too detect a spoon atop the primary blueberry pie.
Breakfast Table with Blackberry Pie(1631) past Willem Claesz Heda;Willem Claesz Heda, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
On the right side of the table, there is an overturned goblet, half of which is lying on another empty silver plate. There is also a drinking glass goblet with liquid in it. Towards the left, there are ii glasses, one overturned with a piece broken off, and 1 with liquid in it, possibly wine. The entire composition denotes a rather lavish scene in which someone has already dined or is in the process of dining.
In Still Life with a Golden Loving cup (1635), nosotros observe a similar table setting, this fourth dimension with a biscuit tablecloth over half of the tabular array, appearing as if it was a quick luncheon or snack. The fundamental object on the table is a glass goblet. In that location are two silver plates, ane with oysters and one with a lemon in the procedure of beingness peeled; the peel is draped over the edge of the table.
All the same Life with a Gilt Cup(1635) by Willem Claesz Heda;Willem Claesz Heda, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
We likewise notice an overturned glass on the correct of the table, suggesting this meal was or is in the process of being well enjoyed or simply merely suggestive of an accident while dining. The scene, although a Withal Life, suggests motility in that it appears that the activeness of dining is currently taking place. The composition appears darker in color and contrast, with an unknown light source emanating from the left.
While many of Heda's Still Life paintings appear seemingly like in their compositional layouts and subject matter, each one is unique in its own right considering of the placement of objects and how they grab the lite.
Pieter Claesz (1597–1661)
Pieter Claesz was born in Kingdom of belgium in Berchem, and he was a peer of Heda's. The two artists painted very similarly, often with monochromatic colors and an emphasis on light captured in a painting. Claesz explored the Ontbijtjes style, merely also painted in the Vanitas style, giving his compositions an additional symbolic nature.
Some of Claesz famous artworks include Even so Life with Musical Instruments (1623), Vanitas with Violin (1625), Vanitas Still Life with Spinario (1628), Notwithstanding Life with Skull (1630), Still Life with Roemer, Crab and a Peeled Lemon (1643), Notwithstanding Life with Fruit and Roemer (1644), Withal Life with Common salt Tub (1644), among others. In Still Life with Musical Instruments, we detect a large table with an array of foodstuffs and items, a cello and violin to the right, and a small accompanying tabular array with two drinking glass domes and a turtle on information technology in the foreground.
In Claesz'due south Vanitas However Life with Spinario nosotros also notice the characteristic skull on a table alongside many other items including a large sculpture of a male child lilliputian with his foot. This composition encompasses a bigger space, which appears to be a room of some sort, maybe a study due to the books, armor, and musical instruments strewn seemingly haphazardly on the floor.
Vanitas Still Life with the Spinario(1628) by Pieter Claesz; Pieter Claesz, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Willem Kalf (1619 – 1693)
Willem Kalf was born in Rotterdam in Amsterdam and was some other pop Nevertheless Life artist who specialized in the style chosen Pronkstilleven. His work is characterized by the inclusion of Chinese porcelain bowls and jugs. We too notice keen attention to detail in his objects, which non only displays Kalf'due south creative skill just emphasizes the inherent symbolism of the composition.
This symbolism points to the transience of life, as well as the idea of lavishness.
This realism allows us to nearly touch on each object, relishing in its texture and colors. This is some other important attribute of Kalf'south work – the fashion he works with colour to depict light and the textures of each object to give it realism beyond the paint that creates information technology.
Some of Kalf'southward famous artworks include Even so Life with a Silver Ewer and a Porcelain Basin (1660). Here, we see the familiar porcelain bowl tipped with fruit tumbling out of it. To the left is a resplendent silver ewer as the central object of the composition, coupled with an intricately designed golden goblet behind it.
Still Life with a Silver Jug and a Porcelain Bowl(1656) by Willem Kalf;Willem Kalf, Public domain, via Wikimedia Eatables
Some of the symbolic aspects of this painting are alluded to by the half-peeled, moldy lemon, which denotes time and decay. Additionally, at that place is a watch to the bottom right on the tabular array, pointing to time and in plough, to the transcience of life. Conversely, the realism of each object suggests an date with our senses and the lavishness of enjoying food.
Other works by Kalf, which appear seemingly like in composition, although each is unique in its portrayal, includeStill Life with Drinking Horn (c. 1653) and Yet Life (1660), which includes the feature porcelain vase and peeled lemon. Kalf also uses tapestries as tablecloths with a darker colour palette.
However, the darker color palette withal shows us how Kalf utilizes texture and low-cal in his compositions. This is especially highlighted by how low-cal reflects off the silverware, including the yellow of the lemon, axiomatic in the silvery ewer in the abovementioned painting.
However Life with the Drinking-Horn of the Saint Sebastian Archers' Guild, Lobster and Glasses (c. 1653) past Willem Kalf;Willem Kalf, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Still Life: Even so in the Game
The evolution and history of Still Life painting are as rich and vast as the fruits and meats information technology makes up. The part played past these diverse plates of foodstuffs and accompanying objects have been a testament to this unique artistic genre.
From ancient Egyptian tombs to Roman murals, from the realism of Dutch Vanitas to the hyper-realism of 21st Century photographs – all depicting inanimate objects – the nature of Still Life paintings occupies a place in the visual arts world without which we might exist at a loss for ambition.
Take a expect at our However Life fine art webstory here!
Often Asked Questions
What Is a All the same Life?
A Still Life is a painting composed of inanimate objects like kitchen utensils, foliage, nutrient, dead animals, clocks, and musical instruments, among others. It is equanimous of anything from human being-made to natural subject field matter. These are all placed in different arrangements by the artist, sometimes for symbolic meanings and other times as fine art for fine art's sake.
What Does "Still Life" Mean?
The Still Life definition comes from the Dutch give-and-take Still leven. In French, it isnature morte and in Italian, it is natura morta – both terms mean "dead nature". This directly points to what a Still Life inherently is, which is an arrangement of inanimate objects, and often that of dead nature, like dead animals, foodstuffs that allude to time passing and thus rotting, likewise every bit something that stands still, which tin can otherwise be considered "dead".
What Are the Types of Nevertheless Lifes?
In that location are different categories of Still Life paintings, which are referred to every bit types. These types are also chosen "pieces" and are, namely, flowers and floral types, feast or breakfast types, brute types, and symbolic types (known as Vanitas).
What Are Vanitas Paintings?
The Latin term Vanitas ways "vanity", which is a concept explored in these types of Still Life paintings. They symbolize the shortness of life through the delineation of skulls, clocks, and even one-half-peeled fruit, indicating decay and the chemical element of rotting and dead animals (sometimes juxtaposed with live animals). The term also derives from the Bible's Ecclesiastes verse, which states: "Vanity of vanities, everything is vanity".
What Is the Plural Word for Still Life?
The discussion "Still Life" refers to a work of art. Although it uses the word "life" in information technology, it does not refer to a living entity such as a person. Because of this distinction, the substantive "life" receives an "s" at the end and does non become what we would commonly call it in the plural form, "lives".
Source: https://artincontext.org/still-life-painting/
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