Still Life with Water Jug c.1892–3
Tate
by Maureen Fitzmahan
“Still life” is one of the major genres of Western art.
Traditionally, the subject matter of a still life painting. sculpture, or photograph is anything that does not move or is dead.
Still life includes
- All kinds of man-made or natural objects, cut flowers, fruit, vegetables, fish, game, wine.
1886-1958
PEPPER (NO. 30)
2. Still life can be a celebration of material pleasures such as food and wine.
In the hierarchy of genres (or subject types) for art established in the seventeenth century by the French Academy, still life was ranked at the bottom – fifth after history painting, portraiture, genre painting (scenes of everyday life) and landscape. Still life and landscape were considered lowly because they did not involve human subject matter.
Patrick Caulfield. Colored Still Life. 1967
(Adapted from the Tate Museums by Maureen Fitzmahan)
The Art Junket 
May 17, 2017 at 3:14 pm
I had a hard time wrapping my brain around this subject, all my pieces made were stills. But the only one that truely fit was a sculpture of a Olympic torch flame, fixed in time like a snapshot in slow motion. Now after weeks of empty space, it makes sense. Thanks for the challenge it feels good to get bent once in a while. Randolph Torres @ Coopered Patterns-Avalanche
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May 17, 2017 at 10:59 pm
I look forward to seeing what new piece of art you come up with.
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May 18, 2017 at 11:12 am
Many Still Life paintings or drawings revolve around food or kitchen utensils. But what about clothing? Is it that clothes “breathe” and therefore, aren’t as “still”? Is it that clothing recalls the human body (a live one) too much? What about painting furniture? A chair, a bed, a desk. What about painting a casket? Is that Still Life? In French, the term is “Nature Morte”; and likewise in Spanish “Naturaleza Muerta” and in Italian “Natura Morta”. If painting cut flowers is Still Life, why not painting a dead animal or human being (say, laying in a casket or in a morgue or awaiting the coroner). Sounds morose, doesn’t it? Going back to clothing: a hat, a pair of boots. I thought of a pair of boots, but, what to pair it with? A shawl, a hat, a cigarette box, a mirror, a tie, a bra, or just yesterday’s newspaper which happens to be among such objects. Objects tell a story. What story will you tell? Ana Perches
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May 18, 2017 at 11:19 am
Although I love taking photos of flowers, I find images of objects that come closer to the human condition to be more interesting, more intriguing. And, do you think a still life is a group of things? boots, flower, cigararette box. Is one of those things not a ‘still life?’ of course, we have no rules, really. We can do what we want. Your ideas inspire me to go and find some stuff, group them, and photograph them. Search for metaphors. SO MUCH FUN!
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May 18, 2017 at 11:22 am
When I think of Still Life paintings I think of the Flemish artists in European museums. They are the masters of Still Life. They leave me struck with awe. Then comes Cézanne who shatters the concept of perspective (brilliantly), using color to render the effect of depth, something far or close; especially using the color blue. I cannot think Cézanne and not see the color blue. Blue on blue (no, I’m not thinking Bobby Vinton, ha, ha; Baby Boomers you all got it). First I thought about doing something white on white: white apples, white oranges, white bananas, white eggplant but now I’m leaning towards painting white objects instead, and painting them white. But I’m leaning toward painting objects of clothing instead of food. Ana Perches
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May 18, 2017 at 11:50 am
Wonderful ideas. I’m going to find some white stuff. White on black. Hmmmm.
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May 18, 2017 at 11:27 am
When I think of Still Life, I cannot help but think of a group of objects, and not just one object. And usually, three is the minimum number. Why? Convention? Habit? But if I paint a pair of boots, does that count as one object? Silly question, but in the end, it does not matter. Maybe just one boot gets in the picture and where is the other one? Where was it left behind? What happened? Objects always pose questions. Objects can be metaphors. Objects are evidence. Objects are Freudian, or can be. Or they can just be objective.
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May 26, 2017 at 10:30 am
Wow, Ana and Maureen, I love this conversation! I am particularly drawn to the idea of objects that tell a story. I think of Wabi Sabi and how the imperfections speak of history and impermanence. I also love Ana’s comment about clothing breathing – that it isn’t dead. This all has me thinking of meditating on the material pleasures in my life, as well as death.
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