Still lifes with flowers by contemporary oil painting artists. Modern Ukrainian still life

Today I was at an exhibition at the National Ukrainian Museum of Modern Art.
I liked a lot. I share.

Viktor Tolochko
1922-2006, Yalta
"Spring still life", 1985
oil, canvas.

Viktor Tolochko
"Still life with a white teapot", 1993
oil, canvas

/Born in Melitopol, participant of the Second World War, studied in Kharkov. He headed the Art Museum in Yalta, which at that time occupied the halls of the Vorontsov Palace. Then he moved to Donetsk. In his declining years he returned to the Crimea. He painted still lifes, landscapes and portraits. People's Artist of Ukraine/.

Ibrahim Litinsky
1908-1958, Kyiv
"Still life with peonies on the piano", 1958
oil, canvas

/Litinsky Ibrahim Moiseevich (1908 - 1958) - Ukrainian artist, portrait painter, master of political and film posters. He graduated from the Kyiv art-industrial school, then studied at the Kiev Art Institute at the theater and film department (1927 - 1928). He painted portraits of prominent people - Stalin, Panas Saksagansky, Ivan Patorzhinsky, Natalia Uzhviy, Gnat Yura. The artist's works are in various private collections./(With)

Nina Dragomirova
1926
"Still life with vegetables", 1971

/Ukrainian artist, painter. Graduated from the Crimean art school named after. N. Samokisha (1952). Member of the National Union of Artists since 1970. Master of landscape and still life. Works are in numerous private collections in Ukraine. (c) /

Sergey Shapovalov
1943, Kirovograd
"Still life". 1998
Oil on canvas

/ Graduated from the Kyiv State Art Institute. Member of the Union of Artists of Ukraine. Honored Artist of Ukraine (2008). A significant part of the artist's works are in traveling art exhibitions of the Ministries of Culture and museums of Ukraine. Many of the artist's works are in private collections. He took part in foreign commercial exhibitions ("New York. Inter-Expo 2002" (USA), "Russian House" in Berlin (Germany). In 2004, the artist's personal exhibition took place in Guadalajara (Spain) (c) /.

Fedor Zakharov
1919-1994, Yalta
"Lilac", 1982
oil, canvas

/ Outstanding painter, master of landscape and still life. Born in with. Alexandrovskoye, Smolensk region. In 1935 - 1941 he studied at the art-industrial school. M. Kalinin in Moscow, in 1943 - 1950 - at the Moscow Art Institute. V. Surikov with A. Lentulov, I. Chekmasov and G. Ryazhsky. In 1950 he moved to Simferopol, where he taught at the Art School. N. Samokish. In 1953 he settled in Yalta. Honored Art Worker of the Ukrainian SSR since 1970, People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR since 1978.

Laureate of the State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR. T. Shevchenko (1987). Memorial exhibitions of the artist were held at the State Tretyakov Gallery (2003), in Simferopol (2004) and Kyiv (2005). The works are stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery, the National Art Museum of Ukraine, the Feodosia Art Gallery. I. Aivazovsky, Simferopol, Sevastopol art museums, etc. (c) /

Sergei Dupliy
1958, Kyiv
"Phloxes", 2003
oil, canvas

/ Born in 1958 in the village of Sidorovka, Cherkasy region.
A great influence on his formation as an artist was the work of I. Grabar, N. Glushchenko and F. Zakharov.
Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine since 2000. Lives and works in Rzhishchev. (c) /

Valntina Tsvetkova
1917-2007, Yalta
"Autumn Flowers", 1958
oil, canvas

/Ukrainian and Russian painter, master of landscape and still life. Born in Astrakhan, Russia. She graduated in 1935 from the Astrakhan Art College. Awarded with orders and medals. People's Artist of Ukraine since 1985. Lived and worked in Yalta. (c) /

Stepan Titko
1941-2008, Lviv
"Still life", 1968
oil, canvas

/Born in the village of Stilskoe, Lviv region.
In 1949, the artist's family was repressed and exiled to the Khabarovsk Territory. In 1959, Stepan Titko graduated from high school and entered the art and graphic department of the Khabarovsk State Polygraphic Institute, and in 1961, the Khabarovsk Art Institute. Since 1964 he lived in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and worked as a graphic designer at the Institute of Cosmonautics. In 1966, together with his family, the artist returned to Ukraine, settled in Novy Rozdil, Lviv region, and worked as a drawing teacher at a school. From 1969 to 1971 Titko S.I. is on a creative business trip to the Japanese island of Sakyu.

In 1974 he participated in the "bulldozer exhibition". He was accused of formalism and a pro-Western attitude to art.
The works of Titko S.I. are kept in museum and private collections in Ukraine, Poland, Germany, France, the USA and other countries. (c) /

Konstantin Filatov
1926-2006, Odessa
"Still life with a cup", 1970
cardboard, oil

Konstantin Filatov
1926-2006, Odessa
"Eggplant and Peppers", 1965
canvas on cardboard, oil

/Honored Artist of Ukraine. Born in Kyiv.
In 1955 he graduated from the Odessa Art College named after M.B. Grekov. Since 1957 - a participant of republican, all-Union and foreign art exhibitions. Member of the Union of Artists of the Ukrainian SSR since 1960.
He worked in the field of easel painting. Author of numerous genre paintings, landscapes, portraits and still lifes.
From 1970 to 1974 - a teacher at the Odessa Art College.

In 1972 he became the Laureate of the State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR. T. Shevchenko for the paintings "Red Square" and "V. I. Lenin. In 1974 he was awarded the title of "Honored Artist of the Ukrainian SSR".
The works of K.V. Filatov are presented in museum and private collections in Ukraine and abroad. (With)/

Pavel Miroshnichenko (I like this work very much!)
1920-2005, Sevastopol
"Still life", 1992
oil, canvas

/Honored Artist of Ukraine. Landscape painter, master of still life. Born in Belovodsk, Luhansk region.
Member of the Great Patriotic War. Awarded with orders and medals.
From 1946 to 1951 he studied at the Crimean Art School. N. S. Samokish. Since 1951 the artist lived and worked in Sevastopol.

Since 1965 Miroshnichenko P.P. - Member of the Union of Artists of Ukraine.
Works are in the Sevastopol Art Museum. M. P. Kroshitsky and other museum and private collections in Ukraine, Russia, France, Germany, Japan, USA, Poland and the Czech Republic. Five seascapes were purchased for the Museum of Russian Art in Japan. (c) /

Gayane Atoyan
1959, Kyiv
"Cornflowers", 2001
oil, canvas

/ In 1983 she graduated from the Kiev State Art Institute. He considers his mother, an artist, to be his main teacher. Tatiana Yablonskaya. Since 1982 he has been taking part in art exhibitions.
In 1986 she was admitted to the Union of Artists of Ukraine.
The works of Gayane Atoyan are in the art museums of Kyiv, Zaporozhye, Khmelnitsky, in private collections in Ukraine and abroad. (c) /

Evgeny Egorov
1917-2005, Kharkiv
"Roses", 1995
paper, pastel

/ Worked at the Kharkov Institute of Art and Industry (now KhGADI) from 1949 to 2000. (from 1972 to 1985 - rector) /.

Sergey Shurov
1883-1961, Kyiv
"Still Life", 1950s
Paper, watercolor

Igor Kotkov
1961, Kyiv
"Still life with red flowers" 1990
oil, canvas

/ Graduated from the Kyiv Republican Art School, then - the Art Academy in Kiev. He worked as a production designer at the film studio "UkrAnimafilm" creating cartoons for adults. Gradually, the artist developed his own style of writing, his own creative style. Now painting is his favorite pastime and his life's work. In his creative arsenal, there are several dozen works in private collections in Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Great Britain, the USA, Canada, two solo exhibitions in Kiev and participation in many other exhibitions. (c) /

Vladimir Mikita (class!)
1931, Transcarpathia
"Hutsul still life", 2002
canvas, mixed media

/People's Artist of Ukraine.
Born in the village of Rakoshino, Mukachevo district, Transcarpathian region. Nationality - Rusyn.
In 1947, after the 9th grade, he passed the exams at the Uzhgorod School of Applied Arts and was admitted to the 3rd year.
From 1951 to 1954 he was in the ranks of the Soviet army on Sakhalin Island. After the army, he was hired at the Art and Production Workshops of the Artistic Fund of Transcarpathia, where he worked until his retirement in 2001.

In 1962 he was admitted to the Union of Artists of Ukraine. In 2005 - the winner of the National Prize of Ukraine named after. Taras Shevchenko.
He was awarded the orders of Yaroslav the Wise V and IV degree. Since 2010 - Honorary Citizen of Uzhgorod.
The artist's works are in the funds of the Ministries of Culture of Ukraine and Russia, in various art museums, including foreign ones: Lithuania, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Venezuela and in private collections around the world. (c) /

Anastasia Kalyuzhnaya(also like it a lot)
1984, Kerch
"Still Life" 2006
oil, canvas

/Anastasia Kalyuzhnaya graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts of Ukraine, Roman Serdyuk Art School. The rich experience of the school of Ukrainian painting served as the basis for the development of the artist. Now she works in Kerch in a realistic manner of painting. (C) /

Mikhail Roskin
1923-1998, Uzhhorod
"Crystal vase with flowers", 1990
paper, pastel

/Born in Nikopol, Dnepropetrovsk region. He received artistic and professional training at the Studio of Military Artists. M. B. Grekova. Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine since 1978 (c) /

Elena Yablonskaya
1918-2009, Kyiv
"Scented tobacco on the window", 1945
cardboard, oil

/ Sister of the artist Tatyana Yablonskaya. The wife of the outstanding Ukrainian artist E.V. Volobuev.
In 1941 she graduated from the Kiev State Art Institute. In 1945 she was awarded the Medal "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945".
Member of the Union of Artists of the USSR since 1944.

Master of easel painting and book graphics. Elena Nilovna illustrated books for twenty years. Several generations of children have grown up at her work. The artist also conducted pedagogical activities in parallel - she taught graphic artists and sculptors.
In 1977 he was awarded the title - "Honored Artist of Ukraine".
The works of E.N. Yablonskaya are presented in the National Art Museum of Ukraine, in museum, gallery and private collections in Ukraine, Germany, England, the USA and in other countries. (c) /

Oksana Pilipchuk
1977, Kyiv
"Still life", 2001
oil, canvas

/ Pilipchuk Oksana Dmitrievna - painter, member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, teacher at the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (department of drawing and painting).
Works are kept in many Ukrainian museums, as well as private collections in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Holland, USA, Japan, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Israel, France./

Evgeny Smirnov
1959, Sevastopol
"Still life with green pears", 2000
oil, canvas

/Born in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl region, Russia. From 1975 to 1979 studied at the painting faculty of the Saratov Art College. Bogolyubov. Upon graduation, Evgeny Smirnov moves to Sevastopol.
In 1993 he joined the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. Since 2005 - Honored Artist of Ukraine.
The artist's works are in the Sevastopol Art Museum. M.P. Kroshitsky and in other museum and private collections in Ukraine, Russia, Germany and other countries./

Vera Chursina
1949, Kharkov
"Evening still life", 2005
oil, canvas

/ Graphic artist, painter.
Born in with. Borisovka, Belgorod region, Russia.
In 1972 she graduated from the Oryol State Pedagogical Institute - art and graphic department.
In 1980 she defended her diploma at the Kharkov Institute of Art and Industry, majoring in "Easel Graphics". Honored Art Worker of Ukraine, member of the Kharkov branch of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, teacher of the Kharkov State Academy of Design and Arts, professor of the Department of Painting.
Takes part in international, all-Ukrainian and regional exhibitions.
Since 1992 - member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. (c) /

Vladimir Kuznetsov
1924-1998, Kharkov
"Still life", 1992
oil, cardboard

/ Graduated from the Kharkov Institute of Arts (1954), taught there. A regular participant in city, regional and regional exhibitions since 1954. The artist's works are in many regional museums, in private collections in Russia and abroad./

Alexander Gromovoi
1958
"Still Life", 2011
oil, canvas

/Born in the village of Krasnopolye, Mykolaiv region.
In 1987 he graduated from the Uzhgorod State University, in 1993 - the art and graphics department of the Odessa Pedagogical Institute named after K.D.Ushinsky. Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine since 1995./

Azat Safin
1961, Kharkov
"Still life" 2003
oil, canvas

Anna Faynerman
1922-1991, Kyiv
"Still life with mountain ash", 1966
cardboard, oil

/ Born in the village of Uspenskaya, Beloglinsky District, Krasnodar Territory, Russia. In 1941 she graduated from art secondary school. T. G. Shevchenko. After graduating in 1945 from the Faculty of Journalism of the Ural University, she entered the Kiev Art Institute, from which she graduated in 1951.
During her studies at the institute, she worked as a literary collaborator and proofreader at the Sovetskaya Ukraina publishing house.
The wife of the famous Ukrainian artist Rapoport Boris Naumovich.

Member of the Union of Artists of the Ukrainian SSR since 1955. The works are kept in museum, gallery and private collections in Ukraine and abroad./

Adalbert Marton
1913-2005, Uzhgorod
Still life, 1969
paper, pastel

/Ukrainian-Hungarian painter. Master of the Transcarpathian landscape and still life.
Born in Clerton, USA. In 1936 he graduated from the art-industrial school in Gablontsi, Czechoslovakia.
Since 1937 he lived and worked in Uzhgorod. Since 1957, he has participated in regional, republican, all-Union and international exhibitions. The artist's works are in museums, galleries and private collections in Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, USA, Canada and Japan. In 1972, the artist moved to Hungary, where he died in 2005. (c) /

Alexander Sheremet
1950, Kyiv
"Still life", 2001
oil, canvas

Konstantin-Vadim Ignatov
1934, Kyiv
"Tea ceremony" 1972
tempera canvas

/Born in Kharkov (Ukraine). He studied at the art school in Kyiv, also studied at the Kiev State Art Institute.
In Soviet times, he had a reputation as an outstanding illustrator and worked at the Veselka publishing house for about 30 years, where he illustrated more than 100 books. Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine./

Lesya Pryymych
1968
"Holy Evening", 2013
oil, canvas

/ Born in Uzhgorod, Transcarpathian region.
Graduated from the Lviv State Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts (1992). Painter. Member of the National Union of Artists (2006)./

Andrey Zvezdov
1963-1996, Kyiv
Still life with autumn leaves" 1991
oil, cardboard

Karl Zvirinsky
1923-1997
"Still life", 1965

Zoya Orlova
1981, Kyiv
Still life", 2004
cardboard, mixed media

Oleg Omelchenko
1980
"Still life with clock", 2010
oil, canvas

Nikolay Kristopchuk
1934, Lviv
"Kosovo still life", 1983
oil, canvas

Boris Kolesnik
1927-1992, Kharkov
"Still life", 1970
cardboard, oil

/Born in with. Vilshany, Kharkiv region.
In 1943-1949. studied at the Kharkov State Art School, in 1949-1955. - at the Kharkov State Art Institute.
In 1965 he joined the Union of Artists of the Ukrainian SSR.
Author of genre lyrical paintings, revealing the life and traditions of the Ukrainian people.
Works by Kolesnik B.A. are stored in the Museum of Russian Art in Kyiv, in the art museums of Kharkov and other cities of Ukraine and the former USSR./

Konstantin Lomykin
1924-1993, Odessa
"Pears", 1980
cardboard, pastel

/Painter, graphic artist. People's Artist of Ukraine.
Born in Glukhov, Sumy region. In 1951 he graduated from the Odessa Art College. Member of the Odessa organization of the Union of Artists of the Ukrainian SSR since 1953.
Author of thematic paintings, works of everyday genre, landscapes and still lifes.
Honored Art Worker of the Ukrainian SSR.
The artist's works are in art museums of Ukraine, as well as in private collections in Ukraine, Russia, Japan, France, Greece, Germany, Italy, Portugal and other countries./

Alexander Khmelnitsky
1924-1998, Kharkov
"Still life with a red hat"
oil, canvas

/Born in Kharkov.
Participated in combat operations during the Great Patriotic War.
From 1947 to 1953 he studied at the Kharkov State Art Institute, then taught at the Kharkiv Art Institute, (Kharkiv Art and Industry Institute), from1978 - Professor
In 1956 he was accepted as a member of the Kharkov organization of the Union of Artists of Ukraine, was the chairman of the painting section.
In 1974, he participated in the creation of the diorama "Forcing the Dnieper" in collaboration with A. Konstantinopolsky, V. Mokrozhitsky, V. Parchevsky for the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Kyiv.
People's Artist of Ukraine. He has been a corresponding member of the Academy of Arts of Ukraine since 1997.
The artist's works are in museums, galleries, private collections in Ukraine and abroad./

Vladimir Boguslavsky
1954, Lviv
"Bronze jug", 2005
oil, canvas

I hope you enjoyed it.
Thank you for your attention!

What a strange painting it is - a still life: it makes you admire a copy of those things, the originals of which you do not admire.

Blaise Pascal

Indeed, have you ever looked at the fruit from the kitchen table? Well... except when you were hungry, right? But a picture with a fruit composition or a luxurious bouquet of flowers can be admired for hours. This is the special magic of still life.

Translated from French, still life means "dead nature"(nature morte). However, this is only a literal translation.

In fact still life- this is an image of motionless, frozen objects (flowers, vegetables, fruits, furniture, carpets, etc.). The first still lifes are found on the frescoes of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

Still life (fresco from Pompeii) 63-79, Naples, National Gallery of Capodimonte. Author unknown.

When a friend came to visit a Roman, the rules of good manners demanded that the owner of the house show the best of his silverware. This tradition is vividly reflected in a still life from the tomb of Vestorius Prisca in Pompeii.

In the center of the composition is a vessel for mixing wine and water, the incarnation of the god of fertility Dionysus-Liber. On both sides of the golden table are symmetrically placed jugs, scoops, horns for wine.

However, the still life is not only fruits, vegetables and flowers, but also ... a human skull, designed to reflect the transience of human life. This is how the supporters of the Vanitas genre, representatives of the early stage of the development of still life, represented the still life.

An outstanding example is an allegorical still life by a Dutch artist Willem Klas Heda, where next to the skull is a pipe - a symbol of the elusiveness of earthly pleasures, a glass vessel - a reflection of the fragility of life, keys - a symbol of the power of a housewife who manages stocks. The knife symbolizes the vulnerability of life, and the brazier, in which the coals barely glow, means its extinction.

Vanity. Vanitas, 1628, by Willem Claesz Heda.

Willem Heda is rightly called "Breakfast Master" With the help of an interesting arrangement of food, dishes and kitchen utensils, the artist surprisingly accurately conveyed the mood of the paintings. And his skill in depicting glare of light on perfectly smooth surfaces of silver bowls and glass goblets amazed even the eminent contemporaries of the artist.

It is incredible how accurately and delicately Kheda was able to convey every little thing: the play of light, the features of the shape, the colors of objects. In all the paintings of the Dutchman - mystery, poetry, sincere admiration for the world of objects.

Still lifes by famous artists

Famous artists were often fond of still life. It is about the masters of the brush and their delightful works that I will tell you further.

Pablo Picasso is the most expensive artist in the world

Unique and inimitable - this is how the outstanding Spanish artist of the 20th century is called. Pablo Picasso. Each work of the author is a tandem of original design and genius.

Still life with a bouquet of flowers, 1908

Still life with bulbs, 1908

In addition to traditionally perfect realistic, filled with light and bright colors, or gloomy, made in bluish-gray tones of still lifes, Picasso was fond of cubism. The artist laid out the objects or characters of his paintings into small geometric shapes.

And although art critics did not recognize Picasso's cubism, now his works are well sold and belong to the richest collectors in the world.

Guitar and sheet music, 1918

Eccentric Vincent van Gogh

Along with the famous "Starry Night", a series of paintings with sunflowers has become a unique symbol of Van Gogh's work. The artist planned to decorate his house in Arles with sunflowers for the arrival of his friend Paul Gauguin.

“The sky is a delightful blue. The sun's rays are pale yellow. This is a soft, magical combination of sky blue and yellow tones from the paintings of Vermeer of Delft ... I can not write something so beautiful ... " Van Gogh said doomedly. Perhaps that is why the artist painted sunflowers countless times.

Vase with 12 sunflowers, 1889

Unhappy love, poverty and rejection of his work encourage the artist to crazy deeds and badly undermine his health. But the talented artist stubbornly wrote about painting: "Even if I fall ninety-nine times, I will still get up for the hundredth time."

Still life with red poppies and daisies. Auvers, June 1890.

Irises. Saint-Remy, May 1890

All-encompassing still lifes by Paul Cezanne

"I want to restore eternity to nature",- liked to repeat the great French artist Paul Cezanne. The artist depicted not a random play of light and shadow, not changing, but the constant characteristics of objects.

In an effort to show objects from all sides, he describes them in such a way that the viewer admires the still life, as if from different angles. We see the table from above, the tablecloth and fruits from the side, the box in the table from below, and the jug from different sides at the same time.

Peaches and Pears, 1895

Still life with cherries and peaches, 1883-1887

Still lifes by contemporary artists

A palette of colors and a wide variety of shades allows the current masters of still life to achieve incredible realism and beauty. Do you want to admire the impressive paintings of talented contemporaries?

Briton Cecil Kennedy

It is impossible to take your eyes off the paintings of this artist - his herbs are so enchanting! Mmm... I think I can already smell these amazingly beautiful flowers. And you?

Cecil Kennedy is rightfully considered the most outstanding British artist of our time. The winner of several prestigious awards and the favorite of many "powerful people", Kennedy nevertheless became famous only when he was well over 40.

Belgian artist Julian Stappers

Information about the life of the Belgian artist Julian Stappers is scarce, which cannot be said about his paintings. Cheerful still lifes of the artist are in the collections of the richest people in the world.

Gregory Van Raalte

Contemporary American artist Gregory Van Raalte pays special attention to the play of light and shadow. The artist is convinced that the light should not fall directly, but through the forest, tree leaves, flower petals, or reflected from the surface of the water.

The talented artist lives in New York. He is fond of drawing still lifes in watercolor technique.

Iranian artist Ali Akbar Sadehi

Ali Akbar Sadeghi is one of the most successful Iranian artists. In his works, he skillfully combines the compositions of traditional Iranian paintings, Persian cultural myths with iconography and stained glass art.

Still lifes by modern Ukrainian artists

Whatever you say, but in the Ukrainian masters of the brush - their own, unique vision of His Majesty's still life. And now I will prove it to you.

Sergei Shapovalov

Paintings by Sergei Shapovalov are full of sunbeams. Each of his masterpieces is filled with light, goodness and love for his native land. And the artist was born in the village of Ingulo-Kamenka, Novgorodkovsky district, Kirovograd region.

Sergey Shapovalov is an Honored Artist of Ukraine, a member of the National Union of Artists.

Igor Derkachev

Ukrainian artist Igor Derkachev was born in 1945 in Dnepropetrovsk, where he still lives. For twenty-five years he attended the art studio of the House of Culture of Students. Y. Gagarin, first as a student, and then as a teacher.

The artist's paintings are pierced with warmth, love for native traditions and gifts of nature. This special warmth through the paintings of the author is transmitted to all admirers of his work.

Victor Dovbenko

According to the author, his still lifes are a mirror of his own feelings and moods. In bouquets of roses, in scatterings of cornflowers, asters and dahlias, in "fragrant" forest paintings - a unique summer aroma and priceless gifts of the rich nature of Ukraine.

About some iconic artists who created still life paintings.

Introduction

The term "still life" is used to define paintings depicting inanimate objects (from the Latin "dead nature"). Moreover, objects can be both of natural origin (fruits, flowers, dead animals and insects, skulls, etc.), and man-made (various utensils, watches, books and scrolls of paper, jewelry, and so on). Often, a still life includes some hidden subtext, conveyed through a symbolic image. Works of an allegorical nature belong to the subgenre "vanitas".

Still life as a genre was most developed in Holland in the 17th century as a way to protest against the established church and the imposition of religious art. In the further history of painting, the works of the Dutch of that time (Utrech, Leiden, Delft and others) had a huge impact on the development of art: composition, perspective, the use of symbolism as an element of narrative. Despite its importance and interest from the public, according to the academies of arts, still life occupied the last place in the general hierarchy of genres.

Rachel Ruysch

Ruysch is one of the most famous Dutch realists and still life painters. The compositions of this artist contain a lot of symbolism, various moral and religious messages. Her signature style is a combination of a dark background, meticulous attention to detail, delicate coloring and the image of additional elements that add interest (insects, birds, reptiles, crystal vases).

Harmen van Stenwijk

The work of this Dutch realist perfectly demonstrates still lifes in the vanitas style, illustrating the hustle and bustle of earthly life. One of the most famous paintings is the Allegory of the Vanity of Human Life, which shows a human skull in sunlight. Various subjects of the composition refer to the ideas of the inevitability of physical death. The detail and level of realism in Stenwijk's paintings is achieved through the use of fine brushes and paint application techniques.

Paul Cezanne

Known for his landscapes, portraits and genre works, Cezanne also contributed to the development of the still life. After the interest in impressionism disappeared, the artist began to explore fruits and natural objects, experiment with three-dimensional figures. These studies helped create perspective and dimension in still life paintings, not only through classical techniques, but also through the masterful use of color. All the directions considered by Cezanne were further studied by Georges Braque and Picasso in the development of analytical cubism. In pursuit of the goal of creating something "permanent", the artist preferred to paint the same objects, and the incredibly long process of creating a still life led to the fact that fruits and vegetables began to rot and decompose long before the painting was completed.

Khem

A student of David Bailly, the Dutch realist Hem is known for his magnificent still lifes with a large number of details, loaded with compositions, an abundance of insects and other decorative and symbolic elements. Often the artist used religious motifs in his works, like Jan Brueghel and Federico Borromeo.

Jean Baptiste Chardin

The carpenter's son Jean Chardin acquired his industriousness and craving for order precisely thanks to his father. The master's paintings are often calm and sober, because he strove for harmony of tone, color and form, largely achieved through work with lighting and contrasts. The desire for purity and order is also expressed in the absence of allegories in the compositions.

Frans Snyders

The author of baroque still lifes and animal scenes was an incredibly prolific master, and his ability to depict the texture of leather, fur, glass, metal and other materials was unsurpassed. Snyders was also a prominent animal painter, often depicting dead animals in his still lifes. Later, he became the official painter of the Archduke Albert of Austria, which resulted in the creation of even more masterpieces.

Francisco de Zurbaran

Zurbaran, a well-known painter of religious themes, is one of the greatest creators of still lifes. Painted in the strict Spanish tradition, his work has a timeless quality and impeccable simplicity. As a rule, they represent a small number of objects against a darkened background.

Conor Walton

Of the modern authors, Conor Walton deserves attention. The contribution of the Irish artist to the development of still life can be clearly seen in the works "Hidden: Oranges and Lemons" (2008), "Still Life with Large Orchids" (2004). The craftsman's work is precise and executed with exceptional use of light to help convey the textures of various surfaces.

The best still lifes updated: November 14, 2017 by: Gleb