Questions & Answers
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Does a still life have to be realistic?
1 Answer

No, a still life doesn't have to be realistic. Still life is a genre or type of subject matter. To fit the definition, a piece simply needs to portray inanimate objects. Artists can employ any style they choose to represent the objects in their paintings. Some examples of abstract still-life paintings include Georges Braque's Violin and Candlestick, Pablo Picasso's Still Life with Chair Caning and Paul Cézanne's Fruit Bowl, Glass, and Apples. Find a large collection of still-life paintings on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024
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Shop for Still-life Paintings on 1stDibs
Fuchsia Bellflowers, Illustration Style Painting, Wild Flowers, Spring Bouquet
Located in Barcelona, ES
This vibrant painting captures the graceful charm of delicate Fuchsia Bellflowers. Sweeping brushstrokes and vivid colors bring these flowers to life, highlighting their stylized sha...
Category
2010s Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
India Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor
'Happy Tabby', 19th Century Danish School, Swedish Embroidered Armchair
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Initialed upper right, 'C.N.' (Danish, 19th Century) and dated 1898.
A late nineteenth-century oil composed with a fresh palette and finely-observed detail. This elegant feline stud...
Category
1890s Naturalistic Animal Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Still Life with Currants
Located in Wenham, MA
This piece is an original oil painting on panel. It features red currants reflected in a silver vessel. A house finch perches above the scene, its red breast complimenting the berrie...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Realist Still-life Paintings
Materials
Oil
Large Antique Italian Baroque 18th Century Still Life Fruit Oil Canvas Painting
Located in Portland, OR
An exceptional & large antique Italian baroque still life oil on canvas painting, attributed to Carlo Magini (1720-1804), a still life scene of a table setting with bowls of fruit, c...
Category
1780s Italian School Still-life Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Snowdrops. Original oil painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
Snowdrops are the first flowers that appear in my garden. Their fragility and incredible tenderness are amazing. The various shades of white color of the flower, the reflections of t...
Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Still Life with Book, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A warm glow from a flickering candle illuminates the scene, casting soft light across every object. An antique clock nestled within a sculpture evokes a sense o...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Materials
Oil