Still-life Paintings
2010s Modern Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1980s Post-Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Paper, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Still-life Paintings
Paper, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Artist Comments
This still life celebrates the simple beauty of homegrown produce. With warm tones and detailed brushwork, artist Steve Boggs captures the essence of his summer...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
1920s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Modern Still-life Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s American Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Old Masters Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Flemish School Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
A cut-up lemon rests on a muted surface, its interior revealing various color changes. The light and shadow emphasize the fruit's vibrant yellow skin and fles...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Modern Still-life Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Old Masters Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1960s Modern Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Bold, energetic brushwork shapes an abstract interpretation of a flower. Thick layers of paint convey spontaneity and life, while soft touches of blue add surpr...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1990s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Board
Mid-19th Century Old Masters Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Modern Still-life Paintings
Acrylic, Paper
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil
1960s Modern Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Victorian Still-life Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
20th Century Still-life Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Modern Still-life Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Lacquer, Oil
1970s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Neo-Expressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Panel
20th Century Dutch School Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Old Masters Still-life Paintings
Oil
20th Century American Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Still-life Paintings
Plastic, Wood, Paper
2010s Abstract Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Acrylic
1940s Modern Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s American Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
"Perfection is what comes to mind when looking at the work of the Almighty," says artist Jo Galang. "I found these captivating, perfect beauties at the grocer...
21st Century and Contemporary American Realist Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Found Objects, Watercolor, Gouache, Tea
1950s Still-life Paintings
Oil
1960s Still-life Paintings
Gouache
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Modern Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
1870s American Realist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Old Masters Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Shop Still-Life Paintings on 1stDibs
Still-life paintings work as part of the decor in nearly every type of space.
Still-life art, which includes work produced in media such as painting, photography, video and more, is a popular genre in Western art. However, the depiction of still life in color goes back to Ancient Egypt, where paintings on the interior walls of tombs portrayed the objects — such as food — that a person would take into the afterlife. Ancient Greek and Roman mosaics and pottery also often depicted food. Indeed, still-life paintings frequently feature food, flowers or man-made objects. By definition, still-life art represents anything that is considered inanimate.
During the Middle Ages, the still life genre was adapted by artists who illustrated religious manuscripts. A common theme of these paintings is the reminder that life is fleeting. This is especially true of vanitas, a kind of still life with roots in the Netherlands during the 17th century, which was built on themes such as death and decay and featured skulls and objects such as rotten fruit. In northern Europe during the 1600s, painters consulted botanical texts to accurately depict the flowers and plants that were the subject of their work.
Leonardo da Vinci’s penchant for observing phenomena in nature and filling notebooks with drawings and notes helped him improve as an artist of still-life paintings. Vincent van Gogh, an artist who made a couple of the most expensive paintings ever sold, carried out rich experiments with color over the course of painting hundreds of still lifes, and we can argue that Campbell’s Soup Cans (1961–62) by Andy Warhol counts as still-life art.
While early examples were primarily figurative, you can find still lifes that belong to different schools and styles of painting, such as Cubism, Impressionism and contemporary art.
As part of the wall decor in your living room, dining room or elsewhere, a still-life painting can look sophisticated alongside your well-curated decorative objects and can help set the mood in a space.
When shopping for a still-life painting, think about how it makes you feel and how the artist chose to represent its subject. When buying any art for your home, choose pieces that you connect with. If you’re shopping online, read the description of the work to learn about the artist and check the price and shipping information. Make sure that the works you choose complement or relate to your overall theme and furniture style. Artwork can either fit into your room’s color scheme or serve as an accent piece. Introduce new textures to a space by choosing an oil still-life painting.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of still-life paintings in a wide range of styles and subject matter.