Still-life Paintings
2010s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
1950s Still-life Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Modern Still-life Paintings
Panel, Oil
2010s American Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
1990s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Jo Galang says this piece was inspired by a lovely bouquet she received from her son and his girlfriend on Mother's Day. "It was so beautiful, and the ...
21st Century and Contemporary American Realist Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Still-life Paintings
India Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor
1950s American Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Italian School Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Post-Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Board
Early 2000s Post-Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Fauvist Still-life Paintings
Acrylic, Watercolor, Paper
1930s Modern Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Modern Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1940s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Masonite, Oil
2010s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Oil, Paper
2010s Abstract Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
19th Century Victorian Still-life Paintings
Oil
1930s American Modern Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Nicole Lamothe says her focus in this soft, warm still life was the glowing sunlight streaming through her studio window. "I arranged the pair of yello...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil
Early 20th Century Victorian Still-life Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Photorealist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Panel, Oil
1990s Realist Still-life Paintings
Oil, Board
1920s French School Still-life Paintings
Oil
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 Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
20th Century Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Naturalistic Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic, Gouache
Late 20th Century French School Still-life Paintings
Oil
Early 20th Century Modern Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Lacquer, Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Academic Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas, Stretcher Bars
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 19th Century English School Still-life Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
2010s Abstract Expressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Still-life Paintings
Egg Tempera
1990s Northern Renaissance Still-life Paintings
Board, Oil
Late 19th Century Old Masters Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Expressionist Still-life Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
1970s American Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Modern Still-life Paintings
Paper, Gouache
21st Century and Contemporary American Impressionist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
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.