What is a still life?

A still life is a type of painting or drawing portraying an arrangement of different objects. Typically, these subjects include fruit, flowers, dining ware, and glassware.

Does a still life have to be realistic?

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.

What is a still-life painting?

A still- life painting depicts inanimate, everyday objects.

What is Dutch still life?

Dutch still life paintings are painted works of art depicting everyday objects that were produced in the Netherlands during the 16th and 17th centuries. Although the pictured items are realistic, they tend to have symbolic meanings. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Dutch still life paintings.

What is Flemish still life?

Pronkstilleven is a type of still life that was developed in the 1640s by Flemish artists. Rather than traditional still-life paintings, these emphasized abundances and various objects considered to be part of a luxurious life such as fruits, flowers and wild game. On 1stDibs, find a variety of original artwork from top artists.

Why is it called still life?

Why it is called still life has to do with the history of the art genre. Still life painting became a distinct genre thanks to the work of late 16th- and 17th-century Dutch artists. They called their paintings stilleven, which translates to motionless or silent life in English. This term relates to the fact that Dutch still life artists painted motionless objects such as flowers and fruit. As the genre spread beyond the Netherlands, English-speaking artists referred to it as still life. Shop a selection of still life paintings on 1stDibs.

What is a still life image?

A%20'Still%20Life'%20image%20refers%20to%20a%20work%20of%20art%20where%20the%20main%20subject%20usually%20portrays%20an%20intimate%20interior%20scene%20showing%20natural%20objects%20like%20food%2C%20flowers%2C%20dead%20animals%2C%20plants%2C%20rocks%2C%20shells%2C%20etc.%20or%20man-made%20objects%20like%20drinking%20glasses%2C%20books%2C%20vases%2C%20jewelry%2C%20coins%2C%20pipes%2C%20etc.%20which%20are%20mostly%20arranged%20on%20top%20of%20a%20flat%20surface%20like%20a%20table%20or%20mantel.

What is the difference between a still life and a portrait?

The subject of a portrait is typically a person; the subject of a still life consists predominantly of inanimate objects.

Is still life art realism?

Whether or not still life art is realism depends on the piece. Dutch still lifes produced during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries are examples of a realistic style. Impressionist and Expressionist still lifes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are not realistic. Shop a variety of still life art on 1stDibs.

Who invented the still-life genre?

Although still lifes occur in ancient murals, Jacopo de’Barbari is considered to have painted the first still life, in 1504.

What nationality is the still life technique?

Most people considered the nationality of the still life technique to be Dutch. This is because Realist still life painting originated in Holland in the 16h century. However, artists from other parts of the world also work in the genre. On 1stDibs, shop a range of still life paintings.

What does a still life painting portray?

A%20still%20life%20painting%20portrays%20inanimate%20subjects%20of%20small%20to%20medium%20size%C2%A0%3A%20a%20bouquet%2C%20a%20cup%20of%20fruits%2C%20cooking%20utensils%2C%20a%20set%20of%20keys%2C%20etc.

How does Tom Wesselmann use lines in his work Still Life with Fuji?

In his work Still Life with Fuji Chrysanthemums, Tom Wesselmann used well-defined contour lines to depict flowers, fruit and other household objects. The American Pop artist made the piece of laser-cut steel and designed it to hang on the wall like a canvas painting. Shop a variety of Tom Wesselmann art on 1stDibs.

Minimalist Still Life

Original Life Drawings

By Darius Yektai

Located in Sag Harbor, NY

"Orchid on Edge of Window" is an oil and charcoal on linen painting by Darius Yektai (b. 1973, Southampton NY). A minimalist deconstructed still life, where negative space, white can...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Still-life Paintings

Canvas, Oil

$300

Justin Wheatley"El Guapo" - Contemporary Minimalist White Barn Acrylic Painting, 2025, 2026

$4,995

"El Guapo" - Contemporary Minimalist White Barn Acrylic Painting, 2025

By Justin Wheatley

Located in Denver, CO

Justin Wheatley (American, b. 1980) "El Guapo", 2025 Acrylic on canvas 48 x 36 in (121.92 x 91.44 cm) Signed "Wheatley" by the artist in paint, front lower left Unframed. The canvas ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Ryan RivadeneyraMinimalist Sculpture Garden, Blue Tones Diptych, Modular Geometric Totems, 2026, 2025

$1,280

Minimalist Sculpture Garden, Blue Tones Diptych, Modular Geometric Totems, 2026

By Ryan Rivadeneyra

Located in Barcelona, ES

Details: Title: Minimalist Sculpture Garden Medium: Acrylic Paint on Canvas Size: 100x140 cm (100x70 cm, each panel), 40x55.2 inches (40x28 inches, each panel) Year: 2026 * Paintin...

Category

2010s Arte Povera Still-life Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

At Sunset

Located in Edinburgh, GB

“AT SUNSET” is an artwork from the “Grasses” series, exploring the quiet beauty of nature at the end of the day. Delicate grass silhouettes emerge against the warm light of the setti...

Category

2010s Minimalist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Samir RakhmanovStill Life Against a Window - 21st Century Contemporary Minimalist Oil Painting, 2021

Unavailable

H 15.75 in W 19.69 in

Still Life Against a Window - 21st Century Contemporary Minimalist Oil Painting

By Samir Rakhmanov

Located in Singapore, SG

— Signed on the back of the artwork — Size: 40 × 50 cm (15.7 × 19.7 inches) — Medium: Oil on cardboard — Genre: Still life — Style: Contemporary Realism / Minimalist — Colour sch...

Category

2010s Minimalist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Cardboard, Oil

Samir RakhmanovStill Life With Scissors - 21st Century Contemporary Still Life Oil Painting, 2021

Unavailable

H 11.23 in W 9.85 in

Still Life With Scissors - 21st Century Contemporary Still Life Oil Painting

By Samir Rakhmanov

Located in Singapore, SG

. — Size: 28.5 × 25 cm (11.2 × 9.8 inches) — Medium: Oil pastels on fibreboard — Genre: Still life — Style: Contemporary Realism / Minimalist — Colour scheme: Red, pearl white and e...

Category

2010s Minimalist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel, Fiberboard

Samir RakhmanovStill Life on a Salver - 21st Century Contemporary Still Life Gouache Painting, 2021

Unavailable

H 11.82 in W 8.27 in

Still Life on a Salver - 21st Century Contemporary Still Life Gouache Painting

By Samir Rakhmanov

Located in Singapore, SG

— Signed on the back of the artwork — Size: 30 × 21 cm (11.8 × 8.3 inches) — Medium: Gouache on paper — Genre: Still life — Style: Contemporary Realism / Minimalist — Colour sche...

Category

2010s Minimalist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Materials

Oil Pastel, Cardboard

Samir RakhmanovStill Life With Glass Vessels - 21st Century Contemporary Oil Painting, 2020

Apollonia VanovaHooked, 2014

Unavailable

H 20 in W 4 in D 7 in

Hooked

By Apollonia Vanova

Located in Toronto, Ontario

APOLLONIA VANOVA is a contemporary artist from Slovakia, currently residing in Toronto, Canada. She is a graduate of the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC. Her...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Post-Minimalist Still-life Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Apollonia VanovaFe-Male, 2015

Unavailable

H 11 in W 10 in D 10 in

Fe-Male

By Apollonia Vanova

Located in Toronto, Ontario

APOLLONIA VANOVA is a contemporary artist from Slovakia, currently residing in Toronto, Canada. She is a graduate of the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC. Her...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Post-Minimalist Still-life Sculptures

Lithograph

Praween PiangchoompuSanctuary Inside the soul 25..woodcut print, subtle color, beige & blue, 2018

Unavailable

H 23.63 in W 31.5 in

Sanctuary Inside the soul 25..woodcut print, subtle color, beige & blue

Located in Bangkok, Bangkok

Sanctuary Inside the Soul is a series of woodcut print by international awards winner Praween Piangchoompu. This artwork has limited of 8 only. The print is numbered hand signed by...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Minimalist Still-life Prints

Materials

Materials

Archival Ink, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Permanent Marker

Anna Tubau"Geometric". Figurative, minimalist, geometric, objetcs, still life, 2023

Unavailable

H 27.56 in W 27.56 in D 0.79 in

"Geometric". Figurative, minimalist, geometric, objetcs, still life

By Anna Tubau

Located in MADRID, ES

Figurative, minimalist, geometric, objetcs, still life

Category

2010s Figurative Paintings

Canvas, Oil

Sold

H 11.82 in W 15.75 in D 0.79 in

Oil on canvas still life painting of a fish

Located in Oostende, BE

Very minimalistic and pure oil on canvas still life painting of a fish

Category

2010s Minimalist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Edoardo GordigianiE. Gordigiani. Year 1947. Still life with sea bream, red mullets and diospyro., 1947

Sold

H 36.23 in W 44.49 in D 2.37 in

E. Gordigiani. Year 1947. Still life with sea bream, red mullets and diospyro.

Located in Firenze, IT

The painting "Large Still Life with Diospirus and Fish" by Edoardo Gordigiani, executed in oil on canvas, is a captivating still life that unmistakably evokes the winter atmosphere. ...

Category

1940s Post-Minimalist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Olya DidychSilver Chord, Still Life Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 2025, 2025

$549

H 19.69 in W 15.75 in D 0.79 in

Silver Chord, Still Life Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 2025

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Scrolling through social media, I often found myself drawn to floral paintings, mesmerized by their fleeting beauty. But when I sat down to create this piece, my life was going throu...

Category

2010s Realist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Fanch LelFrench Impressionist Oil Painting of Still Life of Wildflowers in a Vase

$541Sale Price|20% Off

$503

H 12.21 in W 16.15 in D 0.4 in

Red Poppy Flowers Painting Blue Background Modern Floral Minimal Art

By Marina Fisher

Located in Zofingen, AG

**Red Poppy Flowers – Original Oil Impasto Painting, Minimal Floral Composition on Blue Background, Contemporary Art** This one-of-a-kind original painting presents a refined and mi...

Category

2010s Abstract Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Michael Aviano"Roses & Lisianthus" realist floral still life by Michael Aviano, 2006

$25,000

H 25.5 in W 21.5 in

"Roses & Lisianthus" realist floral still life by Michael Aviano

By Michael Aviano

Located in Greenwich, CT

Unframed dimensions: 20 x 16 inches Framed dimensions: 25 1/2 x 21 1/2 in. Artist Michael Aviano has been drawing since childhood. His first oil paintings were done when he was in...

Category

Early 2000s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Modern, decorative flower painting, acrylic on canvas. Signed and dated., 1968

$1,032Sale Price|47% Off

H 43.71 in W 35.83 in

Modern, decorative flower painting, acrylic on canvas. Signed and dated.

Located in Berlin, DE

Modern, decorative painting, acrylic on canvas. Signed and dated. Signed illegible. Age-related condition.

Category

20th Century Contemporary Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Jennifer HornyakViolet Blue with White - contemporary, floral, still-life, oil on canvas, 2025

$3,000

H 13 in W 15 in

Violet Blue with White - contemporary, floral, still-life, oil on canvas

By Jennifer Hornyak

Located in Bloomfield, ON

This contemporary oil painting of flowers is by Jennifer Hornyak. During a successful career that has spanned more than four decades, Canadian artist Jennifer Hornyak developed her ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

RivelliFrench Poppy Fields Modernist Impressionist Oil Painting

$250Sale Price|56% Off

H 17.5 in W 14.5 in

French Poppy Fields Modernist Impressionist Oil Painting

Located in Douglas Manor, NY

6144 Oil on artist board Set in a silvered wood frame Image size 13.5x10.5"

Category

Early 2000s Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

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Minimalist Still Life For Sale on 1stDibs

You are likely to find exactly the minimalist still life you’re looking for on 1stDibs, as there is a broad range for sale. You can easily find an example made in the contemporary style, while we also have 31 contemporary versions to choose from as well. Making the right choice when shopping for a minimalist still life may mean carefully reviewing examples of this item dating from different eras — you can find an early iteration of this piece from the 20th Century and a newer version made as recently as the 21st Century. Adding a minimalist still life to a room that is mostly decorated in warm neutral tones can yield a welcome change — find a piece on 1stDibs that incorporates elements of gray, beige, black, blue and more. Creating a minimalist still life has been a part of the legacy of many artists, but those crafted by Ellsworth Kelly, David Cantine, Donald Sultan, Ed Baynard and Brian Blackham are consistently popular. Artworks like these of any era or style can make for thoughtful decor in any space, but a selection from our variety of those made in paint, paper and oil paint can add an especially memorable touch. A large minimalist still life can be an attractive addition to some spaces, while smaller examples are available — approximately spanning 1.38 high and 1.13 wide — and may be better suited to a more modest living area.

How Much is a Minimalist Still Life?

A minimalist still life can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price for items in our inventory is $1,599, while the lowest priced sells for $0 and the highest can go for as much as $146,730.

Questions About Minimalist Still Life

What is a still life?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021
A still life is a type of painting or drawing portraying an arrangement of different objects. Typically, these subjects include fruit, flowers, dining ware, and glassware.
Does a still life have to be realistic?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024
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.
What is a still-life painting?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
A still- life painting depicts inanimate, everyday objects.
What is Dutch still life?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Dutch still life paintings are painted works of art depicting everyday objects that were produced in the Netherlands during the 16th and 17th centuries. Although the pictured items are realistic, they tend to have symbolic meanings. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Dutch still life paintings.
What is Flemish still life?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Pronkstilleven is a type of still life that was developed in the 1640s by Flemish artists. Rather than traditional still-life paintings, these emphasized abundances and various objects considered to be part of a luxurious life such as fruits, flowers and wild game. On 1stDibs, find a variety of original artwork from top artists.
Why is it called still life?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertNovember 26, 2024
Why it is called still life has to do with the history of the art genre. Still life painting became a distinct genre thanks to the work of late 16th- and 17th-century Dutch artists. They called their paintings stilleven, which translates to motionless or silent life in English. This term relates to the fact that Dutch still life artists painted motionless objects such as flowers and fruit. As the genre spread beyond the Netherlands, English-speaking artists referred to it as still life. Shop a selection of still life paintings on 1stDibs.
What is a still life image?
1 Answer
Lilac Gallery Ltd.March 17, 2021
A 'Still Life' image refers to a work of art where the main subject usually portrays an intimate interior scene showing natural objects like food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc. or man-made objects like drinking glasses, books, vases, jewelry, coins, pipes, etc. which are mostly arranged on top of a flat surface like a table or mantel.
What is the difference between a still life and a portrait?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
The subject of a portrait is typically a person; the subject of a still life consists predominantly of inanimate objects.
Is still life art realism?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Whether or not still life art is realism depends on the piece. Dutch still lifes produced during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries are examples of a realistic style. Impressionist and Expressionist still lifes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are not realistic. Shop a variety of still life art on 1stDibs.
Who invented the still-life genre?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
Although still lifes occur in ancient murals, Jacopo de’Barbari is considered to have painted the first still life, in 1504.
What nationality is the still life technique?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Most people considered the nationality of the still life technique to be Dutch. This is because Realist still life painting originated in Holland in the 16h century. However, artists from other parts of the world also work in the genre. On 1stDibs, shop a range of still life paintings.
What does a still life painting portray?
2 Answers
La ChrysomeleFebruary 23, 2021
A still life painting portrays inanimate subjects of small to medium size : a bouquet, a cup of fruits, cooking utensils, a set of keys, etc.
Glenn Green GalleriesFebruary 25, 2021
A still-life painting is typically a group of arranged objects in an intimate setting. The term comes from the Dutch word "stilleven".
How does Tom Wesselmann use lines in his work Still Life with Fuji?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
In his work Still Life with Fuji Chrysanthemums, Tom Wesselmann used well-defined contour lines to depict flowers, fruit and other household objects. The American Pop artist made the piece of laser-cut steel and designed it to hang on the wall like a canvas painting. Shop a variety of Tom Wesselmann art on 1stDibs.