The quiet charm of dead nature, or what is still life

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

At its core, still life, if we talk about the literal translation from the French language, has two roots and means "dead nature". Although, in fairness, it is worth noting that the language does not dare to call all this juicy, bright splendor with such a phrase. But a fact is a fact.

What is a still life, it was known in ancient Greece. Already in the writings of Pliny there is a description of the painting by Zeukis, which depicts a bunch of grapes. During the excavations of Pompeii, many images of this genre were also found. Later, the still life will go into the shadows, and portraits and iconography will come to the fore.

If we talk about what a still life is in the classical sense of this genre, then first of all it must be said that this is a type of fine art (in particular, easel painting), which conveys the features of inanimate objects that are placed in a single environment and unite in a group. It is this group organization that is the main condition of the still life, it distinguishes it from portraits, landscapes and battle paintings.

Relationship of still life to easel painting is determined by the organization of the motif, or, in other words, the setting, without which the drawing will not be perceived as a whole. It is not true that this genre consists in depicting only edible and inanimate objects. Although, at first glance, what is a still life without them? But the picture may also contain images of people, animals, elements of the landscape. True, they act as additional motives.

Our ideas about what a still life is will be incomplete if we keep silent about its varieties. Depending on what is the basis of differentiation, several types are distinguished:

1. The plot component of the picture allows you to single out single-view (image of objects of the same type, for example, only fruits), mixed (objects of different types - vegetables, dishes, flowers) and plot (images of people, inclusion of landscape elements) still lifes.



2. The color of the image suggests a division into warm (predominance of yellow, orange, red hues) and cold (blue, green, purple) varieties.
3. According to the location, there are still lifes in the interior and landscape.
4. The temporal category finds its embodiment in short-term (normal sketches) and long-term (many hours of staging) images.
5. Depending on the task of the artist, it is possible to distinguish between realistic (objects are reproduced as accurately as possible) and decorative (image in the form of lines, figures, using the application method) paintings.

But stillthe most important criterion is the technique of the image - watercolor, pencil, oil, pastel.

Aquarelle still lifes are transparent and airy, the colors in them are blurred, color transitions are imperceptible. This technique, despite its apparent ease, is very difficult, since corrections in the drawing are almost impossible. But on the other hand, this is the best technique for conveying the elusiveness of the moment, for all its static nature, as well as the emotional state of the artist.

Oil still lifes, as a rule, are multi-layered, they convey the volume of the depicted objects, create the illusion of space.

Regardless of the writing technique, such paintings will successfully decorate not only the interior of a living space, but also any gallery. Our love for beauty is impossible without admiring still lifes.