Still Life: The Modern Treatment

Hidden is proud to offer an extraordinary range of original and hand-signed still lifes, created by the biggest household names of the twentieth and twenty-first century. By subverting the traditional still life, leading artists such as Picasso and Magritte have created some of the most important artworks of the last century. These works, for their historical significance and striking imagery, are essential additions to any collection.
What is a Still Life?

Though the basic idea of a ‘still life’ has existed since ancient times, it was pronounced an independent genre of Western Art in the 1600s. A still life is a depiction of an arrangement of inanimate objects, whether man-made or natural. Fruits, flowers, skulls and vases may spring to mind as common subject matters, and the early intentions of the still life genre were to investigate earthly possessions, ephemerality and sometimes mortality.

Since it was formally categorised, the genre has endured as an essential vehicle for artistic expression, providing a versatile framework for artists to explore perspective, symbolism and the everyday. For some centuries, certain critics considered still lifes to be inferior to other more complex paintings which included human subjects. Artworks that fit the still life category were deemed ‘too easy’ to interpret.
The Modern Treatment

Then came the early twentieth century. Modern artists such as Picasso, Léger and Chagall turned all understanding of the genre on its head during a period of explosive activity and innovation. Avant-garde movements such as Fauvism subverted the traditional still life. Rather than creating an accurate representation of reality, Fauvists such as Matisse picked apart their compositions to investigate different painterly qualities and unnaturally vibrant colours.

Early still lifes aimed to replicate reality, but Dalí and his fellow Surrealists juxtaposed incompatible objects to fabricate strange and unfamiliar worlds. Braque and Picasso co-invented Cubism by innovating the genre, fragmenting commonplace objects to challenge our perception of reality.

Pop artists such as Warhol created still lifes to critique consumerism, and the genre is at the core of some of Hockney’s most important artworks.
The Importance of the Still Life

The concept of a still life has expanded considerably over the last century, and the genre has become a vital framework for some of the most daring artworks of all time.

Observing the evolution of the still life enables us to track the rapid advancements of Modern and Contemporary art.
Explore our collection of still lifes

Has something caught your eye? Get in touch today to secure your very own masterpiece!

Enquire

Explore%20our%20collection%20of%20still%20lifes