Term: Still Life

Paul Cezanne, Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit

A painting or drawing that depicts an arrangement of inanimate objects (that is, anything that does not move or is dead). The objects are typically commonplace items that may be natural (including, flowers, plants, rocks, or food) or man-made (such as, bottles, books, dishes, furniture, and so forth). In a still life the objects are purposefully arranged to emphasize principles of design. Still life subjects give an artist more leeway and control than do other types of subjects such as landscapes or portraits.

Still lifes were created relatively early by Roman artists but the subject gained significantly in popularity during the 17th century. Since then it has become an essential part of teaching form and composition to beginning artists. It is probably the best way to learn composition, perspective, lighting and the depiction of textures.