Basically, the technique consists of portraying food, fruits and/or kitchenware, sometimes with luxury, as it can be appreciated in the following painting from the 17th century by Jan Davidsz de Heem (Utrecht, 1606 - Antwerp, 1683-84). It's interesting to see how the artist has decided to enrich the picture with Catholic symbolism, such as the cherries, which are considered fruits of Paradise, and the grapes, representing redemption.

A Table of Desserts, by Jan Davidsz de Heem (

1640)

Measures: 149 x 203 cm 

Musée du Louvre, Paris



Heem played a key role in the development of still lives in Netherlands. The previous painting became very popular after king Louis XIV acquired it for his personal collection. The colors, the mess imposed by the artist and the beauty of the elements and textures fascinated a young Henri Matisse, who copied it in 1893. Later in 1916-17 he would paint his own still life, but with his very own particular style.

Still Life, by Henri Matisse (1899)

Technique: oil on canvas / Measures: 46 x 38.1 cm

MoMA - New York

Léon Gischia  (France, 1903 – Italy, 1991) was a modern artist who lived in Paris during World War II. By that time, German Nazis led an aggressive campaign against abstraction. Such threat pushed modern artists to express themselves through apparently neutral subjects, without philosophical or psychological content. Gischia finds in still lives a way of expression.

Still life, by León Gischia (1948)

Technique: oil on canvas / Measures: 46.5 x 38.5 cm - MNBA

Contemporary artist Charlie White uses photography to create full-color still lives with fruits.

Still Life of Fruits with Taker, by Charlie White (2013) 

Technique: color photography

Here, a more grotesque version: banquet of vegetables and meat, on a surface of millimeter paper.

Still life, by Charlie White

Technique: color photography

Is "Still Life" and "Untitled" the most repeated names in Art History?