A still life is a work of art which depicts inanimate objects such as flowers, plants, plants, food, rocks shells; this also includes man made items such as bottles, glasses, books, jewellery, pipes, vases and so on. Origins within the middle ages and ancient Greek and Roman art, still life paintings gave the artists choices in the arrangements and design within a composition then paintings of a landscape or a portrait. Still life paintings before the 17th century mostly contained religious symbolism relating to the objects painted. Some modern still life breaks the 2 dimensional barriers which employ 3 dimensional mixed objects such as photography, computer graphics and video and sound. Various artists include the Dutch in the 17th Century, Picasso, Andy Warhol, Ricky Swallow and Sam Taylor Wood.
The Dutch Golden Age
The Dutch golden age of painting is a period Dutch history spanning the 17th century. During and after part of 80 years of war (1568-1648). This was the most prosperous nation in Europe and they led European trade, science and art. Dutch painting of the golden age known as the baroque painting, which often shows its characteristics but lacks the idealisation of love and splender which being typical of baroque work. Neighbouring flanders work for the period often reflects traditions of realism from Netherland-ish panting.
Distinctive features for this period are genres of paintings with most artists producing the bulk of their work during the golden age. These themes and categories included,
- biblical themes
-mythological and historical themes
-landscapes/winter landscapes
-still lives and vanities paintings
-portraits of the rich economic/political aleat
-portraits of the city guards
- marine paintings.
17th Century Dutch paintings were characterised with the word REALISM.
Georges Braque
Georges Braque was a popular 20th century painter and sculpture from France, who with Pablo Picasso, developed the art style known as cubism. Cubism was the first style of abstract art which began at the beginning of the 20th century in response to world cultures that were changing at great speed. It was an attempt by these artists to revitalise the old traditions of western art which they believed were no longer relevant. Their aim was to develop a new way of seeing things which reflected the modern age.

Claes Oldenburg
Claes Oldenburg is an American Sculptor born in 1929. He grew up in Chicago with his father, and attended The Latin School of Chicago. He then went to study literature and art history at Yale University. Oldenburg came to known in the 1950s as part of a group of young artists trying to create a new imagery that reflected a popular culture. They figured objects of everyday life could provide an endless supply of items to use including electrical plugs, baseball bats, cigarette butts, clothespins, toothpaste tubes, flashlights and umbrellas.
Oldenburg’s creations were either made of soft, pliable materials, or hard durable wood or metal and occasionally took on human attributes. His work reflected the mass production and consumerism that had started in the 1950s. In this way, his work reflected the culture of the time.

Ricky Swallow
Ricky swallow is an Australian sculptor who now lives and works in the USA. He created intricate pieces using a variety of media and often utilised objects from everyday life as well as parts of the body. Many of his works are based on objects from his immediate surroundings. His still life’s include works based on 17th Century Holland paintings that attempt to honour that time in history. His always depicts animals that either he or his family have found or caught when he was young. As an example, Killing Time, which is one of his works, depicts a feast of seafood spread across a table that is based on his memory of his kitchen table from his youth. It reflects his past and also his father’sj profession as a fisherman and that he was raised by the sea.

Sam Taylor Wood
Sam Taylor wood was born in England in 1967 and is a contemporist artist who works in video installations and photography. Her photographic often depicts human dramas such a quoting couples tense social gatherings, people shown in isolation, or in awkward or vulnerable situations. She often featured celebrity friends in her works (eg. Elton John). Her work Still Life 2001, was based upon still life paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries in the Netherlands. It contains symbols of change or death as a reminder of their inevitability. Her style was to take objects and use her photographic and video skills to capture change in life etc over time.