Still Life
A type of painting that shows objects that don't move, like fruit, flowers, or dishes.
What is it?
Still life is a style of painting where artists arrange objects on a table and paint them. The objects can be food, flowers, books, or anything that stays still. Artists use still life to practice painting details and to show the beauty of everyday things. Lilly Martin Spencer's "Raspberries" is a still life. She painted the berries with tiny brushstrokes to make them look real. The child's reflection identifies "Raspberries" as a still life and notes the artist's skill in depicting the fruit's texture and color.
Why it matters
Still life paintings help us appreciate the small things in life. They also show us what people valued in the past — like fancy fruit or beautiful flowers.
Where you've seen it
This list grows as you capture more still life paintings.
