Still lifes. Draw what's at hand
Let's move on to the final stage of this series of posts about the still life genre. It will be dedicated to the work of Russian artists.
Let's start with Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy (1783-1873). Still life graphics by F.P. Tolstoy, a famous Russian sculptor, medalist, draftsman and painter, is probably the most outstanding and valuable part of his creative heritage, although the artist himself said that he created these works “in his free time from serious studies.”
The main property of Tolstoy’s still life drawings is their illusory nature. The artist carefully copied nature. He tried, in his own words, “with strict clarity to convey from life to paper the copied flower as it is, with all the slightest details belonging to this flower.” To mislead the viewer, Tolstoy used illusionistic techniques such as the image of dew drops or translucent paper covering the drawing and helping to deceive the eye.
Ilya Efimofich Repin (1844-1930) also more than once turned to such a still life motif as flowers. Such works include the painting “Autumn Bouquet” (1892, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), where the artist depicts with equal attention an autumn landscape, a young woman standing against a background of golden trees, and a modest bouquet of yellow and white flowers in her hands.
I. Repin. Autumn bouquet. Portrait of Vera Repina. 1892, Tretyakov Gallery
The history of the painting “Apples and Leaves” is somewhat unusual. The still life, combining fruits and leaves, was staged for Repin’s student, V.A. Serova. The teacher liked the subject composition so much that he decided to paint such a still life himself. Flowers and fruits attracted many artists, who preferred these among other things, which most poetically and beautifully showed the natural world. Even I.N. Kramskoy, who disdained this genre, also paid tribute to still life, creating the spectacular painting “Bouquet of Flowers. Phloxes” (1884, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow).
Valentin Aleksandrovich Serov (1865-1911) is known to most of us as an artist who paid attention in his work to landscape, portraiture and historical painting. However, it should be noted that the subject in his work always played an important role and often occupied the same equal position as other elements of the composition. A little higher, I already mentioned his student work “Apples on Leaves,” 1879, completed under the direction of Repin. If you compare this work with a work written on the same topic by Repin, you can see that Serov’s still life is more etude-like than his teacher’s painting. The novice artist used a low point of view, so the first and second plans are combined and the background is reduced.
The painting “Girl with Peaches,” known to everyone since childhood, goes beyond the portrait genre and it is no coincidence that it is called “Girl with Peaches” and not “Portrait of Vera Mamontova.” We can see that the features of portrait, interior and still life are combined here. The artist pays equal attention to the image of a girl in a pink blouse and a few but skillfully grouped objects. On a white tablecloth lie soft yellow peaches, maple leaves and a shiny knife. Other things in the background are also lovingly painted: chairs, a large porcelain plate decorating the wall, a figurine of a toy soldier, a candlestick on the windowsill. The sunlight pouring from the window and casting bright reflections on objects gives the image a poetic charm.
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel (1856-1910) wrote: “And again it hits me, no, it doesn’t, but I hear that intimate national note that I so want to catch on the canvas and in the ornament. This is the music of a whole person, not dismembered by the distractions of the ordered, differentiated and pale West.”
At the Academy of Arts, Vrubel’s favorite teacher was Pavel Chistyakov, who taught the young painter to “draw with form” and argued that three-dimensional forms should not be created in space with shading and contours, they should be built with lines. Thanks to him, Vrubel learned not just to show nature, but to conduct an intimate, almost loving conversation with her. The master’s wonderful still life “Rose Hip” (1884) was made in this spirit.
Against the background of exquisite drapery with floral motifs, the artist placed an elegant round vase painted with oriental patterns. The delicate white rose hip flower, shaded by the blue-green fabric, stands out clearly, and the leaves of the plant almost merge with the dimly shimmering black neck of the vase. This composition is filled with inexpressible charm and freshness, which the viewer simply cannot help but succumb to.
During his illness, Vrubel began to paint more from life, and his drawings are distinguished not only by their precise form, but also by their very special spirituality. It seems that every movement of the artist’s hand betrays his suffering and passion.
Particularly noteworthy in this regard is the drawing “Still Life. Candlestick, decanter, glass.” It is a crushing triumph of fierce objectivity. Each still life object carries a hidden explosive force. The material from which things are made, be it the bronze of a candlestick, the glass of a decanter or the matte reflection of a candle, visibly trembles from colossal internal tension. The pulsation is conveyed by the artist with short intersecting strokes, which is why the texture acquires explosiveness and tension. Thus, objects acquire incredible sharpness, which is the true essence of things
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G.N. achieved great skill in creating “fake” still lifes. Teplov and T. Ulyanov. Most often they depicted a plank wall on which knots and veins of wood were drawn. Various objects were hung on the walls or tucked behind nailed ribbons: scissors, combs, letters, books, music notebooks. Clocks, inkwells, bottles, candlesticks, dishes and other small items are placed on narrow shelves. It seems that such a set of items is completely random, but in fact this is far from the case. Looking at such still lifes, one can guess about the interests of artists who played music, read, and were interested in art. The masters lovingly and diligently depicted things dear to them. These paintings touch with their sincerity and spontaneity of perception of nature.
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878-1927) also devoted a lot of his work to the still life genre. On his cheerful canvases you can see bright satin fabrics, sparkling copper samovars, the shine of earthenware and porcelain, red slices of watermelon, bunches of grapes, apples, and delicious cupcakes. One of his remarkable paintings is “Merchant's Wife at Tea”, 1918. It is impossible not to admire the bright splendor of the objects shown on the canvas. A sparkling samovar, bright red pulp of watermelons, glossy apples and transparent grapes, a glass vase with jam, a gilded sugar bowl and a cup standing in front of the merchant’s wife - all these things add a festive mood to the image.
In the still life genre, much attention was paid to the so-called “trick still lifes.” Many “trick” still lifes, despite the fact that their main task was to mislead the viewer, have undoubted artistic merits, especially noticeable in museums, where, hung on the walls, such compositions, of course, cannot deceive the public. But there are exceptions here. For example, “Still Life with Books”, made by P.G. Bogomolov, is inserted into an illusory “bookcase”, and visitors do not immediately realize that it is just a painting.
“Still Life with a Parrot” (1737) by G.N. is very good. Teplova. With the help of clear, precise lines turning into soft, smooth contours, light, transparent shadows, and subtle color nuances, the artist shows a variety of objects hung on a plank wall. The wood is masterfully rendered, its bluish, pink, yellowish shades helping to create an almost real feeling of the fresh smell of freshly planed wood.
G.N. Teplov. “Still life with a parrot”, 1737, State Museum of Ceramics, Kuskovo estate
Russian “false” still lifes of the 18th century indicate that artists are not yet skillful enough in conveying space and volumes. It is more important for them to show the texture of objects, as if transferred to canvas from reality. Unlike Dutch still lifes, where things absorbed by the light environment are depicted in unity with it, in the paintings of Russian masters, objects painted very carefully, even meticulously, live as if by themselves, regardless of the surrounding space.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the school of A.G. played a major role in the further development of still life. Venetsianov, who opposed the strict distinction of genres and sought to teach his students a holistic vision of nature.
A.G. Venetsianov. Threshing floor, 1821-23
The Venetsian school opened a new genre for Russian art - interior design. The artists showed various rooms of a noble house: living rooms, bedrooms, offices, kitchens, classrooms, servants' rooms, etc. In these works, an important place was given to the depiction of various objects, although still life itself was of almost no interest to representatives of Venetsianov’s circle (in any case, very few still lifes executed by students of the famous painter have survived). Nevertheless, Venetsianov urged his students to carefully study not only the faces and figures of people, but also the things around them.
An object in Venetsianov’s painting is not an accessory; it is inextricably linked with the rest of the details of the picture and is often the key to understanding the image. For example, a similar function is performed by sickles in the painting “The Reapers” (second half of the 1820s, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg). Things in Venetian art seem to be involved in the unhurried and serene life of the characters.
Although Venetsianov, in all likelihood, did not paint still lifes himself, he included this genre in his teaching system. The artist wrote: “ Inanimate things are not subject to those various changes that are characteristic of animate objects; they stand, hold themselves at attention, motionless in front of an inexperienced artist and give him time to delve more accurately and more judiciously, to peer into the relationship of one part to another, both in lines and in light and shadow with the color itself , which depend on the space occupied by objects”.
Of course, still life also played a big role in the pedagogical system of the Academy of Arts in the 18th-19th centuries (in classrooms, students made copies of still lifes by Dutch masters), but it was Venetsianov, who encouraged young artists to turn to nature, who introduced still life into his first-year curriculum, composed of such things as plaster figures, dishes, candlesticks, colorful ribbons, fruits and flowers. Venetsianov selected subjects for educational still lifes so that they would be interesting to beginning painters, understandable in form, and beautiful in color.
In the paintings created by Venetsianov’s talented students, things are conveyed truthfully and freshly. These are the still lifes of K. Zelentsov, P.E. Kornilov. In the work of the Venetian artists there are also works that are not still lifes in their essence, but, nevertheless, the role of things in them is enormous. You can name, for example, the paintings “Office in Ostrovki” and “Reflection in the Mirror” by G.V. Magpies kept in the collection of the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
G.V. Magpie. “Office in Ostrovki.” Fragment, 1844, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Still lifes in these works do not appear independently, but as parts of the interior uniquely arranged by the master, corresponding to the general compositional and emotional structure of the picture. The main connecting element here is light, gently moving from one object to another. Looking at the canvases, you understand how interesting the world around the artist is, who lovingly depicted every object, every smallest thing.
The still life presented in the “Office in Ostrovki”, although it occupies a small place in the overall composition, seems unusually significant, highlighted due to the fact that the author fenced it off from the rest of the space with a high back of the sofa, and cut it off on the left and right with a frame. It seems that Soroka was so carried away by the objects lying on the table that he almost forgot about the other details of the picture. The master carefully wrote out everything: a quill pen, a pencil, a compass, a protractor, a penknife, an abacus, sheets of paper, a candle in a candlestick. The point of view from above allows you to see all things, without any of them blocking the other. Attributes such as a skull, a watch, as well as symbols of “earthly vanity” (a figurine, papers, abacus) allow some researchers to classify the still life as a vanitas type, although such a coincidence is purely accidental; most likely, the serf artist took advantage of what was lying on the table his owner.
A famous master of object compositions of the first half of the 19th century was the artist I.F. Khrutsky, who painted many beautiful paintings in the spirit of Dutch still life of the 17th century. Among his best works are “Flowers and Fruits” (1836, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), “Portrait of a Wife with Flowers and Fruits” (1838, Art Museum of Belarus, Minsk), “Still Life” (1839, Museum of the Academy of Arts, St. Petersburg).
In the first half of the 19th century in Russia, “botanical still life”, which came to us from Western Europe, was very popular. In France at this time, works by botanists with beautiful illustrations were published. The artist P.Zh. became very famous in many European countries. Redoute, who was considered “the most famous flower painter of his time.” “Botanical drawing” was a significant phenomenon not only for science, but also for art and culture. Such drawings were presented as gifts and decorated albums, which thus put them on a par with other works of painting and graphics.
In the second half of the 19th century, P.A. paid great attention to the depiction of objects. Fedotov. Although he did not actually paint still lifes, the world of things he created delights with its beauty and truthfulness.
Objects in Fedotov's works are inseparable from people's lives; they take a direct part in the dramatic events depicted by the artist.
Looking at the painting “Fresh Cavalier” (“Morning after the Feast”, 1846), you are amazed at the abundance of objects carefully painted by the master. A real still life, surprising in its laconicism, is presented in Fedotov’s famous painting “The Major’s Matchmaking” (1848). The glass is tangibly and realistically conveyed: wine glasses with high stems, a bottle, a decanter. The thinnest and most transparent, it seems to emit a gentle crystal ringing.
Fedotov P.A. Major's matchmaking. 1848-1849. Tretyakov Gallery
Fedotov does not separate objects from the interior, so things are shown not only authentically, but also in a picturesque subtlety. Every ordinary or not very attractive object that takes its place in the common space seems surprising and beautiful.
Although Fedotov did not paint still lifes, he showed an undoubted interest in this genre. His instinct told him how to arrange this or that object, from what point of view to present it, what things would look next to him not only logically, but also expressively.
The world of things, which helps to show human life in all its manifestations, endows Fedotov’s works with a special musicality. Such are the paintings “Anchor, another anchor” (1851-1852), “Widow” (1852) and many others.
In the second half of the 19th century, the genre of still life practically ceased to interest artists, although many genre painters willingly included elements of still life in their compositions. Things acquire great importance in the paintings of V.G. Perova (“Tea Party in Mytishchi”, 1862, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), L.I. Solomatkin (“City Slavers”, 1846, State Historical Museum, Moscow).
Still lifes are presented in genre scenes by A.L. Yushanova (“Seeing Off the Chief”, 1864), M.K. Klodt (“The Sick Musician”, 1855), V.I. Jacobi (“The Pedlar”, 1858), A.I. Korzukhina (“Before Confession”, 1877; “In the Monastery Hotel”, 1882), K.E. Makovsky (“Alekseich”, 1882). All these paintings are now kept in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery.
K.E. Makovsky. “Alekseich”, 1882, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
In the 1870-1880s, everyday life remained the leading genre in Russian painting, although landscape and portrait also occupied an important place. The Wanderers, who sought to show the truth of life in their works, played a huge role in the further development of Russian art. Artists began to attach great importance to working from life and therefore increasingly turned to landscape and still life, although many of them considered the latter a waste of time, a meaningless passion for form devoid of internal content. So, I.N. Kramskoy mentioned the famous French painter, who did not neglect still lifes, in a letter to V.M. Vasnetsov: “A talented person will not waste time on depicting, let’s say, basins, fish, etc. This is good for people who already have everything, but we have a lot to do.”
Nevertheless, many Russian artists who did not paint still lifes admired them when looking at the paintings of Western masters. For example, V.D. Polenov, who was in France, wrote to I.N. Kramskoy: “Look how things go here like clockwork, everyone works in their own way, in the most varied directions, whatever they like, and all this is valued and paid for. For us, what matters most is what is done, but here it is how it is done. For example, for a copper basin with two fish they pay twenty thousand francs, and in addition they consider this coppersmith to be the first painter, and, perhaps, not without reason.”
Having visited the exhibition in Paris in 1883, V.I. Surikov admired landscapes, still lifes and paintings of flowers. He wrote: “Gibert’s fish are good. The fish slime is rendered masterfully, colorfully, mixing tone on tone.” There is in his letter to P.M. Tretyakov and these words: “And Gilbert’s fish are such a miracle. Well, you can really take it in your hands, it’s written to the point of deception.”
Both Polenov and Surikov could become excellent masters of still life, as evidenced by the masterfully painted objects in their compositions (“Sick” by Polenov, “Menshikov in Berezov” by Surikov).
V.D. Polenov. “Sick Woman”, 1886, Tretyakov Gallery
Most of the still lifes created by famous Russian artists in the 1870-1880s are works of a sketch nature, showing the authors’ desire to convey the features of things. Some similar works depict unusual, rare objects (for example, a sketch with a still life for I.E. Repin’s painting “Cossacks writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan”, 1891). Such works had no independent significance.
Interesting still lifes by A.D. Litovchenko, executed as preparatory studies for the large canvas “Ivan the Terrible Shows His Treasures to Ambassador Horsey” (1875, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg). The artist showed luxurious brocade fabrics, weapons inlaid with precious stones, gold and silver items stored in the royal treasuries.
More rare at that time were still life sketches representing ordinary household objects. Such works were created with the aim of studying the structure of things, and were also the result of exercises in painting technique.
Still life played an important role not only in genre painting, but also in portraiture. For example, in the film by I.N. Kramskoy “Nekrasov during the period of “The Last Songs” (1877-1878, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow) objects serve as accessories. S.N. Goldstein, who studied Kramskoy’s work, writes: “In search of the overall composition of the work, he strives to ensure that the interior he recreates, despite its strictly everyday nature, contributes, first of all, to the awareness of the spiritual appearance of the poet, the unfading meaning of his poetry. And indeed, the individual accessories of this interior - volumes of Sovremennik, randomly laid out on the table by the patient’s bedside, a sheet of paper and a pencil in his weakened hands, a bust of Belinsky, a portrait of Dobrolyubov hanging on the wall - in this work acquired the meaning of not external signs of the situation, but relics closely associated with the image of a person.”
Among the few still lifes of the Wanderers, the main place is occupied by “bouquets”. Interesting is “Bouquet” by V.D. Polenov (1880, Abramtsevo Estate Museum), in the manner of execution is a little reminiscent of still lifes by I.E. Repina. Unpretentious in its motif (small wildflowers in a simple glass vase), it nevertheless delights with its free-form painting. In the second half of the 1880s, similar bouquets appeared in the paintings of I.I. Levitan.
I.N. shows the viewer flowers differently. Kramskoy. Many researchers believe that the two paintings are “Bouquet of Flowers. Phloxes” (1884, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow) and “Roses” (1884, collection of R.K. Viktorova, Moscow) were created by the master while working on the canvas “Inconsolable Grief”.
Kramskoy demonstrated two “bouquets” at the XII Mobile Exhibition. Spectacular, bright compositions depicting garden flowers on a dark background found buyers even before the opening of the exhibition. The owners of these works were Baron G.O. Gintsburg and the Empress.
At the IX Traveling Exhibition of 1881-1882, the public’s attention was attracted by the painting by K.E. Makovsky, named in the catalog “Nature morte” (now it is in the Tretyakov Gallery under the name “In the artist’s studio”). The large canvas depicts a huge dog lying on the carpet and a child reaching from an armchair to fruit on the table. But these figures are just details that the author needs in order to revive the still life - many luxurious things in the artist’s studio. Painted in the traditions of Flemish art, Makovsky’s painting still touches the viewer’s soul. The artist, carried away by conveying the beauty of expensive things, failed to show their individuality and created a work whose main purpose is to demonstrate wealth and luxury.
All the objects in the picture seem to be collected in order to amaze the viewer with their splendor. On the table there is a traditional set of fruits for a still life - large apples, pears and grapes on a large beautiful dish. There is also a large silver mug decorated with ornaments. Nearby stands a blue and white earthenware vessel, next to which is a richly decorated ancient weapon. The fact that this is an artist’s studio is reminded by the brushes placed in a wide jug on the floor. The gilded chair has a sword in a luxurious sheath. The floor is covered with a carpet with bright patterns. Expensive fabrics are also used as decoration - brocade trimmed with thick fur, and velvet from which the curtain is sewn. The color of the canvas is designed in rich shades with a predominance of scarlet, blue, and gold.
From all of the above, it is clear that in the second half of the 19th century, still life did not play a significant role in Russian painting. It was distributed only as a study for a painting or a teaching study. Many artists who performed still lifes as part of the academic program never returned to this genre in their independent work. Still lifes were painted mainly by non-professionals who created watercolors with flowers, berries, fruits, and mushrooms. Major masters did not consider still life worthy of attention and used objects only to convincingly show the situation and decorate the image.
The first beginnings of a new still life can be found in the paintings of artists who worked at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries: I.I. Levitan, I.E. Grabar, V.E. Borisova-Musatova, M.F. Larionova, K.A. Korovina. It was at that time that still life appeared in Russian art as an independent genre.
But this was a very unique still life, understood by artists who worked in an impressionistic manner, not as an ordinary closed subject composition. The masters depicted the details of a still life in a landscape or interior, and what was important to them was not so much the life of things as the space itself, a haze of light that dissolves the outlines of objects. Of great interest are also the graphic still lifes of M.A. Vrubel, distinguished by their unique originality.
At the beginning of the 20th century, artists such as A.Ya. played a major role in the development of Russian still life. Golovin, S.Yu. Sudeikin, A.F. Gausch, B.I. Anisfeld, I.S. Schoolboy. N.N. also said a new word in this genre. Sapunov, who created a number of paintings-panels with bouquets of flowers.
In the 1900s, many artists of various styles turned to still life. Among them were the so-called. Moscow Cézanne painters, symbolists (P.V. Kuznetsov, K.S. Petrov-Vodkin), etc. Object compositions occupied an important place in the works of such famous masters as M.F. Larionov, N.S. Goncharova, A.V. Lentulov, R.R. Falk, P.P. Konchalovsky, A.V. Shevchenko, D.P. Shterenberg, who made still life a full-fledged genre among other genres in Russian painting of the 20th century.
Just listing Russian artists who used elements of still life in their work would take up a lot of space. Therefore, we will limit ourselves to the material presented here. Those interested can learn more about the links provided in the first part of this series of posts about the still life genre.
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Still life(French: Nature morte - dead nature), one of the genres of painting depicting the gifts of nature (fruits, flowers, fish, game), as well as things made by human hands (tableware, vases, watches, etc.). Sometimes inanimate objects coexist with living beings - insects, birds, animals and people.
Still life motifs are already found in the art of the Ancient East and antiquity. There is a legend that the ancient Greek artist Apelles depicted grapes so skillfully that the birds mistook them for real ones and began to peck them.
The first mention of still life can be found in the 15th-16th centuries. For a long time, still life maintained a connection with religious painting.
Still life emerged as an independent genre in the 17th century. and at the same time experienced its bright heyday in the work of Dutch, Flemish and Spanish masters. The diversity of its types and forms at this time is associated with the development of national realistic schools of painting.
There were several types of still life in Holland. The artists painted “breakfasts” and “desserts” in such a way that it seemed as if the person was somewhere nearby and would soon return. A pipe is smoking on the table, a napkin is crumpled, the wine in the glass is not finished, the lemon is cut, the bread is broken (P. Klas, V. Kheda, V. Kalf).
Images of kitchen utensils, vases with flowers, and finally "Vanitas"(“vanity of vanities”), still lifes on the theme of the frailty of life and its short-term joys, calling to remember true values and take care of the salvation of the soul. Favorite attributes of “Vanitas” are a skull and a watch (J. van Streck. “Vanity of Vanities”).
For Dutch still lifes, as in general for still life of the 17th century, it is characterized by the presence of hidden philosophical overtones, complex Christian or love symbolism (the lemon was a symbol of moderation, the dog - fidelity, etc.)
The Flemings, on the contrary, painted large, sometimes huge canvases intended to decorate palace halls. They are distinguished by their festive multicolor, abundance of objects, and complexity of composition. Such still lifes were called "bench"(Y. Faith, F. Snyders). They depicted tables piled high with game, seafood, bread, and next to them were owners offering their goods. The abundant food, as if it did not fit on the tables, hung and fell right onto the audience.
IN Italy and Spain The rise of still life painting was greatly facilitated by the work of Caravaggio. The favorite themes of still life were flowers, vegetables and fruits, seafood, kitchen utensils, etc. (P. P. Bonzi, M. Campidoglio, G. Recco, G. B. Ruoppolo, E. Baskenis, etc.).
Spanish artists they preferred to limit themselves to a small set of objects and worked in a restrained color scheme. The forms are simple and noble; they are carefully sculpted with chiaroscuro, almost tangible, the composition is strictly balanced (F. Zurbaran. “Still Life with Oranges and Lemons”, 1633; A. Pereda. “Still Life with a Clock”).
In Russia, the first still lifes appeared in the 18th century. in decorative paintings on the walls of palaces and “fake” paintings, in which objects were reproduced so accurately that they seemed real (G. N. Teplov, P. G. Bogomolov, T. Ulyanov).
In the 19th century trompe l'oeil traditions have been rethought. The still life experiences a rise in the first half. 19th century in the works of F.P. Tolstoy, who rethought the traditions of “blemneys” (“Berries of red and white currants”, 1818), artists Venetsian school, I. T. Khrutsky. Artists sought to see beauty and perfection in everyday objects.
In the 18th century The French master J.-B. turned to the genre of still life. WITH. Chardin. His paintings, depicting simple, good-quality utensils (bowls, a copper tank), vegetables, simple foods, are filled with the breath of life, warmed by the poetry of the hearth and affirm the beauty of everyday life. Chardin also painted allegorical still lifes (“Still Life with Attributes of the Arts”, 1766).
A new flowering of the genre is coming at the end. 19 – beginning 20th century, when still life became a laboratory for creative experiments, a means of expressing the artist’s individuality. Still life occupies a significant place in the work of post-impressionists - V. Van Gogh, P. Gauguin and above all P. Cezanne. P. Picasso, A. Matisse
Still life as an independent genre of painting finally took shape in the 17th century. in the works of Dutch and Flemish artists.
Until that time, it was not an independent genre, but was only included in other genres as a frame for other paintings (for example, with flower garlands), decorating furniture, interiors, etc.
Term
The word “still life” translated from French means “dead nature” (nature morte). Flowers in a vase are a still life; the same flowers in a flowerbed or in the front garden - landscape. In a broad sense, a still life is an artistic depiction of inanimate objects: plants, game, dishes, etc. The artist does not depict objects “from life”, as they are located in the interior, but deliberately arranges them in such a way as to solve some of his own semantic and artistic problems.
Often still lifes contain a hidden allegory through the use of ordinary objects, which the artist endows with symbol, additional meaning and meaning. An example of an allegorical still life is vanitas (from the Latin vanitas “vanity, vanity”).
Varieties of still life
Vanitas
Michael Conrad Hirt. Vanitas
Vanitas is an allegorical still life. Usually it depicts, among other things, a skull. Such a still life is intended to remind us of the transience of life, the futility of pleasures and the inevitability of death - reflection on the meaning of human existence. The term is taken from a verse from the Bible: “Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, vanity of vanities, all is vanity!” In Latin it sounded like this: “ Vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas" You can read more about vanitas.
Dutch still life
Dutch still life, formed in the 17th century. as an independent genre, influenced the further development of all European painting. It turns out that ordinary objects also live, but their life is quiet and unnoticeable to humans. There is some kind of mystery in this. Apparently, this is why the genre of still life became popular and has survived to this day. Sometimes a still life attracts the eye, excites the senses, it is impossible to tear yourself away from it - some associations arise, fleeting memories...
Flower still life
This type of still life is perhaps the most common and the very first to emerge as a separate genre.
Jan Davids de Heem (1606-1684). Still life with flower vase (circa 1645). National Gallery of Art (Washington)
Traditionally, many flowers were grown and gardens were planted in the Netherlands, so floral still lifes were a natural extension of social life. The very first artists of this genre were Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder (1573-1621) and Balthasar van der Ast (1593-1657).
Ambrosius Bosshart the Elder "Tulips, roses, white and pink carnations, forget-me-nots and other flowers in a vase" (circa 1619). Oil on copper
Scientist still life
The most intellectual type of still life. Such still lifes required reflection on what was depicted, and for this, knowledge of the Bible and other knowledge about the world. Vanitas can also be included in this category, but the scientific still life has a broader theme: it contains books, musical instruments, etc.
Maria van Oosterwijk. Still life
D. Annenkov “Reflections with Baudelaire”
Still life in Russian painting
In Russia, still life as an independent genre appeared at the beginning of the 18th century. But for some time (almost until the end of the 19th century), still life was considered a lower genre and depicted only flowers and fruits.
A famous artist of this genre in the 19th century. there was I. Khrutsky.
I. Khrutsky. Still Life with Vase (1832)
I. Khrutsky “Flowers and Fruits” (1838)
In the 20th century Russian still life painting became equal among other genres. Artists worked on the perfection of color, form, composition, and the genre began to develop rapidly.
Famous Russian and Soviet artists who worked and are working in the still life genre: Konstantin Korovin (1861-1939), Igor Grabar (1871-1960), Pyotr Konchalovsky (1876-1956), Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin (1878-1939), Martiros Saryan ( 1880-1972), Ilya Mashkov (1881-1944), Elena Skuin (1909-1986), Peter Alberti (1913-1994), Sergei Osipov (1915-1985), Evgenia Antipova (1917-2009), Victor Teterin (1922- 1991), Maya Kopytseva (1924-2005), Yaroslav Krestovsky (1925-2003), Vladimir Stozharov (1926-1973), Boris Shamanov (1931-2008), etc.
E. Skuin “Peonies and Cherries” (1956)
V. Stozharov. Still Life with Rowan (1969)
Still life in various styles and art movements
Turn of the XIX-XX centuries. known for experiments in the field of artistic creativity. Still life also did not escape this fate. The first to experiment with still life were Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse and others.
P. Cezanne. Still life with drapery (1889). Hermitage (St. Petersburg)
The cubist P. Picasso boldly experimented.
P. Picasso “Jug, glass and book” (1908)
J. Braque also worked in the Cubist style.
J. Braque “Musical Instruments” (1908)
Cubo-futurists worked in search of a new space-time dimension.
K. Malevich “Cow and Violin” (1913). State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg)
His “... intuitive feeling found in things the energy of dissonance obtained from the meeting of two opposite forms” (K. Malevich “From Cubism and Futurism to Suprematism”).
In the metaphysical still lifes of Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964), objects press against each other, forming dense groups, as if trying to preserve warmth, fearing external cold and aggression.
Giorgio Morandi. Natura Morta (1956)
The most famous representative of surrealism, Salvador Dali, in his famous work “The Persistence of Memory,” which is essentially an allegorical still life, reflects on the relativity of time.
S. Dali “The Persistence of Memory” (1931)
Commercial advertising of the second half of the 20th century. fostered in people a greedy attitude towards things and insatiable consumption. There is a fetishization of the subject. Elements of the still life genre are beginning to transform from art into a source of consumption.
Andy Warhol "Campbell's Soup Can" (1968)
Dmitry Krasnopevtsev represents Russian “unofficial” art, although he has a completely official classical art education (graduated from the Moscow Art Institute named after V. I. Surikov).
D. Krasnopevtsev. Still life
Krasnopevtsev’s main genre is “metaphysical still life” close to surrealism with simple, often broken ceramics, dry plants and shells. These works, written in ashy tones, develop the motif of the frailty and unreality of the world.
But the still life paintings of the contemporary artist Dmitry Annenkov are quite “animated”. They are different: joyful, sad, funny, but quite alive. I want to touch them. Looking at these still lifes, it is impossible not to smile kindly.
D. Annenkov “Still life with a coffee grinder”
D. Annenkov “Spring Sun”
D. Annenkov “Memories of Summer”
Even people inexperienced in painting have an idea of what still lifes look like. These are paintings that depict compositions from any household items or flowers. However, not everyone knows how this word is translated - still life. Now we will tell you about this and many other things related to this genre.
Origin of the word "still life"
So, the expression nature morte came into Russian, of course, from French. As you can see, it is divided into two parts - “nature” and “morte”, which are translated respectively as “nature, nature, life” and “dead, quiet, motionless”. Now we put the two parts together and we get the familiar word “still life”.
Based on all of the above, we can conclude that still lifes are a genre of easel painting, an artist’s depiction of a frozen, motionless nature on canvas. True, sometimes still life masters complement their paintings with living creatures - butterflies, caterpillars, spiders and bugs, and even birds. But the exception only confirms the basic rule.
Formation of the genre
The history of still life goes back almost 600 years. Until the 16th century It never occurred to anyone that it was possible to paint some inanimate objects, even very beautiful ones. Still life paintings simply did not exist in those days. In the Middle Ages, painting was entirely dedicated to God, the church and man. Artists painted pictures on religious subjects, and portraits were also held in high esteem. Even the landscape acted only as an addition.
But still, some elements of still life were encountered already in the 15th century by Dutch painters. Their paintings with traditional religious or mythological content, as well as their portraits, contain images of carefully painted flower garlands, books, dishes and even human skulls. A couple of centuries will pass, and the whole world will admire the creations of the so-called Little Dutchmen - masters of still life painting.
However, still life owes its emergence as an independent genre of fine art not to the Dutch, but to the French. People like Francois Deporte, Monnoyer and Jean-Baptiste Oudry formulated the basic principles of “object” painting, formed its basic concept and showed the general public all the beauty and charm of still life.
The era of the Little Dutch - the heyday of still life painting
So, let's try to rewind a few centuries ago in order to understand who the Little Dutch are and why, when it comes to classical still life, they are always remembered. The first Dutch still lifes are the creations of painters who lived in the Netherlands in the 17th century. Small Dutchmen - this is the common name for a school of painting and a community of artists who created small-sized paintings of everyday life. Of course, they painted not only still lifes.
Among them were many landscape painters and masters of genre painting. Their canvases were not intended for palaces and churches, but for decorating the homes of ordinary citizens. At that time, about 3 thousand artists lived in little Holland, and all of them were distinguished by their enormous capacity for work and the ability to transfer the beauty of the everyday world well onto canvas. Subsequently, art historians would call this time the Dutch Renaissance. It was then that the genre of still life became widespread.
The best Dutch still lifes
On these beautiful displays, various kitchen utensils, fruits, luxurious flowers, and household items are laid out in front of the audience. Floral still lifes were very popular. This was partly due to the fact that in the Netherlands from time immemorial there has been a cult of flowers and gardening. One of the most prominent representatives of Dutch still life painting of the 17th century. were artists Jan Davids de Hem, as well as his son Cornelis de Hem.
Their paintings gained popularity and fame largely due to the fact that they skillfully knew how to depict flowers and fruits. Careful attention to detail, coupled with a sophisticated color scheme and ideally constructed composition, made their paintings incomparable. These artists painted luxurious flower bouquets standing in beautiful vases, next to which butterflies fluttered; garlands of fruits; transparent glasses filled with wine; dishes with grapes and other fruits; musical instruments, etc. Famous still lifes of father and son amaze with their realism, subtle rendering of the play of light and exquisite coloring.
Still life in impressionist painting
The French impressionists, as well as post-impressionists, paid much attention to the genre of still life. Naturally, their style of painting differed sharply from the realistic sophistication of the Little Dutchmen, because the impressionists were not attracted to classical painting. Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Edgar Degas, Van Gogh - all these artists loved to paint flowers and plants, because both are part of nature, the beauty of which they sang all their lives.
Auguste Renoir painted a whole gallery of beautiful airy still lifes during his life. Sometimes the image of a “frozen nature” is required by the impressionists only as a supplement. For example, in the painting “Lunch on the Grass” by Edouard Manet, in the foreground you can see a magnificent still life of scattered clothes, fruits and food scattered on the grass. Van Gogh painted many unusual still lifes. Many people know his paintings “Sunflowers” or “Irises”, but he also has such paintings as “Van Gogh’s Chair” - all of these are also examples of still life painting.
Russian still life
It is surprising that in Russia still life as a separate genre was not in demand for a long time, since it was considered almost the lowest of all types of fine art, which does not require either fundamental knowledge or special skills in painting. Only in the second half of the 19th century. Russian Peredvizhniki were able to arouse interest in this genre of art among the Russian public.
Subsequently, many Russian painters became interested in still life painting. Still lifes of famous artists such as Igor Grabar, Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, Ivan Khrutskoy can be seen in the halls of the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts. Pushkin in Moscow, as well as in the Hermitage. But the real flowering of still life painting occurred in our country during the era of socialism.
Photo still life
With the advent of photography, another genre appeared in the world of art: still life photography. Today, many people are passionate about creating photographic masterpieces. Some photographs simply amaze with their perfection and skill of the photographer. Sometimes, with the help of a camera, talented photographers manage to photograph still lifes that are in no way inferior to the most famous creations of the Little Dutchmen.
In order to start drawing a still life, you must first compose it from some objects. For your first experiments in still life painting, it is better not to make complex compositions; a couple of objects will be enough.
Next, we draw a still life step by step. First you need to make a drawing with a pencil or charcoal. Then follows a light underpainting, revealing the main colors and shadows of the composition, and only then you can proceed directly to drawing the details.
What is still life?
Still life (from the French nature morte - “dead nature”) is a genre of art that depicts inanimate objects in a specially created composition.
Let us consider in a little more detail what a still life is and what types it can be divided into.
Dutch still life from the 17th century
In the Dutch still life of this era, for the most part, measured, seemingly frozen life was captured.
At this time in Holland, still life as a genre developed quite intensively, which was facilitated by various factors. At this time, the level of scientific development in mathematics, physics, natural sciences, and social sciences was high. Sailors brought many new items from abroad, new technologies for manufacturing various things arose, and many different beautiful goods were placed on display windows.
There are two types of popular still lifes at this time - floral and scientist.
Flower still life
Since the 40s In the 17th century, still life began to develop as an independent genre. Its popularity is easily explained: at that time it was considered traditional to have luxurious gardens and to actively grow flowers.
Representatives: Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, Balthasar van der Ast, Jan David de Hem.
Scientist still life
It is considered an intellectual type of still life. To understand such a still life, a person needs to understand the Bible and religious symbolism. This genre often uses illusions to create optical illusions. They gained the greatest popularity in the middle of the 17th century in Holland and abroad.
Popular artists include the following: Jacob de Geyn the Younger, Floris van Dyck, Hans van Essen, Amborius Bosschaert the Elder and the Younger, Clara Peters, David Bayly, Maria van Oosterwijk, Cornelis Briese, Abraham Mignon, Willem van Aalst, Jan van Huysum.
Still life in Russia XVIII-XX centuries.
Still life took shape as a genre in Russia at the beginning of the 18th century. Until the 19th century, it was considered a lower genre; it was understood in a limited way, mainly as a simple composition, for example, a setting of fruits and flowers. Initially, still life depicted gifts of the sea and land, various things.
In the 20th century, this genre rose a notch higher; this was the time of its heyday in Russia. The search for new colors, shapes, and compositions began. Within literally 15 years, still life changed from impressionism to abstract art.
In the 30-40s. In the twentieth century, the development of the genre slowed down a bit, but in the 50s there was a new rise, and still life strengthened its position among other painting genres.
Russian artists working at this time: Pyotr Konchalovsky, Victor Teterin, Sergei Zakharov, Nikolai Pozdneev, Ilya Meshkov, Konstantin Korovin, Sergei Osipov, Maya Kopytseva, Evgenia Antipova, Yaroslav Krestovsky, Kapitolina Rumyantseva, etc.
Still life of the XX-XXI centuries.
Still life in this era is a wide field for experimentation. This genre develops in various areas:
Now, knowing what a still life is, if you wish, you can practice in this genre. The article will be useful to you; you will also find useful materials in the section.
