Wednesday, March 5, 2014

What is Still-Life

Still-lifes have existed since early Greek and Roman times. They began as a decorative form of art that would hang in houses. Because capturing extremely true-to-life realism is a difficult feat, still-lifes were often used by artists as proof of their skill and technical mastery. As the art of still-life grew it became more symbolic, using certain objects to symbolize religious lessons, deities, mortality, and humanity. Soon, certain masterful still-lifes were displayed in banquet halls and dining rooms of the wealthy as a symbol of their riches and power. This began to give the still-life meaning in the eyes of those who had viewed it as a lower art form; however it did not become truly popular and recognized until close to the 18th and 19th centuries when different forms of still-life and abstractions became popular.

Practicing still-life is a good way to strengthen technical skills as an artist, and is very popular among those who want to strengthen observation and shading skill.

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