Case Study
Still life is one of the principal genres of Western art. It is art depicting inanimate subject matter, e.g. fruit, flowers and household objects which are usually arranged on a table top or surrounded with fabric. This genre of painting allows for artists to explore their relationship with everyday objects; many still lives have symbolic meanings, revealing stories or ideas. More commonly, the status of the painter (or the buyer of the art, if such is being made for a specific person) will be depicted as a celebration of their wealth. Sometimes, the aim of a still life is simply to capture beauty, or decorate. The ever-changing range of objects available means that this genre is constantly developing in terms of style and technique. …show more content…
The context surrounding it includes protestant reformation, where the North of Europe was turning away from the Catholic church and towards the Western Christianity and the urbanisation of Dutch society, which emphasised material possessions. Religion inspired ideas about mortality and the sin of gluttony and artists to highlight the vanishing essence of earthly goods. Consumerism as a side effect of urbanisation reinforced this. The aim of these paintings is to inform the viewer about the fleeting nature of their possessions and warn them of placing value in them, saying that doing so could become an obstacle in the way to salvation. The viewer is encouraged to give up these goods for a spirituality. Dutch Vanitas art has a realistic style, with no visible brush-marks. In terms of colour they are sombre and monochromatic. Tones are usually moody and composition can be either minimalistic or hectic to represent the overthrowing of
Still life is one of the principal genres of Western art. It is art depicting inanimate subject matter, e.g. fruit, flowers and household objects which are usually arranged on a table top or surrounded with fabric. This genre of painting allows for artists to explore their relationship with everyday objects; many still lives have symbolic meanings, revealing stories or ideas. More commonly, the status of the painter (or the buyer of the art, if such is being made for a specific person) will be depicted as a celebration of their wealth. Sometimes, the aim of a still life is simply to capture beauty, or decorate. The ever-changing range of objects available means that this genre is constantly developing in terms of style and technique. …show more content…
The context surrounding it includes protestant reformation, where the North of Europe was turning away from the Catholic church and towards the Western Christianity and the urbanisation of Dutch society, which emphasised material possessions. Religion inspired ideas about mortality and the sin of gluttony and artists to highlight the vanishing essence of earthly goods. Consumerism as a side effect of urbanisation reinforced this. The aim of these paintings is to inform the viewer about the fleeting nature of their possessions and warn them of placing value in them, saying that doing so could become an obstacle in the way to salvation. The viewer is encouraged to give up these goods for a spirituality. Dutch Vanitas art has a realistic style, with no visible brush-marks. In terms of colour they are sombre and monochromatic. Tones are usually moody and composition can be either minimalistic or hectic to represent the overthrowing of