The Origin of Still Life Painting: From the Ancient Egyptians to the Dutch Golden Age

How and when did the tradition of still life painting begin? Still life paintings are some of the most popular images in art history, but how did these classic depictions of everyday objects develop? Learn about the origin of still life painting, as well as its many stylistic changes throughout history.

What is Still Life

The origin of still life painting can be traced back as far as 4,000 years ago. But in Western art, it was initially used more as a means to study reality than an independent genre. The ancient Egyptians and early Greeks were often commissioned by their wealthy patrons to paint still life arrangements of fruit, game, and other food items. This type of painting had religious overtones as well (for example, paintings depicting animal sacrifice would be displayed in temples), but they also functioned as portrait pieces that could provide information about a sitter's social status. After all, a good meal at home—and there are hundreds depicted in such works—could say much about whether or not someone owned slaves for preparing that dish. During Medieval times, when religious subjects dominated European painting, still lifes again took on a symbolic purpose. As society grew more secularized during Renaissance times, however, they began to become viewed as works of art unto themselves. <This part should talk about -What is Still Life?: By definition, still life is any artistic representation of objects resting on a table top or ledge with no figures present.

Types of Still Life Painting

The traditional still life is any art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural (food, flowers, plants) or man-made (drinking glasses, books and papers, musical instruments), or an assemblage of random found objects. More generally still life painting embraces a host of subjects where there is little or no movement. The meaning and messages conveyed through still life paintings vary but it often uses color symbolism and iconography. Today it can also refer to film and photography as well as painting. In modern terminology a still life has been described as the representation of inanimate subject matter using realistic color, lighting and composition. Strictly speaking it refers to depictions of inanimate objects.

The Origins of Still Life

The Ancients, New Testament and Greco-Roman World The origin of still life painting is rooted in antiquity. Depictions of fruit and flowers were popular amongst artists as early as 6,000 B.C., but perhaps even more impressive are hieroglyphic depictions that date back 4,200 years. The Egyptian hieroglyphs depict people holding bowls or baskets containing water lilies, papyrus stems and lotus plants. Many ancient artists used religious iconography as subject matter (i.e., vases of offerings placed before temple altars), with other works depicting fauna and flora being used as symbols for rebirth and resurrection from death (representing vegetation found in tombs). The figurative qualities found within these paintings influenced still life painting during Europe’s Renaissance period.

European History - 15th Century Renaissance Paintings

It was during the 15th century that artists in Florence, Italy began creating what we now know as still life paintings. In fact, if it weren’t for European art history, our idea of still life painting might look very different today. It all started in Florence, a city in Tuscany on Italy’s west coast. At that time it was one of Europe’s largest and most influential cities; home to many wealthy families and an important center for commerce. One notable family in particular became known for commissioning works from some of Florence’s best painters – The Medici Family.

Developments in Genre Art

The history of still life painting has a close relationship with developments in genre art. At first, works that focused on individual subjects were considered high art. Artists such as Titian, Vermeer and even Rembrandt created beautiful paintings that focused on specific moments and emotions. But in Europe, things began to change during the Renaissance period when some artists began producing larger pieces that contained many different elements within them. These works contained flowers, fruit, insects and often included human subjects such as animals interacting with people. Once these works became more popular with consumers, many European painters started including elements from real life in their compositions.

The Rise of Realism

In Western painting, realism began as a movement that sought to accurately represent three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface. One way they did that was by representing these objects as they appeared in real life—for example, with natural light and shadowing. Early examples were found in paintings by medieval artists and Northern Renaissance painters—particularly Flemish artist Jan van Eyck (1385–1441), who used realistic techniques such as detailed perspective, and Giovanni Bellini (c. 1430–1516), who painted scenes from nature in his later work. But it was Italian Renaissance painters like Andrea Mantegna (1431–1506) and Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) who truly laid down roots for what we consider realism today.

Flower Paintings in the 19th Century

Starting in 1828, two British women—Louisa Rolo and Marianne North—took a flower-painting tour of Europe. Other artists soon followed suit, traveling across France and Italy sketching as many varieties of flora as they could. They sold their paintings as works of art rather than mere records of flowers; by doing so, they created a new genre that spread across Europe like wildfire. Soon floral pieces became part of every middle-class Victorian household—all thanks to Louisa Rolo and Marianne North.

Classifying Flower Paintings as Still Lives

The first recorded still life painting was an image of flowers found in Egypt’s Tomb of Nakht. That piece dates back to roughly 2650 B.C., and some historians believe that it represents a funeral portrait. In addition, some historians have identified flower paintings among prehistoric cave drawings dating as far back as 20,000 B.C., though those claims remain unconfirmed due to lack of evidence. Regardless, flower painting emerged alongside various other types of art during humanity’s formative years—clearly a testament to its enduring popularity and universal appeal.

 Dutch Golden Age 

As a genre, still life painting was mostly seen in European art during the 17th century, with Dutch painters such as Jan Brueghel creating some of its earliest known examples. It's believed that still life began around 1609 and lasted until roughly 1700. Known as an international style, it incorporated techniques used by a variety of artists at different points in history. The Greek antiquity is thought to have inspired more than one Renaissance master painter. Other references point back to Roman times as well.