BENJAMIN WALTER SPIERS

While depictions of inanimate objects existed throughout history, still life emerged as a distinct genre in the 17th-century Netherlands. Early works often held symbolic meaning, with everyday objects reflecting religious themes or societal values. Still life evolved, encompassing diverse subgenres like flower arrangements and vanitas paintings contemplating mortality. Photography later embraced the genre, offering both realistic documentation and artistic reinterpretations. Today, still lifes continue to inspire artists, serving as studies in composition, light, and the evocative power of ordinary objects.