Art is the Solution

Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels Source: The Mauritshuis I might be making a generalization, but it seems to me that still life paintings are vastly under appreciated by modern viewers. In my experience, casual museum-goers often dismiss still lifes as boring or unimportant. My goal today is to convince anyone who might be harboring this belief (and is also reading this blog post) that still lifes are, in fact, as interesting as any other piece of art. Although modern viewers are often dismissive of still lifes, it is important to remember that constructing a still life requires just as much skill as creating a figurative painting. Both require deep consideration of light and composition, among other elements, as well as technical expertise. Furthermore, still lifes contain a symbolic language of their own, with particular flowers, objects, and foods holding specific significance to contemporary viewers. For example, a rose is traditionally a symbol of the Virgin Mar...