Children in year six have been exploring items around the art studio to create a still life.
A still life is a representation of inanimate objects such as flowers, fruits, and other natural materials. The art of the still life has been practised by artists since the ancient times and survives in murals and mosaics from Pompeii and Rome. It developed in the West in the 16th and 17th centuries. Dutch painters made ‘vanitas’- paintings that held meanings that reminded the viewer of the vanity of earthy delights.
The children had a chance to gather objects for their own vanitas. They carefully selected the images and were questioned on their choices. Some of the children talked about how they were drawn to the colour, texture and shape of the object.
We were then able to put some of the images together in a composition that will be used to create a study/still life.
Next week the children will use charcoal to do close up studies of their inanimate objects. Stay tuned for more information and check out the photos below.
