Still-Life Paintings in a Consumer Society

The author analyzes the role and character of still-life painting as exemplified by the ‘vanity’ pictures of the 17th century, the autonomous still lifes of the 18th century, the still lifes nonillustrative of discourse of the 19th century and the Pop art still lifes dictated by the imperatives of 20th-century consumer societies.

His main attention is given to an interpretation of the impact on the art of a society in which commercial considerations override those of aesthetics. He finds that mass production and advertising deny not only art in the old sense, but also personal possession, originality and taste, since these are affected and effected by market research. Pop art still life in such a world can thus become an ironic comment upon the difficulties of individual choice and vision.