Explore the fascinating world of still life art that has captivated artists for thousands of years! Kids will study famous still life paintings from history, learning what these artworks reveal about different cultures and time periods. Then they'll become artists themselves, carefully observing and capturing everyday objects like apples and flowers using any art supplies they choose - pencils, paint, or even photography!
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Explore the fascinating world of still life art that has captivated artists for thousands of years! Kids will study famous still life paintings from history, learning what these artworks reveal about different cultures and time periods. Then they'll become artists themselves, carefully observing and capturing everyday objects like apples and flowers using any art supplies they choose - pencils, paint, or even photography!
Long ago in Ancient Greece, there were two famous artists named Zeuxis and Parrhasius. They had a contest to see who could paint the most realistic picture. Zeuxis painted grapes that looked so real, birds flew down and tried to eat them! He thought he had won for sure. Then Parrhasius showed his painting, which looked like it had a curtain over it. When Zeuxis tried to pull back the curtain to see the painting underneath... surprise! The curtain WAS the painting! Parrhasius had fooled not just birds, but another artist too! Many years later, in 1658, an artist named Adriaen van der Spelt loved this story so much that he painted his own tricky picture. He painted beautiful flowers with what looks like a curtain being pulled aside to show them. People still do a double-take when they see it - is that curtain real or painted? Image credit: https://drawpaintacademy.com/top-20-still-life-artists/ Adriaen van der Spelt and Frans van Mieris, Trompe-l’Oeil Still Life with a Flower Garland and a Curtain, 1658
