still life
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still life
A genre in painting or a work of art that depicts motionless, arranged objects such as fruit, flowers, or everyday items.
Im Museum bewunderten wir ein berühmtes Stillleben mit Sonnenblumen von van Gogh.
In the museum, we admired a famous still life with sunflowers by van Gogh.
The word is made up of 'still' (quiet, motionless) and 'Leben' (life). So it describes a picture of things that are normally part of life but have been arranged motionlessly for the artwork.
Die Künstlerin ist bekannt für ihre detailreichen Stillleben.
The artist is known for her detailed still lifes.
This word is firmly part of the vocabulary of art, especially painting and photography. You often find it in museums, galleries, or art classes.
Im Kunstunterricht haben wir gelernt, wie man ein Stillleben komponiert.
In art class, we learned how to compose a still life.
Common verbs are 'ein Stillleben malen' (to paint a still life), 'zeichnen' (to draw), or 'arrangieren' (to arrange). The objects depicted are often introduced with 'mit' (with), e.g. 'ein Stillleben mit Früchten' (a still life with fruit).
Er malte ein Stillleben mit einer Vase voller Blumen und einem Buch.
He painted a still life with a vase full of flowers and a book.
picture / image
'das Bild' and 'das Stillleben' can both mean a painted work of art. 'Bild' is very general: it can be a photo, a drawing, a painting, or another kind of representation. 'Stillleben' is much more specific. It shows motionless, arranged objects, for example fruit, flowers, or bottles. Learners may confuse the words because a still life is also a picture. If you are only talking generally about a representation, use 'Bild'. If you mean this particular type of art, 'Stillleben' is more precise.
Im Kunstkurs zeichnet Sofia ein Stillleben mit Äpfeln und einer Vase.
In art class, Sofia draws a still life with apples and a vase.
Nach dem Unterricht male ich zu Hause ein Bild für meine Nachbarin.
After class, I paint a picture at home for my neighbor.