Still Life in 17th-Century Seville Painting

Abstract

The Polish version of the article was published in “Roczniki Humanistyczne,” vol. 60 (2012), issue 4.
 Although still nature did not enjoy a lot of prestige as a genre of paining in 17th-century Seville, it still accompanied many scenes that had a religious or secular character. With time, it even gained an autonomous status and some popularity, resulting rather from decorative reasons. It was to be ensured by presenting various objects made by man, but also appetizing articles of food and beautiful, colourful flowers. It was in this convention that, among others, works by Francisco de Zurbarán and his son Juan, Francisco Barranco or Pedro de Camprobín y Passano were painted. A feature typical of Seville painting was also the use of the language of symbols in still lifes, especially in a religious context, as Zurbarán’s paintings. Historical circumstances connected with the spreading famine and the plague gave the still life a new function. It was to satisfy the longing for the lost wealth of life, showing tasteful and beautiful still lifes, like those in the works by Pedro de Medina Valbuena, Cornelio Schut and Andrés Peréz. The toll of the Black Death also inspired artists. However, they painted works emphasizing the briefness and futility of human life, didactic and moralizing, which culminated in the paintings by Juan de Valdés Leal and his son Lucas.