William Harnett, Still Life with Dutch Jar and Bust of Dante, 1884, oil on wood panel, Worcester Art Museum, MA
American artists John F. Peto (1857-1907) and William Harnett (1848-1892) were contemporaries and colleagues specializing in tromp l’oeil still lifes of super-realistic objects, creating a sense of optical illusion.
John F. Peto, In the Library, 1900, oil on canvas, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, CA
French iconic artist Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) was an extraordinary colorist and a master of patterns throughout his career, already apparent in the early work above. Below is one of his several self-portraits created about a year earlier. (Please be certain to click on each painting to enhance and enlarge them.)
Butterflies have always been a source of creativity for artists through the centuries, whether Japanese master Fujishima Takeji (1867-1943), who adapted Western styles in his art or Dutch Golden Age painter Adriaen Coorte (c. 1665-after 1707) who specialized in still lifes.
French-Swiss artist Felix Vallotton (1865-1929) had an extensive and varied career, both in graphic art and painting. However, in his later years, he concentrated on still life, often utilizing rich colors and creative compositions.
Dutch artist Dick Ket (1902-1940) created several original and complex still lifes during his 38 years.
Few artists can rival the striking interpretations of still lifes created by Swiss/French artist Felix Vallotton (1865-1925) in the early decades of the 20th century.
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The images used in this website are solely for educational purposes and are in the U.S. public domain. 
