
Food
Artworks center delicacies that range from cakes and oysters to cherries and even peacock. These compositions can be mouthwatering, and there is often symbolism behind the food as well.
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Video: Oddly Satisfying: Cakes Inspired by Wayne Thiebaud
Indulge your senses as an amazing baker delves into the delectable world of Wayne Thiebaud's iconic Cakes still-life painting.

Video: How to Style a Still Life: Osias Beert the Elder's "Dishes with Oysters, Fruit, and Wine"
Try your hand at creating your very own lavish scene inspired by Osias Beert the Elder’s Dishes with Oysters, Fruit, and Wine.

Article: Delicious, Daring, and Deadly Materials in Art
Trick or treat? Discover artists' materials that range from spooky to delicious.

Article: What Did We Eat Before Colonization? A Native Chef and Artist Connect Over Plant Knowledge
Chef and Native American food historian Loretta Barett Oden reflects on her friendship with artist G. Peter Jemison.

Article: The Deadly Business of the Dutch Quest for Salt
The salt we see in 17th-century still lifes was central to the Dutch economy—and Dutch colonialism.

Article: Church Supper: Eating, Drinking, and Building Community
A print by Frank Hartley Anderson reminds chef Adrienne Cheatham of the church meals she grew up with—and of a recipe for buttered rolls.

Article: An Expert Baker’s Take on “Cakes” by Wayne Thiebaud
The painting inspires baker and author Cheryl Day to recall the dessert’s place in her life—and in her family’s history.

Article: The Diner on the Edge of Civilization: Richard Misrach’s Photograph of Outdoor Dining
Ligaya Mishan, a food and travel writer for the New York Times, reflects on an image of a surreal restaurant setting.

Article: Three Women Artists You May Not Have Heard Of
Meet the 17th-century painters Fede Galizia and Gesina Ter Borch. And see the only known work by Caterina Angela Pierozzi.

Article: Eldzier Cortor Takes Us Inside the Slaughterhouse
Through his surrealist woodcut, Cortor considers the relationship between humans and animals and tells the stories of Black bodies.

Article: Making Pictures of the Animals We Eat
When Dutch artist Willem van Aelst painted dead animals, did he use the images to grapple with the full circle of life?

Article: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Table: Breaking Bread in Troubled Times
A deeper look at how photography became a tool for the Civil Rights leader.
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Still Life
Artists have long used everyday or natural objects—from a silver platter to a blooming bouquet—to create still lifes. Through these works, they experiment with new styles and convey symbolic meanings.

Flowers
A bounty of bouquets can be found in art. Flowers have inspired artists from Vincent van Gogh to Alma Thomas. Eighteenth-century Dutch artist Jan van Huysum painted lavish floral still lifes, while modern painters like Georgia O’Keeffe created far more abstract flowers. Not only are these floral forms beautiful but they also often have symbolic meaning.