STILL. See DISTILLATION.
a branch of the art of painting which deals with the portrayal of life less objects. It is called in Germany, Still Leben; in Holland, stilleven; in France, nature morte; in Italy, riposo. The subjects generally chosen are dead animals—deer, birds or fish, kitchen and table utensils, plate, crockery or china, fruit, flowers, curios and jewelry. These objects are arranged so as to make a picturesque combination .of._color, light and shade. This branch of art flourished from the earliest days of color decoration, and was at its highest perfection during the Alexandrian age; the paintings at 'Pompeii and the Roman mosaics furnish many fine examples of it. The Renaissance painters did not execute still-life as an independent department of their art, but i early in the 17th century it was cultivated most elaborately and with the greatest success by the Dutch school. The taste, beauty, and exquisite virtuosity of their work have never been sur passed, if ever even equaled. There are two main styles of still-life painting. While some artists have endeavored, by a certain breadth and freedom of handling, to obtain a mere decorative effect by the introduction of brilliant metallic surfaces and the juxtaposition of rich color tones, others have ,aimed at minute and painfully elaborated compositions, fine and deli-, cate as a miniature on parchment or ivo.
The chief Dutch painters of still-life 'are I Brueghel the elder, Snyders, Leghers, the e Heem family, A. van Beijeren, W. Kalf, Heda,, W. van Aelit, Dou and Fyt. In the 19th cen tury a great revival took place in this class of art. In France it was practised successfully by Robie, Vollon, and Ph. Rousseau; in Germany by Preyer of Dusseldorf ; Hoquet of Berlin; P. Meyerheim, Hertel, Th. and R. GrOnland, and, by the woman painters Begas-Parmentier, H. von Preuschen, Hormuth-Kallmorgan, and Hedinger. The still-life of flowers and fruit is generally most successfully accomplished in water colors. The ancient Greek painter Pausias was especially skilful in the repre sentation of flowers, while of another an dent artist it is said that the birds flew down' and picked at his picture of fruit. Among the American painters who have been successful in depicting still-life are W. M. Chase, E. Carlsen and W. Lockwood.