Still life first became a popular genre in the seventeenth century in Northern Europe. Dutch settlers then brought it to America.
Many of the most well-known artists in history, including Van Gogh and Cezanne, created still lifes.
The first still life painters of note in America were part of the Peale family of Philadelphia.
Still life elements have often been portrayed on their own or introduced into larger compositions, such as portraits, because of symbolic value. For instance, a lily in a painting of the Virgin Mary might symbolize purity. A snuffed-out candle in another painting might represent the fleeting nature of life.
In recent years, still lifes have taken on many different forms, including Pop Art pieces like Andy Warhol's Campbell's soup cans, partly abstracted still lifes by Georgia O'Keefe and three-dimensional works.