Still Life - A Woman's View

"The Pursuit of Pleasure"

© J Licsko 6"x8" oil on canvas

The early still life in classical paintings often illustrated abundance.  Magnificent paintings of a cornucopias, fruits and vegetables spilling out, and others with pheasants and trout laid out, prizes from a successful hunt, promising a wonderful feast were a typical theme.  The best were done by the 17th century Dutch Masters.   See Pieter Claesz's Turkey Pie.   

For a modern master of still life checkout James Neil Hollingsworth.

My still life paintings frequently celebrate modern woman as both hunter and gatherer.  We can choose to be self -sufficient. We can earn well enough to get what we want. We don't need to ask permission, and we can write our own checks. 

Women love to shop.  It is the equivalent of the male hunting experience.   It's the act of shopping and all the sensory stimulation that goes with it that makes it one of our favorite pastimes.   There is a reason that retailers send even the most modest purchase in a lovely bag. They understand it makes us feel good. Even when we get what we want, it wont be long before we will want to do it again. We want the experience, the hunt, the bagging, the triumphant return with our symbols of abundance laid out at home for our satisfaction. 

This little still life "The Pursuit of Pleasure" was a joy to paint. I get pleasure from the bags, the tissue, and making the leopard scarf appear sheer, more than actual shopping.