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Still Life with Skull
Still Life with Skull depicts a classic composition of still life, with a skull occupying the central place – a symbol of passing and death. Around it are arranged various everyday objects such as fruits, glass, and vessels, creating a contrast between life and the inevitable end. The artist uses subdued colors dominated by grays and browns, emphasizing an atmosphere of reflection and contemplation. Precise light manipulation gives the forms clarity and spatiality.
Portrait of the Creator
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Artist
Kiejstut Bereźnicki
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Date of birth and death
21 December 1935 - (alive as of latest data)
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Natinality
Polish
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Style
Figurative painting, rooted in European traditional art
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Significant works
Numerous exhibitions in Polish cities and abroad, including participation at Galerie EL, BWA venues, Polish National Museums
Information about the work
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Year:
1968
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Execution technique:
oil on canvas
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Theme:
The work fits into the vanitas tradition – symbolic painting that reminds of the transience of life and material goods. The theme is passing, the fleetingness of existence, and philosophical reflection on death and the meaning of life.
Internal Narrative and Creative Framework
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Inner Narrative
The painting prompts reflection on the fragility of human life and the inevitability of the end that touches every person without exception. The depicted objects – both the skull and everyday still life elements – create a visual metaphor of the cycle of life and death, encouraging the viewer to reflect on the value of moments and the passing nature of reality.
The key to interpreting the work
The painting should be viewed as a dialogue with the classical tradition of vanitas painting, where every element acts as a symbol – the skull as memento mori, fruits and vessels as symbols of life and its passing. Careful observation of details and the play of light that give the composition depth and emotional strength is key. The work invites reflection on the human condition, encouraging consideration of one's own mortality and the value of the material world in the context of the passage of time. This is not only a realistic still life but also a universal meditation on life and death.See other works by this artist
Still Life with Torches and Yellow Dominance
- Artist: Kiejstut Bereźnicki
- Year: koniec lat 60. lub początek lat 70. XX wieku
