Artwork
Still Life
Still Life is an ink print by Jacoba van Heemskerck van Beest. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1916, the work titled *Still Life* is a black woodcut printed on Japan paper. The print is attributed to the Dutch artist Jacoba van Heemskerck van Beest. It presents a compact arrangement of fruit rendered in stark contrast, the dark ink set against the light, textured surface of the paper.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a modest bowl containing pears, apples and a lemon. The objects are rendered with minimal detail, their outlines reduced to bold, geometric silhouettes. This reduction emphasizes form over surface texture, inviting contemplation of the everyday objects as abstracted shapes rather than realistic depictions.
Technique & Style
The image was produced by carving a design into a wood block, inking the recessed lines, and pressing the block onto the paper. The ink fills the carved grooves, leaving the uncut surfaces untouched, which results in crisp, black lines that appear to have been stamped onto the Japan paper. The flat, blocky treatment of the fruit reflects a modernist simplification of form.
History & Provenance
The print belongs to the early twentieth‑century period when Jacoba van Heemskerck van Beest explored graphic media alongside painting. Though specific exhibition records are scarce, the piece reflects the artist’s engagement with printmaking techniques that were popular among European avant‑garde circles during the 1910s.
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