Monday 11 August 2014

Still Life with Bread and Stones

It may look like an ordinary still life, but for me this painting is a metaphor of a moral choice, a choice between love and hatred. 

The bread symbolises love, because it can be shared. Love makes people become one, so I've decided to paint the bread in one piece with a bright interior shining out. 
Stones are often connected with violence and hatred. It's the oldest weapon in history, (too many times used by people against each other). In contrast to the bread I have painted several stones, which show that people blinded by hatred are always divided. 

Hatred means chaos, while love means peace, harmony and prosperity.



Still Life with Bread and Stones, 20x35cm, oil on canvas

12 comments:

  1. I love your symbolism - and your painting.
    Just the same, stones CAN be brought together - to build a haven and a sanctuary. Destructive - or constructive depending on the hands that wield them.

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    1. You're right. Thanks for adding your idea to mine.
      That's one of the reasons I love art so much. It's always subjective and everyone can have something else to say about it.

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  2. Very beautiful Marielle and so clever doing it in those sepia tones.

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    1. Thank you, Em :) This is exactly the colour of the real fabric you can see painted under the objects. It looked so well with the bread and the stones that I decided to use this colour as the main 'substance' of the whole painting.

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  3. Hi Marielle,

    Love the sepia still life - and the bread symbolizing love.
    Hope you are enjoying the week
    Carolyn

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    1. Thanks, Carolyn :) I'm glad you like it.
      Hope you have a great week too

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  4. Such an amazing painting, and I really love your thoughts behind it!

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  5. Dear Marielle - what a gorgeous work of art. Love the thoughts behind it too. That is what makes certain works so much more meaningful than others. Just a lovely piece my friend. Have a great week.

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    1. Thank you so much, Debbie. You always know how to make me feel really proud of my work :) It's always great to hear something like this. Thanks!
      Have a lovely week too!

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  6. I love that you shared the story behind the lovely still life .
    Sharing and breaking bread is a unifying thing isn't it.
    I had never thought much about stones as weapons although I now do see that aspect of how they have indeed been used as such.
    Stones for me have always been a healing source , as river rocks and feeling their energy , crystals and connecting with stones in that nature realm.
    I so enjoyed your painting and the thought behind it .
    Thank you for sharing it.

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  7. Thank you for your lovely comment. I'm really glad that you like my work.
    And you're right, stones can have many different meanings. That's why I like to use them in art :)

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