As many of us know, the genre of the still life dates back to antiquity, and is characterized by the representation of one or more objects belonging to the world of domestic life. Historically, the academy has tended to regard the still life as a minor genre, because of this connection to domesticity; after all, still life subjects usually come from the kitchen.

For this reason the genre was often relegated to secondary spaces, scarcely ever displayed in the great private salons. Some even felt that the genre was so lacking in greatness that the ability and talent of a good copyist were enough to satisfy its requirements.