Special Offer: Buy any 2 books from the \"A Closer Look\" series for only £15. View the Series here Author Erika Langmuir, OBE, (d. 2015) was educated in France and the United States. She taught at the University of Sussex and held the Chair of Art History at the Open University. She was Head of Education at the National Galley (1988–1995). Erika is author of Masterpieces and The National Gallery Companion Guide. Still-life paintings appeal to many art lovers. These skilfully painted tableaux are rich with meanings and tradition. The objects captured range from the commonplace – flowers, fruit, vegetables – to the desirable, such as musical instruments and books. In this book Erika Langmuir examines the fascination of still life, and what distinguishes it from other categories of painting. She discusses its evolution from the trompe l’oeil wall paintings of ancient Rome, through its revival in the age of Caravaggio and Velázquez, and again in the works of Cézanne and Picasso. A Closer Look: Still Life was first published as Still Life: National Gallery Pocket Guides in 2001. View spreads of this book (2 MB PDF)