To really see the beginnings of Still Life, you have to travel as far back as 5th Century BC. At this time, two artists, Zeuxis & Parrhasius, were in contest with each other to see who could paint the most realistic painting. Zeuxis painted a bowl of grapes, that looked real enough to fool birds into pecking it. Parrhasius then painted a curtain, which fooled Zeuxis into trying to open it, and therefore won the contest. This idea of trying to paint common objects with the aim of just making them look real is where Still Life begins.
Paintings of this style peaked during the Renaissance (14th - 17th century). Painters around this time stated to do exactly as Zeuxis and Parrhasius had done before them, and begun painting in a style to try give the illusion that their paintings were real.
In the Netherlands, Still Life painting stated to become an art form in its own right. Artists were commissioned to make paintings of flowers, which at the time were very expensive, and considered a mark of great wealth. These images were designed to look very real, often including insects and spiders to try and enhance this realism.
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