Eating is a shared experience common to all mankind. Across time and space, all people eat in order to survive. A good meal can also be one of the most pleasurable experiences humans can enjoy. For that reason, it is perhaps no surprise that the preparation of meals, and the foods themselves, have been a major motif in art from the beginning of time. From Roman-era fresco paintings to Cubist still lives, the delicious goods we consume have always fascinated artists. Read on to discover works that will inspire you to get in the kitchen and cook.
1. Italian School (19th century), Monks Cooking
This nineteenth-century Italian masterwork shows two friendly monks whipping up dinner. On the table in front of them we see a bird, roasted until crispy and golden brown. The perfectly-cooked poultry sits in a dish surrounded by a savoury brown sauce. Let this painting serve as inspiration for your next Sunday roast!
2. Roy Lichtenstein, Cherry Pie
Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein's early canvases, such as Cherry Pie, are among his most significant works. Here, the artist subtly comments on American life through subject matter and a patriotic colour scheme. Lichtenstein makes the classic American dessert look tantalising. He places the slice on an uncomplicated background, focusing all attention on the bountiful piece of homemade pie absolutely bursting with juicy cherry filling. Liechtenstein’s work surely serves up inspiration for your next baking project.
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3. Italo-Flemish School (17th century), Chef with Assistant
In this seventeenth-century painting, a very elegant chef and his assistant work in a kitchen to produce a marvellous feast. A carnivore’s dream, we see every imaginable kind of meat. There are roasted pigs, duck, rabbits, fish and fowl. Fresh meats of every kind overflow from the kitchen counters and cover every surface. This feast is sure to inspire some carnivorous kitchen creativity!
4. Pablita Velarde, Pueblo Women Cooking
Pablita Velarde (1918-2006) was an American-Pueblo artist accomplished in the Dunn style of painting, also known as ‘flatstyle’. She is regarded as one of the most accomplished Native American painters of her generation. This work captures a scene of daily Native American life, as women prepare piki bread and peel the local green chili peppers for a stew. Take inspiration from the American Southwest and try your hand at making hatch green chili stew and flatbreads, like the women in this beautiful watercolour.
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5. Claes Oldenburg, Pizza
If you needed another reason to have pizza for dinner, Claes Oldenburg's lithograph will have you craving a slice! In the early 1960s, when Oldenburg made this work, pizza had recently emerged as a leader of the growing American fast-food industry. Pizza could now be home-delivered with lightning, almost unimaginable speed. Oldenburg used this subject for his magical pizza pie. Whirling on its crust like a wheel, Oldenburg’s whimsical pizza spins a slice into the air, accompanied on either side by two more floating slices ready to be grabbed and eaten up.
6. Haarlam School (17th century), The King Drinks!
The joyous scene shows a large family meal celebrating the Flemish celebration of the Feast of Epiphany. The annual celebration began with the proclamation of a ‘king’, typically chosen by hiding a single bean in the family’s feast. The lucky person whose portion contained the bean would be crowned king! The table is heavy with treats; thick and fluffy Belgian waffles, thin crêpes, bowls of rich butter and piles of chestnuts. Let this Flemish painting inspire your next weekend breakfast or family dinner.
See also: 6 Sensational Attic Finds
7. Wayne Thiebaud, Deli Bowls
With a sixty-year career painting quintessentially American sweets and treats, perhaps no artist is better suited for cooking inspiration than Wayne Thiebaud. This painting positions the viewer as the hungry customer standing at a deli counter, gazing at four bowls filled with a variety of rich foods. The artist chose a minimalist background, forcing all attention onto the delicious looking take-out foods.
8. John F Francis, Strawberries and Cake
John F Francis (1808-1886) was an American still life painter, best known for his luscious depictions of luncheons and desserts. In this scene, Francis paints a jug of fresh cream, bowls overflowing with juicy red strawberries and, at the very center, a plate piled high with a variety of buttery cakes. Finely painted, Francis made sure that the cakes appear very real and ready to reach out and taste. Take this work as sweet inspiration for your next afternoon tea.
Discover more inspiration with Barnebys Magazine
Article by Amanda Andrade
