"Basket with Wild Strawberries, c.1761" by Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin
I choose Basket with Wild Strawberries, c.1761 by Jean-Baptiste-SimeonChardin as an example of still life produced in the Baroque Era. Until this lesson I thought of still life as a painting of random objects instead of planned arrangements of object with hidden meanings. Unfortunately in my quest to find some of the examples of symbolism all I could find was a list of commonly occurring items. The symbolism behind these items, like the slang of the times, has been lost in inequity. The best of educated guesses leads us to believe that based on the times most were moral messages about the dangers of sin, the brief life we have, and some pokes at society.
Focusing on this composition there appears to be a choice between the purity of the white carnations and the glass of water or the dangerous sinful choice of fruit: strawberries, cherries, and a peach. The abundance of strawberries could represent the abundance of sin, but I could be reaching at this point.
"Self-Portrait with Spectacles" by Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin
Jean-Baptist-Simeon Chardin is considered by many as the master of still life and also known for his genre pictures of domestic life during the Baroque Era. In 1757 Louis XV granted him a studio in the Louvre and he was a member of the Royal Academy.
The composition being similar in shape to a triangle is a common occurrence in still life paintings. The shape is highlighted here.
"Basket with Wild Strawberries, c.1761" detail
While researching the meanings of symbolism found in Baroque Era still life, I found a contemporary artist carrying on the tradition of still life compositions. I just loved Nancy Kaestner ‘s Pear, Apple, Grapes, and Cherries that I had to include it in this post.
"Pear, Apple, Grapes, and Cherries" by Nancy Kaestner
Can you see the triangle? The steams also help your eye move around the painting.
"Pear, Apple, Grapes, and Cherries" by Nancy Kaestner - Detail
Kaaren...yep it's me! 
I did enjoyed your explanations of the still life paintings, but I am unsure how they fit into the topic points given. I also wished that you had explained how these paintings made you feel. I wish that you had been able to find the meanings of symbolism in these paintings. It would have been great to understand a little bit more. I too, like you, did not understand all of the meaning behind the pictures.
I agree with the above comment. Although you had great examples and understood the use of the triangle imagery in the still life paintings, I would’ve loved some examples of the symbolism or what you thought of the different symbolisms. Thank you for the different examples but a personal reflection on the painting would help your blog tremendously.
Thank you for posting