Stunning Embroidered Still Lifes Made With Countless Stitches of Colorful Thread

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

“Jupiter”

While many think of embroidery as a type of adornment, there are numerous crafters who are pushing the creative possibilities of this age-old pursuit. French artist Cécile Davidovici has collaborated with film director David Ctiborsky in a series titled La Vie Silencieuse, or “The Silent Life,” which transforms still life scenes into embroidered masterpieces.

Each of these still lifes was produced first as a 3D model by Ctiborsky, after which, Davidovici would embroider the images. Both artists drew inspiration from Italian painter Giorgio Morandi's still lifes and “his ability to make silence vibrate.” Davidovici and Ctiborsky translated this feeling into their own scenes, imbuing the compositions with an eye-catching array of objects and a striking color palette.

Davidovici's unique thread painting style is a result of years of experimentation. She turned toward embroidery after her mother passed away and quickly fell in love with the medium. “It took me some time to realize it, but I was missing the tangible aspect of things,” she explains to My Modern Met. “Making art pieces I can actually touch was a game changer.” She has since carried this passion into her growing portfolio, rendering still lifes and figurative portraits as though they were made with painterly brushstrokes.

Scroll down to see more works from La Vie Silencieuse, and follow Davidovici on Instagram to keep up to date with her latest embroidery projects.

French artist Cécile Davidovici collaborated with film director David Ctiborsky in a series of stunning still lifes.

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

“La vie silencieuse”

Titled La Vie Silencieuse, or “The Quiet Life,” this series features an array of beautifully rendered indoor scenes with various objects.

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

“Etude au petit matin”

The still lifes were first created by Ctiborsky before being embroidered by Davidovici.

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

“Pierre bleue”

She uses a thread painting technique to render fruit, vases, and other objects with lifelike depth and realism.

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

“Le pods des choses”

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

“Les Heures de cure”

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

“Souvenirs sir un drop mauve”

Davidovici also creates embroidered portraits with her technique.

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

“The Girl with the Mirror”

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

Detail of “The Girl with the Mirror”

Thread Painting Embroidery by Cecile Davidovici

Cécile Davidovici: Website | Instagram
David Ctiborsky: Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Cécile Davidovici.

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Margherita Cole

Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. She wrote and illustrated an instructional art book about how to draw cartoons titled 'Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square' that was published by Walter Foster in 2022.
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