Painting that lacks humanity? (5,4)

I believe the answer is:

still life

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'painting' is the definition.
(still life is a kind of painting)

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for still life that I've seen before include "Composition" , "Drawing" , "Painting genre" , "work of art" , "Painting of a bowl of fruit, perhaps?" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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