Still life fine art

Just heard a podcast from "7 Photography Questions" on still fine art photography with Jo Whaley. She quoted an old adage: "Theatre is the lie that tells the truth." Wish I understood that earlier in life. It would have made musicals more interesting. Anyway, listening to Jo explain her photos drove home the point to me that every element in a still life has a purpose including background. So much is symbolic sometimes that one might do well to view still life fine art photographs on two levels: initial how's-it-make-me-feel level and what might some of the elements symbolize? e.g. Her shot of a yellow butterfly on a daguerreotype where the butterfly covered up the faces of the two ladies. Seems the ancient greek word for butterfly was "psyche." i.e. "soul.". Fascinating concept portrayed in the pic http://www.7photographyquestions.com/images/32/yellow_butterfly.jpg