The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word STILL-LIFE
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
S
T
I
L
L
-
L
I
F
E
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does STILL-LIFE mean?
STILL-LIFE noun- A work of art depicting an arrangement of inanimate objects.
- A pattern that does not change from one generation to the next.