Artists have always been highly valued because they could pass on to posterity those whom they would not be able to see. They helped to find eternal life. In modern times, with the invention of the camera, artists have not lost their value. Among any profession there are some outstanding representatives who can be called the best. This top presents a list of the best and popular artists in the world.

• 10 Isaac Levitan

  Isaac Levitan is an excellent artist, originally from Russian Empire. His life was quite difficult, as was the path he had to overcome in order to become a first-class artist. But it was precisely thanks to his work that Levitan gave the world a large number of landscapes.

• 9 Auguste Renoir

  
  

  This French painter, sculptor and graphic artist, was born in 1919 in the city of Limonge. This brilliant artist is one of the first impressionists to gain success among the wealthy citizens inhabiting the city of Paris, and his numerous works are exhibited in many galleries around the world.

• 8 Claude Monet

  
  

  Claude Monet was born in France, in the city of Paris in 1926. He is one of the world's most famous painters, as well as one of the founders of impressionism. His works still delight a huge number of people.

• 7 Salvador Dali

  
  

  This eccentric artist of the 20th century has haunted our contemporaries for many years. His paintings are striking in their technique, but what is even more striking is what he depicted in his paintings. They frighten and confuse many, and delight many. Despite his controversial works, it can be said that Salvador Dali is one of the most famous artists in the world.

• 6 Michelangelo Buonarroti

  
  

  Michelangelo Buonarroti is one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, known throughout the world. His life was long and eventful, and his works survived centuries and gave him eternal life. His name is still associated with the name of the greatest artist on the planet.

• 5 Rafael Santi

  
  

  Raphael Santi is a famous Renaissance artist. His works amaze the minds of many, and his technique is simply inimitable. He had a huge number of students, but none of them were able to achieve the same success that their teacher achieved.

• 4 Jan Wermeer

  
  

  Jan Vermeer is a brilliant Dutch artist whose portraits amaze with their accuracy and originality. During his lifetime, he earned good money by creating portraits of wealthy clients. And now, his paintings are worth a fortune. Unfortunately, he did not pass on his skills to anyone, because he did not have a single student.

• 3 Pablo Picasso

  
  

  This outstanding artist is known to many people. And although not everyone understands the value of his paintings, one cannot deny the fact that he made a tremendous contribution to the development of fine art, and his paintings brought him a huge fortune.

• 2 Vincent Van Gogh

  
  

  This Dutch artist is known not only for his extraordinary works, but also for his mental disorders, which later led to his suicide. Unfortunately, during his life he managed to sell only one painting, but now his works are worth a lot of money.

• 1 Leonardo da Vinci

  
  

  This outstanding man is not only an excellent artist, but also a scientist and inventor. He was one of the most prominent representatives of its time. His paintings are known even to people far from art. His works made a huge contribution to the development of human society.

It is difficult to assess the significance of a particular artist for world art. But among the many authors, one can single out several of the most outstanding personalities, whose work will not leave any critics indifferent. The most famous artists of the world that were included in our list, without any doubt, deserved such a title.

1. Leonardo da Vinci

One can confidently call Leonardo da Vinci one of the most brilliant people in history. This man managed to become famous not only as a talented artist and sculptor, but also as a brilliant researcher, scientist, engineer, musician, philosopher and chemist. The paintings of Leonardo da Vinci also deserve high praise. Only 17 of them have survived to this day: “La Gioconda”, “ last supper", "Annunciation" and others.

Leonardo da Vinci was born in the spring of 1452 in Anciano. He moved from Florence to Venice and back, served several dukes of Milan, survived the years of war between Italy and France, negotiated between the Pope and the French king, and competed with famous artists Michelangelo and Raphael.

At the beginning of 1516, Leonardo da Vinci began serving King Francis I, almost immediately winning over the monarch. For the talented artist, the crown allocated the Clo estate and a decent pension. Here Leonardo lived the last three years of his life, leaving behind many unfinished masterpieces of painting and unsolved messages.

2. Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso is the most famous Spanish artist. Born in 1881 in Malaga. At the age of 13, he began studying painting at the Art Academy in Barcelona, ​​and after graduating he entered the capital's San Fernando. After studying in Madrid, Picasso moved to Paris, where he created most of his best masterpieces.

The entire work of this artist can be divided into several stages. During blue period Pablo painted poor people mainly in cold colors. Enlightenment came during the rose period after Picasso met Fernande Olivier, his muse and first love. She gave the artist’s canvases bright shades, pink and orange tones.

During the African period, African notes begin to appear openly in the paintings, intertwining with traditional European style. One of the most controversial periods of this Spanish artist’s work is cubism. More bright colors appeared on Picasso's canvases during neoclassicism. It is affected by the wedding of the artist and ballerina Olga Khokhlova, as well as the appearance of an heir.

A little later, family life leaves a completely different imprint on the work of Pablo Picasso. This period is usually called surrealism. It is expressed by a series of paintings depicting monstrous women. New era opened by Francoise Gilot, who became the new wife of Pablo Picasso. It is believed that it was she who inspired him to create the world famous painting called “Dove of Peace”.

At the age of eighty, the artist marries again. Pablo Picasso died in 1973, leaving behind about 20,000 works.

3. Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh's passion for painting arose quite late. This famous Dutch artist was born in the spring of 1853. At the age of 16, Vincent began selling works of art in The Hague. He also begins to draw a little, trying to make decent reproductions of paintings by famous authors. Since 1875, Vincent moved to Paris, where the Luxembourg Museum and the famous Louvre awaited him.

At the beginning of 1878, Van Gogh began working as a preacher in a small village in southern Belgium, but very soon became disillusioned with religion. Returning to the capital of France, the artist literally absorbed the basics of impressionism and neo-impressionism in two years. He then, through great effort, develops his own unique style. Vincent's innovation literally blows up Paris!

Since the end of 1889, Van Gogh's mental disorders have worsened, and attacks of insanity and attempts to commit suicide are increasingly occurring. Brother Theo takes him from Paris and settles him in a small village. In the summer of 1890, Vincent travels to Paris to meet his brother. Exactly three weeks after his arrival, Van Gogh kills himself with a revolver shot in the chest.

4. Claude Monet

The founder of impressionism is the famous French artist Claude Monet, and the first painting in this style was his image of dawn in the port of Le Havre.

Claude Monet was born in the French capital in 1840. At the age of five, he moved with his family to the city of Le Havre in Normandy. Here the little artist learns to draw and everyone notes his extraordinary talent. Claude Monet's father even invited his son to put his paintings up for sale in his grocery store.

In 1860 young artist called up to serve in the army. But two years later he entered the painting studio, where he met future like-minded people: Basil, Renoir and Sisley.

During his life, the artist married twice. The first marriage was to Camille Doncier, and the second to Alice Hoschede. The artist's portrait of Camilla, which he painted four years before their wedding, brought great fame to the artist. Both of the artist’s eyes became inflamed from constant hard work. Doctors performed an operation and strictly forbade Claude to continue painting. But this did not stop him and he continued to paint picture after picture. Claude Monet died in 1926, and 15 years later his work was finally appreciated.

5. Rembrandt Van Rijn

Rembrandt van Rijn is one of the most famous artists in the world. Born in Holland in 1606. All the young years of the future master were spent in his native Leiden, and in 1632 he moved to Amsterdam. Much attention The artist’s paintings pay attention to the play of light and shadow, which gives his paintings a unique atmosphere of emotional tension.

In 1642, Rembrandt lost his wife and painted “The Night Watch,” which brought him unprecedented fame. Complex composition This painting was completely different from the usual style of group portraits.

In subsequent years, the artist wrote a lot and his paintings were well received by critics. In 1668, he lost his new muse Hendrikje Stoffels, and a little later his own son Titus. Now Rembrandt's self-portraits depict a man who has endured difficult life trials.

6. Michelangelo Buonarroti

Michelangelo Buonarroti is one of the most brilliant artists Renaissance. He was born in 1475 in the small town of Chiusi, very close to Florence. The noble origin allowed the boy to communicate with many outstanding artists and scientists of the time. This communication contributed very well to the development of young talent.

In the gardens of Mark, the young artist carved a faun mask and also made a relief in which he depicted the battle of Hercules and the centaurs. Many were delighted with these sculptures and predicted a great future for Michelangelo. A little later, he created the famous “Crucifixion”, after which the young genius was invited to Rome. Here Michelangelo created the Madonna holding the dead Jesus Christ in her arms, and also sculpted a marble sculpture of Bacchus. They brought their author enormous success and made him one of the most popular Italian sculptors.

For twenty-two months he worked hard on the ceiling Sistine Chapel and the result of it long work left no one indifferent. A quarter of a century later, Michelangelo returned here again to decorate the wall with frescoes. " Last Judgment"came out no less brilliant, but was slightly inferior to the first picture.

IN last years Michelangelo abandoned painting and sculpture, devoting himself entirely to architecture. He was in charge of the construction of the Roman Church named after St. Peter, but he did not have time to complete it. The main dome, based on his personal design, was installed after Michelangelo’s death.

7. Ivan Aivazovsky

Ivan Aivazovsky is a famous Russian artist, born in 1817 in Feodosia. The real name of this artist is Hovhannes Gaivazovsky. Already from childhood, he had pronounced musical and artistic abilities. Hovhannes's first teacher was the famous architect Yakov Koch, who tried in every possible way to develop the abilities of this talented boy. At the age of 13, he entered an art gymnasium in Simferopol, and then the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy. So the boy began to bear the name of Ivan Aivazovsky.

At the age of 20, Aivazovsky graduated from the Academy ahead of schedule with an honorary gold medal. He attended naval military battles on the coast of the Caucasus, then traveled through Europe for four years, was in the Caucasus, then in Georgia, Dagestan, Armenia and Ossetia. This is how the famous paintings “The Ninth Wave”, “Seashore”, “Venice” and others appeared.

Having thoroughly enjoyed his travels, the artist settled in Crimean Feodosia, where he bought a plot of land and built a mansion on it in the style of an Italian palazzo. Over time, this house became a private museum of his work.

8. Peter Paul Rubens

Famous Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens was born in Germany in 1577, but after the death of his father he moved with his family to Antwerp. Here he begins to draw passionately and decides to learn to find worthy teachers in Italy. There he spends 8 whole years of painstaking study and work on his first masterpieces.

After completing his studies, Peter Rubens returned to his homeland and continued painting. His works “The Raising of the Cross”, “The Battle of the Amazons”, “Adam and Eve” and others became widely known. Rubens' distinctive style was the careful depiction of characters and backgrounds.

9. Diego Velazquez

Diego Velazquez - famous spanish painter. He was born in Seville in 1599 and already from childhood showed good drawing abilities. His parents supported their son’s efforts in every possible way and found the best Spanish teachers for him.

The young Velazquez wrote mainly ordinary people. His paintings “The Old Cook”, “Breakfast” and “The Water Carrier in Seville” deserved high praise. His canvas “The Adoration of the Magi” also caused great delight and Velazquez received the position of royal painter in Madrid. Only he can now paint personal portraits of the royal family and Philip IV himself. Also in Madrid, the artist meets Rubens and gets acquainted with the works of Titian, da Vinci and Raphael. He devotes two years of his life to traveling to Italy and studying the works of local authors. Here he painted the famous “Forge of Vulcan”, as well as his best painting “The Surrender of Breda”. In the 1650s, the artist created another series of his immortal masterpieces: “Villa Medici”, “Spinners”, “Las Meninas” and the famous painting “Venus in front of the Mirror”.

10. Rafael Santi

Rafael Santi is one of the most famous artists in the world, whose fame began at the age of 17. A few years later he joined the Pope as a court painter. Young Raphael had to compete with such talents as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. In skill, he was clearly inferior to them, but he always completed his work to the end.

In Raphael's work, many paintings are devoted to the image of the Madonna. His works also gained enormous popularity: “The Transfiguration of the Lord,” “Angel” and others. He also painted portraits, composed poetry, painted temples and was engaged in architecture. It was as if he was trying to do everything possible, foreseeing his death at an early age.

Message quote The most famous and significant paintings of the world for the history of art. | 33 masterpieces of world painting.

Below the pictures of the artists they belong to there are links to the posts.

The immortal paintings of great artists are admired by millions of people. Art, classical and modern, is one of the most important sources of inspiration, taste and cultural education any person, and even more so a creative one.
There are certainly more than 33 world-famous paintings. There are several hundred of them, and all of them would not fit into one review. Therefore, for ease of viewing, we have selected several paintings that are most significant for world culture and are often copied in advertising. Each work is accompanied interesting fact, explanation artistic meaning or the history of its creation.

Kept in the Old Masters Gallery in Dresden.

The painting has little secret: The background, which appears to be clouds from a distance, turns out to be the heads of angels upon closer inspection. And the two angels depicted in the picture below became the motif of numerous postcards and posters.

Rembrandt "Night Watch" 1642
Kept in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

The true title of Rembrandt’s painting is “The Performance of the Rifle Company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” Art historians who discovered the painting in the 19th century thought that the figures were standing out against a dark background, and it was called “Night Watch.” Later it was discovered that a layer of soot makes the picture dark, but the action actually takes place during the day. However, the painting has already been included in the treasury of world art under the name “Night Watch”.

Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper" 1495-1498
Located in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

Over the more than 500-year history of the work, the fresco has been destroyed more than once: a doorway was cut through the painting and then blocked, the refectory of the monastery where the image is located was used as an armory, a prison, and was bombed. The famous fresco was restored at least five times, with the last restoration taking 21 years. Today, to view the art, visitors must reserve tickets in advance and can spend only 15 minutes in the refectory.

Salvador Dali "The Persistence of Memory" 1931

According to the author himself, the painting was painted as a result of associations that arose in Dali when he saw processed cheese. Returning from the cinema, where she went that evening, Gala quite correctly predicted that no one, once they saw The Persistence of Memory, would forget it.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Tower of Babel" 1563
Kept in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

According to Bruegel, the failure that befell the construction of the Tower of Babel was not due to those who suddenly appeared according to the biblical story language barriers, but mistakes made during the construction process. At first glance, the huge structure seems quite strong, but upon closer examination it is clear that all the tiers are laid unevenly, the lower floors are either unfinished or are already collapsing, the building itself is tilting towards the city, and the prospects for the entire project are very sad.

Kazimir Malevich “Black Square” 1915

According to the artist, he painted the picture for several months. Subsequently, Malevich made several copies of “Black Square” (according to some sources, seven). According to one version, the artist was unable to finish work on the painting in required deadline, so he had to cover up the work with black paint. Subsequently, after public recognition, Malevich painted new “Black Squares” on blank canvases. Malevich also painted “Red Square” (in two copies) and one “White Square”.

Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin “Bathing the Red Horse” 1912
Located in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

Painted in 1912, the painting turned out to be visionary. The red horse acts as the Fate of Russia or Russia itself, which the fragile and young rider is unable to hold. Thus, the artist symbolically predicted with his painting the “red” fate of Russia in the 20th century.

Peter Paul Rubens "The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus" 1617-1618
Kept in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.

The painting “The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus” is considered the personification of manly passion and physical beauty. The strong, muscular arms of young men pick up young naked women to put them on horses. The sons of Zeus and Leda steal their cousins' brides.

Paul Gauguin "Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" 1898
Kept in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

According to Gauguin himself, the painting should be read from right to left - three main groups of figures illustrate the questions posed in the title. Three women with a child represent the beginning of life; middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, according to the artist’s plan, “ old woman, approaching death, seems reconciled and given over to her thoughts”, at her feet “a strange white bird... represents the futility of words.”

Eugene Delacroix "Liberty Leading the People" 1830
Kept in the Louvre in Paris

Delacroix created a painting based on the July Revolution of 1830 in France. In a letter to his brother on October 12, 1830, Delacroix writes: “If I did not fight for my Motherland, then at least I will write for it.” The bare chest of a woman leading the people symbolizes the dedication of the French people of that time, who went bare-chested against the enemy.

Claude Monet "Impression. Rising Sun" 1872
Kept in the Marmottan Museum in Paris.

The title of the work is “Impression, soleil levant” with light hand journalist L. Leroy became the name artistic direction"impressionism". The painting was painted from life in the old outport of Le Havre in France.

Jan Vermeer "Girl with a Pearl Earring" 1665
Kept in the Mauritshuis Gallery in The Hague.

One of the most famous paintings by the Dutch artist Jan Vermeer is often called the Nordic or Dutch Mona Lisa. Very little is known about the painting: it is undated and the name of the girl depicted is unknown. In 2003, based on the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier, it was filmed Feature Film“Girl with a Pearl Earring”, in which the history of the creation of the painting is hypothetically restored in the context of biography and family life Vermeer.

Ivan Aivazovsky “The Ninth Wave” 1850
Kept in St. Petersburg in the State Russian Museum.

Ivan Aivazovsky is a world-famous Russian marine painter who devoted his life to depicting the sea. He created about six thousand works, each of which received recognition during the artist’s lifetime. The painting “The Ninth Wave” is included in the book “100 Great Paintings”.

Andrey Rublev “Trinity” 1425-1427

The Icon of the Holy Trinity, painted by Andrei Rublev in the 15th century, is one of the most famous Russian icons. The icon is a board in a vertical format. Tsars (Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Mikhail Fedorovich) “overlaid” the icon with gold, silver and precious stones. Today the salary is stored in Sergiev Posad state museum-reserve.

Mikhail Vrubel “Seated Demon” 1890
Kept in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

The plot of the film is inspired by Lermontov’s poem “The Demon”. The demon is an image of the strength of the human spirit, internal struggle, doubt. Tragically clasping his hands, the Demon sits with sad, huge eyes directed into the distance, surrounded by unprecedented flowers.

William Blake "The Great Architect" 1794
Kept in the British Museum in London.

The title of the painting “The Ancient of Days” literally translates from English as “Ancient of Days.” This phrase was used as the name of God. Main character The paintings show God at the moment of creation, who does not establish order, but limits freedom and denotes the limits of imagination.

Edouard Manet "Bar at the Folies Bergere" 1882
Kept at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

The Folies Bergere is a variety show and cabaret in Paris. Manet often visited the Folies Bergere and ended up painting this painting, his last before his death in 1883. Behind the bar, in the middle of a crowd of drinking, eating, talking and smoking, a barmaid stands absorbed in her own thoughts, watching the trapeze acrobat, who can be seen in the upper left corner of the picture.

Titian “Earthly Love and Heavenly Love” 1515-1516
Kept in the Galleria Borghese in Rome.

It is noteworthy that the modern name of the painting was not given by the artist himself, but began to be used only two centuries later. Until this time, the painting had various titles: “Beauty, Embellished and Unadorned” (1613), “Three Types of Love” (1650), “Divine and Secular Women” (1700), and, ultimately, “Earthly Love and Heavenly Love” "(1792 and 1833).

Mikhail Nesterov “Vision to the youth Bartholomew” 1889-1890
Kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

The first and most significant work from a series dedicated to Sergius of Radonezh. Until the end of his days, the artist was convinced that “Vision to the Youth Bartholomew” was his best work. In his old age, the artist liked to repeat: “It’s not me who will live. “The Youth Bartholomew” will live. Now, if thirty, fifty years after my death he still says something to people, that means he’s alive, and that means I’m alive.”

Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Parable of the Blind" 1568
Kept in the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.

Other titles of the painting are “The Blind”, “Parabola of the Blind”, “The Blind Leading the Blind”. It is believed that the plot of the film is based on the biblical parable of the blind: “If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit.”

Victor Vasnetsov “Alyonushka” 1881
Kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery.

It is based on the fairy tale “About Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka.” Initially, Vasnetsov’s painting was called “Fool Alyonushka.” At that time, orphans were called “fools.” “Alyonushka,” the artist himself later said, “seemed to have lived in my head for a long time, but in reality I saw her in Akhtyrka, when I met one simple-haired girl who captured my imagination. There was so much melancholy, loneliness and purely Russian sadness in her eyes... Some special Russian spirit wafted from her.”

Vincent van Gogh "Starry Night" 1889
Kept in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Unlike most of the artist’s paintings, “ Starlight Night"was written from memory. Van Gogh was at that time in the Saint-Rémy hospital, tormented by attacks of madness.

Karl Bryullov “The Last Day of Pompeii” 1830-1833
Kept in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

The painting depicts the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. e. and the destruction of the city of Pompeii near Naples. The artist's image in the left corner of the painting is a self-portrait of the author.

Pablo Picasso “Girl on a Ball” 1905
Stored in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow

The painting ended up in Russia thanks to industrialist Ivan Abramovich Morozov, who purchased it in 1913 for 16,000 francs. In 1918, the personal collection of I. A. Morozov was nationalized. Currently the painting is in the collection of the State Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin.

Leonardo da Vinci "Madonna Litta" 1491

Kept in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

The original title of the painting was “Madonna and Child.” The modern name of the painting comes from the name of its owner - Count Litta, owner of the family art gallery in Milan. There is an assumption that the figure of the baby was not painted by Leonardo da Vinci, but belongs to the brush of one of his students. This is evidenced by the baby's pose, which is unusual for the author's style.

Jean Ingres "Turkish Baths" 1862
Kept in the Louvre in Paris.

Ingres finished painting this picture when he was already over 80 years old. With this painting, the artist sums up the image of bathers, the theme of which has long been present in his work. Initially, the canvas was in the shape of a square, but a year after its completion the artist turned it into a round painting - a tondo.

Ivan Shishkin, Konstantin Savitsky “Morning in a pine forest” 1889
Stored in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow

“Morning in a Pine Forest” is a painting by Russian artists Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky. Savitsky painted the bears, but the collector Pavel Tretyakov, when he acquired the painting, erased his signature, so now Shishkin alone is indicated as the author of the painting.

Mikhail Vrubel “The Swan Princess” 1900
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery

The painting is based on the stage image of the heroine of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” based on the plot of the fairy tale of the same name by A. S. Pushkin. Vrubel created sketches for the scenery and costumes for the 1900 premiere of the opera, and his wife sang the role of the Swan Princess.

Giuseppe Arcimboldo “Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II as Vertumnus” 1590
Located in Skokloster Castle in Stockholm.

One of the few surviving works of the artist, who composed portraits from fruits, vegetables, flowers, crustaceans, fish, pearls, musical and other instruments, books, and so on. "Vertumnus" is a portrait of the emperor, represented as the ancient Roman god of seasons, vegetation and transformation. In the picture, Rudolph consists entirely of fruits, flowers and vegetables.

Edgar Degas "Blue Dancers" 1897
Located in the Museum of Art. A. S. Pushkin in Moscow.

Sandro Botticelli "Birth of Venus" 1486
Kept in Florence in the Uffizi Gallery

The painting illustrates the myth of the birth of Aphrodite. A naked goddess swims to the shore in an open shell, driven by the wind. On the left side of the painting, Zephyr (the west wind), in the arms of his wife Chloris, blows on a shell, creating a wind filled with flowers. On the shore, the goddess is met by one of the graces. The Birth of Venus is well preserved due to the fact that Botticelli applied it to the painting protective layer from egg yolk.

) in her expressive, sweeping works was able to preserve the transparency of the fog, the lightness of the sail, and the smooth rocking of the ship on the waves.

Her paintings amaze with their depth, volume, richness, and the texture is such that it is impossible to take your eyes off them.

Warm simplicity of Valentin Gubarev

Primitivist artist from Minsk Valentin Gubarev doesn't chase fame and just does what he loves. His work is incredibly popular abroad, but almost unknown to his compatriots. In the mid-90s, the French fell in love with his everyday sketches and signed a contract with the artist for 16 years. The paintings, which, it would seem, should only be understandable to us, bearers of the “modest charm of undeveloped socialism,” appealed to the European public, and exhibitions began in Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain and other countries.

Sensual realism of Sergei Marshennikov

Sergei Marshennikov is 41 years old. He lives in St. Petersburg and works in best traditions classical Russian school realistic portrait painting. The heroines of his canvases are women who are tender and defenseless in their half-nakedness. On many of the most famous paintings depicts the artist's muse and wife, Natalya.

The Myopic World of Philip Barlow

In the modern era of high-resolution images and the rise of hyperrealism, the work of Philip Barlow immediately attracts attention. However, a certain effort is required from the viewer in order to force himself to look at the blurry silhouettes and bright spots on the author’s canvases. This is probably how people suffering from myopia see the world without glasses and contact lenses.

Sunny bunnies by Laurent Parselier

Painting by Laurent Parcelier is amazing world, in which there is neither sadness nor despondency. You won’t find gloomy and rainy pictures from him. His canvases contain a lot of light, air and bright colors, which the artist applies with characteristic, recognizable strokes. This creates the feeling that the paintings are woven from a thousand sunbeams.

Urban dynamics in the works of Jeremy Mann

American artist Jeremy Mann paints dynamic portraits of a modern metropolis in oil on wood panels. “Abstract shapes, lines, the contrast of light and dark spots - all create a picture that evokes the feeling that a person experiences in the crowd and bustle of the city, but can also express the calm that is found when contemplating quiet beauty,” says the artist.

The Illusory World of Neil Simon

In the paintings of British artist Neil Simone, nothing is as it seems at first glance. “For me, the world around me is a series of fragile and ever-changing shapes, shadows and boundaries,” says Simon. And in his paintings everything is truly illusory and interconnected. Boundaries are blurred, and stories flow into each other.

Love drama by Joseph Lorasso

An Italian by birth, the contemporary American artist Joseph Lorusso transfers onto canvas subjects he spied in Everyday life ordinary people. Hugs and kisses, passionate outbursts, moments of tenderness and desire fill his emotional pictures.

Country life of Dmitry Levin

Dmitry Levin is a recognized master of Russian landscape, who has established himself as a talented representative of the Russian realistic school. The most important source of his art is his attachment to nature, which he loves tenderly and passionately and of which he feels himself a part.

Bright East by Valery Blokhin

Art has accompanied man throughout his entire history, starting from the moment the first primitive brush was invented. Be it the Bhimbetka cave paintings or the Mona Lisa in Paris, art has found its way everywhere. It doesn’t matter who or how the art of antiquity was created or modern Art- every small episode in the life of any creative person has the right to be recorded in history. But among people there will definitely be a place for those who not only deserve this place, but are simply obliged to take it. Not because the works he created were incredibly complex, but because they made people feel real emotions. Meet 15 the greatest artists that have ever lived.

1. Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

Anyone who showed at least some interest in art as a child has probably heard the name Picasso. Spanish artist led creative life, later becoming one of the most influential and famous artists of the 20th century. He not only painted pictures, but was also a sculptor, poet, and playwright. And all this is in addition to the huge number of his other activities. One of his best works can be considered “Guernica” (1937), created as a response to the bombing of the Basque city of Guernica by Nazi troops.

It was one of many bombings that lasted more than two hours and claimed thousands of innocent lives. Today the painting is a reminder of this tragedy and the consequences of the war for people, ordinary citizens in particular. After Picasso completed Guernica, the painting went on a short tour, becoming a popular anti-war symbol and gaining fame among critics and ordinary people alike.

2. Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)

Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist who is still considered one of the most famous and influential artists in Western art. He created about 2,000 works in a period of time of just over 10 years. Among them, about 800 were written in the last few years of his life. He committed suicide at the age of 37 due to serious mental disorders and poverty.

“The Starry Night” (1889) is one of his most famous works, written during his stay in psychiatric hospital in France. It represents a view from a window of a fictitious village, over which a bright yellow sun rises. This is one of the most recognizable paintings not only in the art world, but throughout the world.

3. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian artist, sculptor, mathematician and inventor, and was also engaged in research in architecture, science, music, engineering, astronomy, geology and many other fields. This is why he received the name “Renaissance Man”, as he had knowledge in almost every field available at that time. Probably his most famous painting can be called the “Mona Lisa” (1503-1506), which is considered the most visited, recognizable and parodied painting in its history.

The reason for her popularity is the elusive mystery, the mysterious smile of the girl depicted in the portrait. Many historians, when they first saw this painting, described it as something that no photograph could capture. The portrait is believed to depict Lisa del Giocondo, wife of Francesco del Giocondo. The Italian title of the Mona Lisa is “La Gioconda,” which means “jocund” (happy or alive, which can be considered a pun on the family's surname, Giocondo. The French title of the painting, “La Joconde,” has the same meaning).

4. Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669)

Rembrandt van Rijn, better known simply as Rembrandt, was Dutch artist Baroque era. He was a master of his craft in three areas - drawing, painting and engraving. Due to his versatility, he is rightfully considered the greatest visual artist in the history of art. His versatility allowed him to paint everything from landscapes and portraits to historical events and biblical scenes.

One of his most popular works- “Night Watch” (1642), now in the State Museum of Amsterdam. The painting is notable for three qualities: its size (about 360 centimeters wide and 430 centimeters high), the play of movement in a traditionally still military portrait, and the use of light and shadow, in which Rembrandt was exceptionally experienced and skillful.

5. Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675)

Johannes Vermeer was another Dutch artist who specialized in depicting interior decorations poor homes and middle-class life. Although he was not recognized during his lifetime, his works were rediscovered in 1860.

Then some of his paintings were mistakenly attributed to other artists, but soon the true author was established thanks to the painstaking work of art critics and historians. To date, 34 works by Vermeer are known. The most famous of his paintings is “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (1665). The portrait is notable for the living, breathing look of a European girl dressed in exotic clothing, as well as an unusually large polished earring, believed to be a pearl.

6. Michelangelo (1475-1564)

A rival of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo was also considered a Renaissance man for his skills in sculpture, painting and poetry. His influence and contribution to the development of Western art is unparalleled to this day. His most famous creation is considered the Statue of David (1501-1504), a 17-meter marble sculpture of the biblical hero of the same name, a favorite of Florentine artists of the time.

The statue eventually came to symbolize the civil liberties that were under threat in the Republic of Florence, a city that rivaled all the powerful cities of the time and opposed their political hegemony.

7. Edvard Munch (1863-1944)

Edvard Munch was a Norwegian expressionist painter and printmaker. It is known for its psychological themes and overtones, which are largely influenced by 19th century symbolism. His work greatly influenced German expressionism of the early 20th century.

His most famous and recognizable painting is “The Scream” (1893-1910), which has four separate versions in two different options: made in oil and pastel. The painting is notable for its painful and harsh, but at the same time tastefully chosen colors, and the frozen emotion depicted on a highly simplistic face against a bright orange background.

8. Salvador Dali (1904-1989)

One of the most famous artists of the surrealist movement, Dali is best known for his absurdly whimsical aesthetic, which carries over from painting to painting. His art was an extension of himself, but given his Spanish expressiveness and love of attention, he was no less renowned for his eccentric behavior. His most famous work"The Persistence of Memory" (1931).

One interpretation of the picture is how time begins to melt away as soon as a person falls asleep. When asked what exactly inspired Salvador Dali to paint this painting, he replied that the shape of the melting clock was inspired by Camembert cheese melting in the sun.

9. Claude Monet (1840-1926)

Claude Monet, often referred to as one of the founders of Impressionism, was a French artist and one of the most brilliant and talented pioneers of the French Impressionist movement. In fact, the term “Impressionism” itself was coined after he created a painting called “Impression, Soleil Levant” (“Impression, Sunrise”).

His most famous work is Water Lilies (1840 to 1926), a series of 250 paintings depicting the garden at the French artist's home in Giverny, France. This series was the main focus of the artist's work during the last 30 years of his life.

10. Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)

Jackson Pollock was an American artist and leader of Abstract Impressionism. He became famous for his unusual drip painting techniques, in which paint is poured or dripped onto the canvas. Pollock was notorious for his addiction to alcohol, which led to the car accident that took his life in 1956.

One of his most famous paintings- “No 5, 1948” (1948) – one of the most expensive paintings in the world. The artist showed immense control and discipline in an image full of chaos. The painting acquired the name “Bird's Nest”, thanks to the gray, brown, yellow and white colors entangled with each other.

11. Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was one of the leaders of the Impressionist movement. French artist well known for his depictions of female sensuality and his worship of beauty. One of his most famous works is “Ball at the Moulin de la Galette” (1876), which in typical impressionist style captures the essence of the open-air party on Parisian Sunday evenings where the city's inhabitants could drink, dance, chat and be merry.

12. Gustav Klimt (1862-1918)

Gustav Klimt was an Austrian symbolist artist, best known for his works of explicit eroticism, varied paintings, sketches and still lifes. Along with the image female body Klimt also painted landscapes and scenes, partly influenced by Japanese art. One of his most famous works is The Kiss (1907-1908), one of the gems of his golden period. This period of his work was defined by the spectacular use of gold tones in his work, often using real gold leaf.

13. Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)

One of the most powerful artists of her time and remains so to this day, Frida Kahlo was a Mexican surrealist best known for her self-portraits imbued with loneliness and detachment. Her works are regarded as emblematic of Mexican traditions, and are widely beloved by feminists for their vivid and authentic portrayals. inner world women.

One of her most famous works is “Self-Portrait with a Necklace of Thorns and a Hummingbird” (1940). They are most notable as examples of her free use of symbolism. The spiked necklace and the lifeless hanging hummingbird may have symbolized her inner agony.

14. René Magritte (1898-1967)

René Magritte was a Belgian surrealist artist best known for his use of household items to convey your ornate perception of the everyday world. He was also known for creating works that made the viewer think, encouraging them to break away from preconceived notions of reality.

One of his famous works that adheres to this principle is The Treachery of Images (928-1929), which represents smoking pipe with the inscription “Ceci n"est pas une pipe” (This is not a pipe). And it really is not a pipe simply because it is just an image of it. This technique and style of changing what we know as reality was common to all his works and ideas.

15. Andy Warhol (1928-1987)

Andy Warhol was an American visual artist who is best known for his style called “pop art.” His work explored the relationships between the glamor film industry, advertising, popular culture and artistic expression.

His most famous work is Campbell's Soup (1962), which consists of 32 fragments, each 51 centimeters high and 41 centimeters wide. Each of the elements can be considered a separate picture. The custom pieces were produced using semi-automated screen printing, which greatly helped in the development of Pop Art and the convergence of popular culture with visual art as we know it today.