“Every portrait painted with feeling is, in essence, a portrait of the artist, and not of the person who posed for him.” Oscar Wilde
What does it take to be an artist? A simple imitation of a work cannot be considered art. Art is something that comes from within. The author's idea, passion, search, desires and sorrows, which are embodied on the artist's canvas. Throughout the history of mankind, hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions of paintings have been painted. Some of them are truly masterpieces, known all over the world, even people who have nothing to do with art know them. Is it possible to identify the 25 most outstanding among such paintings? The task is very difficult, but we tried...
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25"The Persistence of Memory", Salvador Dali
Thanks to this painting, Dali became famous at a fairly young age, he was 28 years old. The painting has several other titles - “Soft Hours”, “Hardness of Memory”. This masterpiece has attracted the attention of many art critics. Basically, they were interested in the interpretation of the painting. It is said that the idea behind Dali's painting is related to Einstein's theory of relativity.
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24"Dance", Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse was not always an artist. He discovered his love for painting after receiving a law degree in Paris. He studied art so zealously that he became one of the greatest artists in the world. This painting has very little negative criticism from art critics. It reflects a combination of pagan rituals, dance and music. People dance in a trance. Three colors - green, blue and red, symbolize Earth, Sky and Humanity.
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23"The Kiss", Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt was often criticized for the nudity in his paintings. "The Kiss" was noticed by critics as it merged all forms of art. The painting could be a depiction of the artist himself and his lover, Emilia. Klimt wrote this painting under the influence Byzantine mosaic. The Byzantines used gold in their paintings. In the same way, Gustav Klimt mixed gold in his paints to create his own style painting.
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22"Sleeping Gypsy", Henri Rousseau
No one except Rousseau himself could describe this picture better. Here is his description - “a nomadic gypsy who sings her songs to the accompaniment of a mandolin, sleeps on the ground from fatigue, her jug of drinking water lies nearby. A lion passing by came up to sniff her, but did not touch her. Everything is bathed in moonlight, a very poetic atmosphere.” It is noteworthy that Henri Rousseau is self-taught.
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21"The Last Judgment", Hieronymus Bosch
Without unnecessary words- the picture is simply magnificent. This triptych is the largest surviving painting by Bosch. The left wing shows the story of Adam and Eve. The central part is the "last judgment" on the part of Jesus - who should go to heaven and who should go to hell. The earth we see here is burning. The right wing depicts a disgusting image of hell.
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20
Everyone knows Narcissus from Greek mythology- a man who was obsessed with his appearance. Dali wrote his own interpretation of Narcissus.
This is the story. The beautiful young man Narcissus easily broke the hearts of many girls. The gods intervened and, to punish him, showed him his reflection in the water. The narcissist fell in love with himself and eventually died because he was never able to embrace himself. Then the Gods regretted doing this to him and decided to immortalize him in the form of a narcissus flower.
On the left side of the picture is Narcissus looking at his reflection. After which he fell in love with himself. The right panel shows the events that unfolded after, including the resulting flower, the daffodil.
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19
The plot of the film is based on the biblical massacre of the infants in Bethlehem. After the birth of Christ became known from the wise men, King Herod ordered the killing of all small male children and infants in Bethlehem. In the picture, the massacre is at its peak, the last few children, who were taken from their mothers, await their merciless death. Also visible are the corpses of children, for whom everything is already behind them.
Thanks to his use of rich colors, Rubens's painting has become a world-famous masterpiece.
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18
Pollock's work is very different from other artists. He placed his canvas on the ground and moved around and around the canvas, dripping paint from above onto the canvas using sticks, brushes and syringes. Thanks to this unique technique, he was nicknamed “Sprinkler Jack” in artistic circles. For some time, this painting held the title of the most expensive painting in the world.
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17
Also known as "Dancing at Le Moulin de la Galette". This painting is considered one of Renoir's most joyful paintings. The idea of the film is to show viewers the fun side of Parisian life. At detailed study painting, you can see that Renoir placed several of his friends on the canvas. Because the painting appears slightly blurred, it was initially criticized by Renoir's contemporaries.
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16
The plot is taken from the Bible. The painting “The Last Supper” depicts Christ’s last supper before his arrest. He had just spoken to his apostles and told them that one of them would betray him. All the apostles are saddened and tell him that it is, of course, not them. It was this moment that Da Vinci beautifully depicted through his vivid depiction. The great Leonardo took four years to complete this painting.
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15
Monet's "Water Lilies" can be found everywhere. You've probably seen them on wallpaper, posters and art magazine covers. The fact is that Monet was obsessed with lilies. Before he started painting them, he grew countless numbers of these flowers. Monet built a bridge in Japanese style in his garden over a lily pond. He was so pleased with what he had achieved that he drew this plot seventeen times in one year.
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14
There is something sinister and mysterious in this picture; there is an aura of fear around it. Only such a master as Munch was able to depict fear on paper. Munch made four versions of The Scream in oil and pastel. According to the entries in Munch's diary, it is quite clear that he himself believed in death and spirits. In the painting “The Scream,” he depicted himself at the moment when one day, while walking with friends, he felt fear and excitement, which he wanted to paint.
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13
The painting, which is usually mentioned as a symbol of motherhood, was not supposed to become one. It is said that Whistler's model, who was supposed to sit for the painting, did not show up, and he decided to paint his mother instead. We can say that the sad life of the artist’s mother is depicted here. This mood is due to the dark colors that are used in this painting.
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12
Picasso met Dora Maar in Paris. They say that she was intellectually closer to Picasso than all his previous mistresses. Using Cubism, Picasso was able to convey movement in his work. It seems that Maar's face turns to the right, towards Picasso's face. The artist made the woman's presence almost real. Maybe he wanted to feel like she was there, always.
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11
Van Gogh wrote Starry Night while undergoing treatment, where he was only allowed to paint while his condition improved. Earlier in the same year, he cut off his left earlobe. Many considered the artist crazy. From the entire collection of Van Gogh's works " Starlight Night" gained its greatest fame, perhaps due to the unusual spherical light around the stars.
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10
In this painting, Manet recreated Titian's Venus of Urbino. The artist had a bad reputation for depicting prostitutes. Although gentlemen at that time visited courtesans quite often, they did not think that anyone would take it into their heads to paint them. Then it was preferable for artists to paint pictures of historical, mythical or biblical themes. However, Manet, going against the criticism, showed the audience their contemporary.
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9
This painting - historical painting, which depicts Napoleon's conquest of Spain.
Having received an order for paintings depicting the struggle of the people of Spain against Napoleon, the artist did not paint heroic and pathetic canvases. He chose the moment when the Spanish rebels were shot by French soldiers. Each of the Spaniards experiences this moment in their own way, some have already resigned themselves, but for others the main battle has just arrived. War, blood and death, that's what Goya actually depicted.
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8
It is believed that the girl depicted is eldest daughter Vermeer, Maria. Its features are present in many of his works, but they are difficult to compare. A book with the same title was written by Tracy Chevalier. But Tracy has a completely different version of who is depicted in this picture. She claims that she took this topic because there is very little information about Vermeer and his paintings, and this particular painting exudes a mysterious atmosphere. Later, a film was made based on her novel.
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7
The exact title of the painting is “Performance of the Rifle Company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” The Rifle Society was a civilian militia that was called upon to defend the city. In addition to the militia, Rembrandt added several extra people to the composition. Considering that he bought an expensive house while painting this picture, it may well be true that he received a huge fee for The Night's Watch.
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6
Although the painting contains an image of Velázquez himself, it is not a self-portrait. main character paintings - Infanta Margaret, daughter of King Philip IV. This depicts the moment when Velázquez, working on a portrait of the king and queen, is forced to stop and look at the Infanta Margarita, who has just entered the room with her retinue. The painting looks almost alive, arousing curiosity in the audience.
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5
This is the only painting by Bruegel that was painted in oil rather than tempera. There are still doubts about the authenticity of the painting, mainly for two reasons. Firstly, he did not paint in oils, and secondly, recent research has shown that under the layer of painting there is a schematic drawing of poor quality that does not belong to Bruegel.
The painting depicts the story of Icarus and the moment of his fall. According to myth, Icarus' feathers were attached with wax, and because Icarus rose very close to the sun, the wax melted and he fell into the water. This landscape inspired W. H. Auden to write his most famous poem on the same topic.
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4
The School of Athens is perhaps the most famous fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist, Raphael.
In this fresco at the School of Athens, all the great mathematicians, philosophers and scientists have gathered under one roof, sharing their theories and learning from each other. All the heroes lived in different time, but Raphael placed them all in one room. Some of the figures are Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras and Ptolemy. A closer look reveals that this painting also contains a self-portrait of Raphael himself. Every artist would like to leave their mark, the only difference is the form. Although maybe he considered himself one of these great figures?
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3
Michelangelo never considered himself an artist, he always thought of himself more as a sculptor. But, he managed to create an amazing, exquisite fresco that the whole world is in awe of. This masterpiece is on the ceiling Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Michelangelo was commissioned to paint several Bible stories, one of which is the creation of Adam. In this picture the sculptor in Michelangelo is clearly visible. Adam's human body is rendered with incredible precision using vibrant colors and precise muscle forms. So, we can agree with the author, after all, he is more of a sculptor.
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2"Mona Lisa", Leonardo da Vinci
Although it is the most studied painting, the Mona Lisa still remains the most mysterious. Leonardo said that he never stopped working on it. Only his death, as they say, completed work on the canvas. "Mona Lisa" is the first Italian portrait in which the model is depicted from the waist up. Mona Lisa's skin appears to glow due to the use of several layers of transparent oils. Being scientists Leonardo da Vinci used all his knowledge to make the image of Mona Lisa realistic. As for who exactly is depicted in the painting, it still remains a mystery.
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1
The painting shows Venus, the goddess of love, floating on a shell in the wind, which is blown by Zephyr, the god of the west wind. She is met on the shore by Ora, the goddess of the seasons, who is ready to dress the newborn deity. The model for Venus is considered to be Simonetta Cattaneo de Vespucci. Simonetta Cattaneo died at 22, and Botticelli wished to be buried next to her. He was bound by unrequited love with her. This painting is the most exquisite work of art ever created.
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Conclusion
This was an article TOP 25 most famous paintings in the world. Thank you for your attention!
If you ask art historians, critics and cultural experts “who is the best artist?”, there will be dozens of different answers. This is due to the fact that there is no single standard by which to measure the value of an artist or sculpture. Fine art is too subjective for such assessments. In addition, the reputation and treatment of a painter may vary depending on current fashion. Sometimes critics contribute. For example, John Ruskin's review of Annibal Carracci had a huge impact on the reputation of the Bolognese school. Therefore, it is impossible to say with confidence who is the best artist on the planet. However..
Expensive is not necessarily the best
Prices famous auctions give some idea of the most valuable works of art and styles, but the vast majority of masterpieces are located in museums and public galleries. For example, Mona Lisa, by the brilliant Leonardo, is part of the permanent collection of the Louvre (Paris). Its value is estimated at $1 billion, but it will never be sold at auction. The same goes for other masterpieces by old masters such as Jan Van Eyck, Titian, Rubens, Velazquez, El Greco, Rembrandt, Jan Vermeer, Goya, as well as later painters such as William Turner, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Pollock , Dali and others.
Gauguin painting sold for record $300 million
Masterpieces that museums are unable to exhibit are often found in public buildings. Most shining example- frescoes by the Florentine genius Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel. Raphael's dances also perfectly illustrate this statement.
Conclusion: market prices in international trading floors are not a fair metric in assessing painting.
Criteria for the best artist
In theory, you could create a list of criteria to try to create a specific list of the best painters or sculptors. For example, you can use the following factors as a basic guideline.
- Price. The importance of the price of a work is refuted above.
- Strength and durability. How well and firmly the work is created takes place in the comparison of works, but this will not help answer the main question, because in this case the majority contemporary artists will not be able to take part in this kind of competition at all.
- Influence on contemporaries. It seems that contemporaries should be able to assess the significance of an artist or sculptor, but this is not so. Unfortunately, many great masters died incomprehensible and poor.
- Current opinion. Undoubtedly, the most democratic criterion for identifying a great master. Although this approach does not exclude nationalist opinions. For example, the Spaniards will prefer Velazquez and Rubens, the French will like Monet and Renoir, the Germans will consider Durer and Holbein the best, and so on. The same can be said about the opinions given by the world's leading art museums.
- Artistic techniques and technology. It is difficult to agree with this evaluation criterion, since neither graduates of the best art academies nor greatest masters Oil painters will not be able to become better creators in this case. Great art requires more than just technical mastery or the ability to use an unusual technique.
There are many reputable (and not so reputable) art books, articles on the Internet and various media materials that try to compile a list of the best artists. Their problem is the subjectivity of criteria and substitution of concepts. These sources can be used as a general guide. Of course, expert opinion has weight, however, it is just an opinion.
Best artist of all time? Personal decision!
Ultimately, the choice is given to the person asking the question. Try to convince an ardent admirer of impressionism that greatest artist in history - Raphael. You won't succeed. Each of us has different aesthetic and stylistic preferences, be it Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Realism, Expressionism, Cubism, Surrealism or Pop Art. Some people like abstract images, others admire accuracy and realism. The lack of a unified interpretation of “beauty” creates many adored and hated trends. However, in order to make an informed choice and eliminate errors in choosing the best artist, you need to familiarize yourself with a certain number of works of world art. After that, the choice is a personal matter.
Different cultures in art criticism
Most Western art historians are likely to be familiar with few works by masters from China and Japan, and vice versa. Even if researchers and specialists study works of art from foreign countries and cultures, most likely attention, respect and understanding will not increase in the works. In other words, opinions about the best sculptures and paintings are formed under the influence of culture and mentality.
List of the 10 best artists and sculptors. Artrue version.
Taking into account the above, this list was created based on the following principles:
- Reputation over the years;
- Outstanding compositions and aesthetic beauty(as understood by the editors);
- Impact on culture.
Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640)
An influential figure in the Baroque style, Rubens dabbled in almost every genre, including history and portraiture. In addition, he designed tapestries, book illustrations, jewelry, cartoons, sketches for sculptures and much more. The artist's style was significantly influenced by the Flemish masters.
Auguste Rodin (1840–1917)
A shy workaholic, Rodin was one of the most influential sculptors. modern era and a worthy heir to the traditions of Donatello, Michelangelo, Bernini and Giambologna. Constantin Brancusi described it as "the starting point of modern sculpture."
Thinker
Claude Monet (1840–1926)
Leader and Follower French impressionism and plein air painting, Monet had a passion for depicting various manifestations of light. Among his followers are Berthe Morisot, Edgar Degas, Edouard Vuillard and others.
William Turner (1775–1851)
The greatest landscape painter in the history of art was first exhibited at London's Royal Academy at the age of 15. His oil paintings and watercolor work had a revolutionary impact. Respected by his contemporaries, Turner himself had endless respect for the old masters.
Leonardo Da Vinci (1452–1519)
Mona Lisa
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)
In addition to masterpieces in the style of analytical and synthetic cubism, Picasso also had experience creating sculptures and was involved in design. Revolutionary paintings Pablo actually began a new era of fine art, and his influence on the masters of the 20th century is difficult to overestimate.
Avignon girls
Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669)
The Dutch genius of realism created great amount stunning masterpieces, including historical works, group and individual portraits, genre paintings, still lifes and self-portraits. Rembrandt also influenced modern artists through his engravings.
Self-portrait with beret
Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564)
Vermeer
One of the most expressive representatives genre painting. In addition to paintings, he is known for his interiors.
It is difficult to assess the significance of a particular artist for world art. But among the many authors, several of the most outstanding personalities, whose creativity 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 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 - 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 the 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 began to openly appear 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 appears 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 bit 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. A new era was opened by Francoise Gilot, who became new wife 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 Once 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 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 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. The complex composition of this canvas 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 loses his new muse Hendrikje Stoffels, and a little later 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 of the 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 that 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, who holds the dead Jesus Christ in her arms, and also sculpted marble sculpture 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 of the Sistine Chapel and the result of his long work did not leave anyone 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 recent 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 manage 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 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 is a 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 writes the famous "Forge of Vulcan", as well as his best picture"Surrender of Breda." In the 1650s, the artist created another series of his immortal masterpieces: “Villa Medici”, “Spinners”, “Las Meninas” and famous picture"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.
Thursday, December 08, 2016 11:56 + to quote book
British newspaper The Times made a rating 200 best artists who lived from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day.
As a result, according to British readers, first place occupied by the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.
Second place given to post-impressionist Paul Cezanne, the third - the founder of Austrian Art Nouveau Gustav Klimt. The last line is occupied by a contemporary Japanese artist Hiroshi Sujimoto.
Featured in the top ten French artists Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Marcel Duchamp And American artist Jackson Pollock.
The top ten is completed by the legend of pop art Andy Warhole, representative of abstract art Willem de Kooning and famous modernist Piet Mondrian.
It is impossible not to notice the overestimation of some artists and the ignoring of others, no less talented. The editors of The Times, summing up the results of the survey, are perplexed: “What is Martin Kippenberger doing in the top 20? Why is he rated higher than Rothko, Schiele and Klee? Is Munch (46th place) worse than Frida Kahlo? Most likely, this is explained by the desire of women to place the fair sex as high as possible in the ranking.
From Russian artists appear in the ranking Basil Kandinsky(15th), creator of "Black Square" " Casimir Malevich(17th). Ukrainian-American artist Alexander was awarded 95th Archipenko. 135th - one of the founders of constructivism Alexander Rodchenko. Also on the list were Marc Chagall-71st, and Vladimir Tatlin- 145th.
Here 20 best artists of the 20th century, according to British art lovers
Twenty best artists of the XX and beginning of the XXI century
1. Pablo Picasso
2. Paul Cezanne
3. Gustav Klimt
4. Claude Monet
5. Marcel Duchamp
6. Henri Matisse
7. Jackson Pollock
8. Andy Warhol
9. Willem de Kooning
10. Piet Mondrian
11. Paul Gauguin
12. Francis Bacon
13. Robert Rauschenberg
14. Georges Braque
15. Wassily Kandinsky
16. Constantin Brancusi
17. Kazimir Malevich
18. Jasper Johns
19. Frida Kahlo
20. Martin Kippenberger
………………
Yes, if such a survey had been conducted here, the list would have been completely different. As well as lists of the best literary works- in each country they differ significantly.
But so far we only have this list, in which we do not know many of the artists.
Therefore - here short story about the first twenty artists.
A full list 200 best artists of the 20th and early 21st centuries- at the end of the post.
...................
1.Picasso Pablo- Spanish artist, graphic artist
8. Andy Warhol(real name - Andrew Warhola, Rusyn. Andriy Vargola; 1928-1987) - American artist and producer, a prominent person in the history of pop art and modern art in general. Founder of the “homo universale” ideology.
Warhol created several paintings that became a sensation in the art world. In 1960, he created the design for Coca-Cola cans, which brought him fame as an artist with an extraordinary vision of art. And in 1960-1962 a series of works appeared depicting cans of Campbell's soup. 
Warhol one of the first to use screen printing and silk-screen printing as a method for creating paintings.
Warhol created a number of paintings in which he depicted idols modern society. Among the stars that Andy painted: repeated Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Lenin and others. These drawings in bright colors have become " business card» Warhol. recreating the atmosphere of America in the 60s. 
According to critics, these paintings reflected the vulgarity of mass consumer culture and the mentality of Western civilization. Warhol is considered one of the representatives of pop art and conceptual art, such as Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein. Currently, prices for his paintings reach tens of millions of dollars. An entire subculture has gathered around the figure of Warhol.
In 2015, the painting was sold to the Qatar Museum Authority for $300 million. 287\237\225
12. Francis Bacon-(1909-1992) - English artist- expressionist. Bacon's painting is always expressive, it is a kind of cry that conveys the tragedy of existence. The main theme of his works is the human body - distorted, elongated, enclosed in geometric figures. Several works are included in the list of the most expensive paintings.
On May 14, 2008, Francis Bacon's 1976 Landmark of the Canonical 20th Century triptych sold at Sotheby's for $86.3 million. Sold by the Muy family, owners of Château Pétrus wine production, to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. And the painter received the title of the most expensive post-war artist and took third place in the top ten most expensive artists in the world in general, behind only Picasso and Klimt. 180\122\96
13.Robert Rauschenberg(1925, Port Arthur -2008, Captiva Island, Florida) - American artist. A representative of abstract expressionism, and then conceptual art and pop art, in his works he gravitated toward collage and readymade techniques, and used garbage.
Like other representatives of pop art, he tried to express his vision of the world in unusual, shocking forms. For this purpose, canvases, collages, and installations were used.
In the early 50s, Rauschenberg went through three stages of creation paintings:
“White painting” - black numbers and some symbols are depicted on a white background.
“Black painting” - scraps of newspapers were glued onto the canvas, and the whole thing was covered with black enamel.
“Red painting” - abstract paintings in red tones, partly with stickers made from newspapers, nails, photographs, etc.
In 1953, Rauschenberg erased a Willem de Kooning drawing and exhibited it under the title “Erased De Kooning Drawing,” raising questions about the nature of art. 
Since the mid-50s, Rauschenberg has been creating spatial objects that he calls “combined paintings,” for example:
“Odalisque” (satin pillow, stuffed chicken, photographs and reproductions)
“Bed” - a bed splattered with paint and placed upright... 
In the late 50s, he mastered the technique of frottage (rubbing, introduced into art by Max Ernst) to transfer magazine photographs onto paper. Rauschenberg used it to create a graphic series of 34 illustrations for Dante's Inferno in the pop art style. In 1962, he mastered the silk-screen printing technique and created a number of large works using it. One of the paintings in this series " Path to Heaven» ( Skyway, 1964). On it, pop cultural symbols (for example, American astronauts) are side by side with images of Rubens.
Rauschenberg is the winner of many awards, including: the main prize at the Venice Biennale, Grammy, US National Medal, Japanese Imperial Prize and others.
In the 60s and 70s, Rauschenberg was involved in the field of performance art, happenings and other theatrical events.
1 Pablo Picasso 21587
2 Paul Cézanne 21098
3 Gustav Klimt 20823
4 Claude Monet 20684
5 Marcel Duchamp 20647
6 Henry Matisse 17096
7 Jackson Pollock 17051
8 Andy Warhol 17047
9 Willem de Kooning 17042
10 Piet Mondrian 17028
11 Paul Gauguin 17027
12 Francis Bacon 17018
13 Robert Rauschenberg 16956
14 Georges Braque 16788
15 Wassily Kandinsky 16055
16 Constantin Brancusi 14224
17 Kazimir Malevich 13609
18 Jasper Johns 12988
19 Frida Kahlo 12940
20 Martin Kippenberger 12784
21 Paul Klee
22 Egon Schiele
23 Donald Judd
24 Bruce Nauman
25 Alberto Giacometti
26 Salvador Dali
27 Auguste Rodin
28 Mark Rothko
29 Edward Hopper
30 Lucian Freud
31 Richard Serra
32 Rene Magritte
33 David Hockney
34 Philip Gaston
35 Gery Cartier-Bresson 8779
36 Pierre Bonnard
37 Jean-Michel Basquiat
38 Max Ernst
39 Diane Arbus
40 Georgia O'Keefe
41 Cy Twombly
42 Max Beckmann
43 Barnett Newman
44 Giorgio de Chirico
45 Roy Lichtenstein 7441
46 Edvard Munch
47 Pierre August Renoir
48 Man Ray
49 Henry Moore
50 Cindy Sherman
51 Jeff Koons
52 Tracey Emin
53 Damien Hirst
54 Yves Klein
55 Henry Rousseau
56 Chaim Soutine
57 Archil Gorky
58 Amadeo Modigliani
59 Umberto Boccioni
60 Jean Dubuffet
61 Eva Hesse
62 Edward Willard
63 Carl Andre
64 Juan Gris
65 Lucio Fontana
66 Franz Klein
67 David Smith
68 Joseph Beuys
69 Alexander Calder
70 Louise Bourgeois
71 Marc Chagall
72 Gerhard Richter
73 Balthus
74 Joan Miró
75 Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
76 Frank Stella
77 Georg Baselitz
78 Francis Picabia
79 Jenny Saville
80 Dan Flavin
81 Alfred Stieglitz
82 Anselm Kiefer
83 Matthew Bernie
84 Georges Gros
85 Bernd and Hilla Becher
86 Sigmar Polke
87 Bryce Marden
88 Maurizio Catellan
89 Sol LeWitt
90 Chuck Close 2915
91 Edward Weston
92 Joseph Cornell
93 Karel Appel
94 Bridget Riley
95 Alexander Archipenko
96 Anthony Caro
97 Richard Hamilton
98 Clifford Still
99 Luc Tuymans
100 Class Oldenburg
101 Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi
102 Frank Auerbach
103 Dinos and Jake Chapman
104 Marlene Dumas
105 Anton Tapies
106 Giorgio Morandi
107 Walker Evans
108 Nan Goldin
109 Robert Frank
110 Georges Rouault
111 Arp Hans
112 August Sender
113 James Rosenquist
114 Andreas Gursky
115 Eugene Atget
116 Jeff Wall
117 Ellsworth Kelly
118 Bill Brandt
119 Christo and Jean-Claude
120 Howard Hodgkin
121 Josef Albers
122 Piero Manzoni
123 Agnes Martin
124 Anish Kapoor
125 L. S. Lowry
126 Robert Motherwell
127 Robert Delaunay
128 Stuart Davis
129 Ed Ruscha
130 Gilbert and George 2729
131 Stanley Spencer
132 James Ensor
133 Fernard Ledger
134 Brassaï (Gyula Halas)
135 Alexander Rodchenko
136 Robert Ryman
137 Ed Reinhardt
138 Hans Bellmer
139 Isa Genzken
140 Kees van Dongen
141 Ouija
142 Paula Rego
143 Thomas Hart Benton
144 Hans Hoffman
145 Vladimir Tatlin
146 Odilon Redon
147 George Segal
148 Jörg Imendorf
149 Robert Smithson
150 Peter Doig 2324
151 Ed and Nancy Kienholz
152 Richard Prince
153 Ansel Adams
154 Naum Gabo 2256
155 Diego Rivera 2239
156 Barbara Hepworth 2237
157 Nicola de Stael 2237
158 Walter de Maria 2229
159 Felix Gonzalez-Torres 2228
160 Giacomo Balla 2225
161 Ben Nicholson 2221
162 Antony Gormley 2218
163 Lionel Feininger 2216
164 Emil Nolde 2213
165 Mark Wallinger 2211
166 Hermann Nietzsch 2209
167 Paul Signac 2209
168 Jean Tigli 2209
169 Kurt Schwitters 2209
170 Grayson Perry 2208
171 Julian Schnabel 2208
172 Raymond Duchamp-Villon 2208
173 Robert Gober 2208
174 Dwayne Hanson 2208
175 Richard Diebenkorn 2207
176 Apex Katz 2207
177 Alighiero Boetti 2206
178 Gaudier-Brzeska Henry 2206
179 Laszlo Moholy-Nagy 2205
180 Jacques-Henri Lartigue 2205
181 Robert Morris 2205
182 Sarah Lucas 2204
183 Jannis Kounellis 2204
184 Chris Barden 2204
185 Otto Dix 2203
186 David Bomberg 2203
187 Fischli and Weiss 2203
188 Augustus John 2203
189 Marsden Hartley 2203
190 Takashi Murakami 2203ratings
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The names and works of these artists will be known for centuries.
10 Leonardo da Vinci (1492 - 1619)
Leonardo di Ser Piero da Vinci went down in history as an outstanding architect, inventor, researcher, philosopher, mathematician, writer, musician, and, of course, artist. His masterpieces “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper” are known throughout the world. His achievements in other sciences are also noted - in geology, astronomy and anatomy.
9 Raphael Santi (1483 – 1520)
The Italian Raphael Santi, a representative of the Renaissance (late 15th – early 16th centuries), was one of the greatest painters and architects. One of his famous works, “The School of Athens,” is now in the Vatican, in the Apostolic Palace. The name of Raphael stands next to the names of the great artists of the era, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
8 Diego Velazquez (1599 – 1660)
Diego de Silva y Velazquez is famous for his portraits. Spanish painter became popular thanks to a large number works depicting the royal family, historical events and famous European personalities, which deserved to be considered one of the symbols of the golden age of painting. Velazquez worked on his paintings at the court of King Philip IV, painting his most famous painting"Las Meninas", depicting his family.
7 Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973)
Diego Velaquez's compatriot Picasso made an invaluable contribution to art twentieth century. He laid the foundation for a completely new direction in painting - cubism. His painting and sculpture have given him the title of the best and “most expensive” artist of the last century. The number of his works cannot be counted - it is measured in tens of thousands.
6 Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890)
Sixth place in the ranking was taken by the well-known painter Vincent Willem Van Gogh from the Netherlands. Unfortunately, he gained his fame as one of the most prominent post-impressionists after his death. His works are unique, recognizable style. Van Gogh's paintings: landscapes, portraits and self-portraits are incredibly highly valued. During his life, Vincent Van Gogn wrote more than 2,100 works, among which his series of works “Sunflowers” are especially notable.
5 Michelangelo (1475 – 1564)
The Italian Michelangelo Buonarroti became brilliantly famous for his works in sculpture, painting, and architecture. He is also a famous philosopher and poet who had a huge influence on the entire culture of mankind. Michelangelo's creations - the Pieta and David sculptures - are among the most famous in the world. But, undoubtedly, his frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel became more famous. Michelangelo also designed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, leaving his mark on the architecture.
4 Masaccio (1401 – 1428)
The outstanding mystery artist Masaccio, about whose biography we know very little, made an invaluable contribution to the fine arts, inspiring many artists. The life of this artist ended very quickly, but even during this period of time Masaccio left a great cultural heritage. His fresco of the Trinity in Italy, in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, is one of four surviving ones that have become world famous. There is an opinion that the rest of his works by Masaccio could not survive intact and were destroyed.
3 Peter Paul Rubens (1577 – 1640)
“Bronze” in our rating rightfully goes to Peter Paul Rubens, an artist from the Southern Netherlands who worked in the Baroque era and became famous for his special style. Rubens brilliantly conveyed colors on canvas, his paintings fascinated with their liveliness. Everyone, looking at his paintings, could find something of their own - in landscapes, portraits. Rubens also wrote historical paintings, telling about myths or religious stories. Carefully painted over the course of four years, the triptych “The Descent from the Cross” has won the attention of the whole world. Rubens's special style of painting made him famous all over the world.
2 Caravaggio (1571 -1610)
Another one got second place in the rating Italian artist, who worked in the early Baroque era Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, who founded European realism. He loved to depict ordinary people from the streets on canvas, carefully concentrating on important details: the play of light and shadow, colors and contrast. He depicted them in religious, holy images. As Caravaggio himself mentioned, he was proud of his work “The Lute Player,” written at the very end of the 16th century. Also mentioned are his paintings “The Conversion of Saul”, “Matthew the Evangelist”, “Bacchus” and others.
1 Rembrandt (1606-1669)
The world famous Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn. The artist loved to experiment with chiaroscuro in his works. His works number about three thousand different paintings, drawings and etchings. IN this moment V State Museum the city of Amsterdam holds the most famous work Rembrandt’s painting “The Night Watch,” completed in the mid-seventeenth century and having a gigantic size of four meters.
