21.03.2013 16:17
Queen Isabella (1451-1504)
Queen Isabella of Castile in the history of Spain is the same as Catherine II together with Peter I for Russia.
It is difficult to imagine a monarch more revered by the Spaniards than Isabella, nicknamed the Catholic. She united the Spanish lands, completed the process of the Reconquista (conquest of the lands of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors), allocated funds for the expedition of Christopher Columbus, during which famous navigator discovered America from Genoa.
Chronicles write that Isabella was “good-looking, intelligent, energetic and pious.” Having married the Aragonese prince Ferdinand in 1469, she united the lands of two kingdoms - Castile and Aragon. Spanish historians call Isabella's reign "severe but fair." In 1485, on her initiative, a new criminal code was introduced, extremely harsh compared to the previous one. Isabella suppressed any uprisings and unrest with fire and sword. At the same time, war was declared on dissent - the Grand Inquisitor Thomas Torquemada was Isabella's personal confessor. During the reign of the queen, the Dominicans burned more than ten thousand “infidels—Muslims, Jews and other dissidents—in Castile alone. Hundreds of thousands of people, fleeing the fires of the Inquisition, hastily left Spain.
IN last war with the Arabs 1487-1492. Isabella, dressed in armor, personally led the advance of the Spanish troops, who, with the help of Swiss mercenaries, were able to take Granada, the last Muslim bastion. Those who were not baptized were either expelled from the country or executed. The Spanish episcopate has long been seeking Isabella's canonization from the Vatican, but, apparently, this issue will not be resolved soon. Not all ministers of the Holy See can close their eyes to the Castilian queen's support for the Inquisition and its policies towards Muslims and Jews.
Hernando Cortes (1485-1547)
The thousand-peseta banknote, which until recently was in circulation in Spain, depicts two stern, bearded men. These are Hernando Cortez and Francisco Pizarro - the most famous in history and at the same time the bloodiest conquerors.
One destroyed the Aztec civilization, the other razed the Inca Empire to the ground. Having done many important geographical discoveries and becoming national heroes in Spain, in world history They entered first of all as people who were infinitely greedy and incredibly cruel. Ten years after the momentous discovery of Christopher Columbus, a young representative of the poor noble family Hernando Cortez sailed to America with the sole purpose of improving his financial situation. In which he succeeded. Having heard about the untold wealth of the Aztecs, the most powerful people of Mexico at that time, Cortez with a detachment of four hundred people set off on a campaign against the capital of the state - the three hundred thousandth Tenochtitlan. Using methods of bribery and deception, the Spaniard captured the Aztec leader Montezuma, and then began to empty the city’s treasuries and in three days melted all the gold jewelry he found into ingots. The Spaniards treated captured Indians very simply - they tied them with straw and set them on fire...
Having destroyed the Aztec empire and become governor of a new country called Mexico, Cortez did not rest on his laurels, he again went on an expedition to Honduras and California. He was ready to tirelessly search for gold and kill for it until the very end. last day of your life. At the same time, Cortez was incredibly lucky. Having suffered from then-deadly malaria in America, he returned to Spain, where the king granted the conqueror the title of marquis. Already elderly, Cortes commanded a punitive expedition in Algeria. He died a wealthy and respected man on his estate in Spain. For the conquistadors who flooded new lands, such a peaceful death was very rare.
Cervantes (1547–1616)
The immortal novel of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra " Cunning Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha ranks second in the world after the Bible in terms of the number of reprints.
Last year, the four hundredth anniversary of the first publication of the book that glorified Cervantes was widely celebrated throughout the world. In the homeland of the writer and his heroes, about two thousand exhibitions, performances and other events were organized in honor of the anniversary of Don Quixote. The most devoted admirers of the novel were invited to take a tour of the places of military glory of the knight and his servant - the route ran through one hundred and five villages in which the action of the book took place.
Meanwhile, the life of Cervantes himself was no less interesting than the wanderings of his hero. He was born in 1547 in the town of Alcala de Henares in the family of a surgeon. From childhood he was drawn to books and already at a young age he wrote poetry. At the age of twenty, Miguel went to Italy. In 1570 he finds himself on military service in the royal navy and a year later takes part in the famous Battle of Lepanto, which ended Turkish rule in the Mediterranean.
Cervantes was seriously wounded in that battle by a shot from an arquebus, as a result of which his left arm was left paralyzed. But he did not leave the service and subsequently fought in Corfu and Tunisia. Having finally received permission to go to his homeland, Spain, on the way Cervantes was captured by Algerian pirates and spent five long years in slavery. He tried to escape several times, but was caught each time. As a result, the monks of the Holy Trinity brotherhood ransomed him from captivity.
Returning to Madrid after all his wanderings, he got married and began writing his first novel, Galatea. But soon need forced him to move to Seville and take the position of tax collector. In 1597, he went to prison for financial shortfalls. It was there that he came up with the idea of writing a novel about Don Quixote. In 1605 the book was published. With the enormous success that befell him, great writer enjoyed the last ten years of his life, during which he managed to write the second part of Don Quixote and the novel The Wanderings of Persiles and Sikhismunda. The last book Cervantes completed it three days before his death.
Salvador Dalí (1904–1989)
At the age of six he wanted to become a chef. At seven - Napoleon. As a result, he became one of greatest artists in the history of mankind.
About Salvador Dali, his mesmerizing paintings and love story Over the course of a lifetime, hundreds of studies and articles have been written, and probably as many more will be written. His life and his genius bordering on madness were too unusual. Dali himself loved to talk and write about this genius without any shadow of embarrassment. He was absolutely immune to any criticism. And he was always one hundred percent sure that he was right.
“I don’t care at all what critics write. “I know that deep down they love my work, but they are afraid to admit it,” Dali wrote in one of his articles. When in the early 30s Andre Breton and company expelled him from the surrealist circle for sympathizing with Adolf Hitler, Dali just laughed in response, saying famous phrase: “Surrealism is me.” However, the political predilections of the great hoaxer were never serious. He just didn’t want to be like everyone else, he always opposed himself to those around him, even if they were his friends. When the entire creative intelligentsia of Spain supported the Republic, Dali, unexpectedly for everyone, sided with Franco.
The reasons for the artist’s eccentric behavior and difficult character should be sought in childhood. The mother terribly spoiled her only child (Dali’s older brother died before Salvador was born), forgiving him all his whims and hysterics. Coming from a wealthy family, Dali could afford these whims in the future. At the age of fifteen, he was expelled from the monastic school for “misbehavior,” and at nineteen, from the Academy of Arts. The habit of “playing pranks” did not leave the artist throughout his eighty-five-year life.
One of these stories was told in the essay “Sabre Dance” by writer Mikhail Weller. Famous Soviet composer Aram Khachaturian, while in Spain, decided to visit the great artist. Dali's servants warmly received the guest, saying that “the maestro is working, but will come down soon.” Khachaturian was offered fruit, wine and cigars. Having quenched his thirst, he began to wait. One hour, two, three - Dali still doesn’t appear. I checked the doors - they were locked. And the composer really wanted to go to the toilet. And then he, an honorable guest from the USSR, having sacrificed his principles and silently cursing the crazy old man, was forced to use an ancient Moorish vase. And at that very moment, the famous “Sabre Dance” thundered from the speakers, the doors swung open, and Dali burst into the room - completely naked, riding on a mop and with a crooked saber in his hand. Poor Aram Khachaturian, blushing with shame, fled from the surrealist...
Dali performed his last trick after his death on January 23, 1989. According to the will, the artist’s body was embalmed and displayed for a week in the house-museum in Figueres. Tens of thousands of people came to say goodbye to the genius.
Garcia Lorca (1898-1936)
His image has long been heroized and romanticized. Odes and poems to the Spanish “slave of honor” were dedicated to his Soviet “colleagues” Yevtushenko and Voznesensky. They tried to mold him into a singer of the revolution. But was Lorca really him? Most evidence indicates that Lorca and Che Guevara had in common only the fact that both were loved common people and were shot without trial or investigation. Federico García Lorca was born in Andalusia, in a region where gypsy and spanish culture. His mother played the piano beautifully, and his father sang ancient Andalusian “cante jondo” with a guitar. Lorca began writing poetry while studying at the University of Granada, and in 1921 his first collection of poetry was published in Madrid. He wrote a lot, talking about everything he sees and feels in poems, dramas, verses, plays for puppet theater. He was friends with Salvador Dali and tried his hand at painting. He traveled around the USA and Cuba for two years, and then triumphantly returned to Spain, where a republic was proclaimed in 1931...
By the age of thirty-five, Lorca had become a worldwide famous poet and playwright. He really supported the republican government, but did not strive to be a politician, remaining only an artist. In the very first months civil war he did not heed the advice of friends to go to the USA for a while, but went to his native Granada, where he was shot by the Phalangists. When, after the murder of García Lorca, the image of a martyr who gave his life for the ideas of the Republic began to be created, many of the poet’s friends expressed their protest to the left. “Lorca, a poet through and through, remains the most apolitical creature I have ever known. He simply turned out to be a redemptive victim of personal, super-personal, local passions, and most importantly, he fell an innocent prey to that almighty, convulsive, universal chaos that was called the Spanish Civil War,” Salvador Dali wrote about the death of Lorca.
Seventy years have passed since Lorca’s execution, and his body has still not been found. Recently, the government of the Andalusian Autonomy has developed a grandiose program, the purpose of which is to identify the body of the poet. To do this, the authorities will try to identify the remains of four thousand victims of Francoist repression discovered in mass grave near Granada. There are about fifty thousand such graves in Spain.
Francisco Franco (1892-1975)
On March 17, 2005, the last monument to the military dictator of Spain, General Franco, was removed in Madrid. The bronze general prancing on horseback was removed from its pedestal in Plaza San Juan de la Cruz and transported by truck to a warehouse.
According to the official version, Franco was removed because the monument “interfered with construction work.” According to public opinion polls, the bronze horseman was not liked by the majority of the townspeople. However, soon after the dismantling, a mass rally of Francoists began in the square. They carried portraits of the general in their hands, sang the anthem of the previous regime, and then laid bouquets of flowers and wreaths on the orphaned pedestal - for “saving Spain from communism”...
General Franco has been lying in the grave for more than thirty years, and there has been no unanimity regarding his person in Spanish society. For some, he is a brutal dictator and “Spanish Hitler”; for others, he is a strong politician and father of the nation. Some call the thirty-six years of Franco's dictatorship an era of stagnation and timelessness, others call it the most stable period in spanish history. Some people prefer to remember six hundred thousand human lives, carried away by the Spanish Civil War, others say that without this war and without the brutal repression of the Franco regime, Spain would have lost its integrity and simply ceased to exist. Francisco Paulino Ermengildo Teodulo Franco Bahamonde was born in 1892 in Galicia. He went to Sacred Heart College and drew well - biographers write that young Franco had great abilities. But he did not become an artist - at the age of twelve, dreaming of a military career, Francisco entered the Naval Preparatory School. Having completed his studies at eighteen, he went to fight in Morocco.
They say that Franco was very complex because of his short stature (164 centimeters) and was ready to do anything for a successful career. And it turned out to be not just successful – brilliant. At twenty-three he became a major, at thirty-three a general. At thirty-eight, when he led a military rebellion against the Republic, Franco promoted himself to generalissimo. In the three-year civil war, Italian and German fascists helped the Phalangists, and the Republicans Soviet Union and international brigades formed from foreign volunteers. Franco called his war against the “ghost of communism” the second Reconquista, and ordered himself to be called “caudillo” - like the medieval kings who fought the Moors.
The victory of Franco's supporters in April 1939 marked a new period in the life of Spain - the era of military dictatorship and total power of the caudillo. However, the cunning “pequeno shorty,” as Franco’s ill-wishers dubbed him, managed to do a lot for the good of his country. Having convinced Hitler of complete loyalty, Franco managed to preserve Spain's independence from the Reich, as well as its neutrality in World War II. This allowed the dictator to restore the country devastated by a long civil war. In 1945, at a conference in Potsdam, Spain was not recognized as an interventionist country, which gave it a good head start in the post-war period.
Being a “tyrant and dictator,” it was Franco who returned the monarchy to Spain, appointing as his successor the young Prince Juan Carlos, a man with whose name the country associates the implementation of reforms and the advent of a new era.
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)
Recently, Russian economists calculated that the total cost of Pablo Picasso’s paintings exceeds the cost of Gazprom. And this is hardly an exaggeration.
During his long ninety-two-year life, the great Spaniard created hundreds of masterpieces, which today are valued at tens of millions of dollars. It is Picasso's painting that holds the record as the most expensive piece of art sold at auction. In 2004, Sotheby’s sold one of the maestro’s early works, “Boy with a Pipe,” for one hundred and four million dollars...
Picasso himself never in his life thought about big money, or profit, or even fame. Although from childhood he lived not richly, as he came from a noble but impoverished family. The love of painting was instilled in little Pablo by his father, José Ruiz Blanco, who taught drawing at the University of Galician La Coruña. One day my father saw pencil sketches, made by Pablo, and was amazed by the boy's skill. Then he handed him his palette and brushes and said: “I can teach you nothing more, my son.”
First creative period The young Picasso is usually called “blue” due to the predominance of blue tones in his canvases. At this time he lived in Paris and Barcelona and created one masterpiece after another - “Wandering Gymnasts”, “Girl on a Ball”, “Portrait of Vollard”. For a long time he could not sell any of his works and had difficulty making ends meet. Picasso's position improved only after meeting the Russian collector Sergei Shchukin, who was amazed by Pablo's paintings and purchased fifty of his works.
Picasso is often called the founder of Cubism, but he himself never considered himself a follower of any one genre of art. He always experimented - both in painting, and in sculpture, and in creating scenery for the theater. In 1946, while living in France, he became interested in the art of ceramics, and a year later he developed a special technique of lithography.
One of Picasso's main masterpieces is considered to be "Guernica" - a grandiose anti-war canvas, written in response to the bombing of the city of Guernica in the Basque Country by the German allies of General Franco in 1937. The town was razed to the ground, and more than a thousand people died in a few hours. And just two months after the event, the panel appeared on International exhibition in Paris. Everyone learned about the crimes of fascism. Guernica returned to Spain, to the Prado Museum in Madrid in 1981. Its creator did not live to see the end of Franco's dictatorship for only two years.
Juan Antonio Samaranch (1920-2010)
The now former, and once seemingly eternal, President of the International Olympic Committee, Marquis Juan Antonio Samaranch, most of all, disliked it when he was criticized and when his past, which was very difficult and ambiguous, was remembered.
And so when British reporter Andrew Jennings found in the archives and published photographs in which the future head of the Olympic movement, kneeling, greets General Franco, Samaranch’s reaction was extremely harsh. When the journalist arrived on editorial business in the capital of the Olympic movement, Lausanne, he was immediately captured and sent to jail on charges of spreading slander about the Spanish Marquis.
After serving five days in prison, Jennings continued to undermine the throne of the Olympian emperor with redoubled zeal. In the books "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Great Olympic Swindle" published in the late 90s, the venerable marquis, who pulled the Olympic movement out of a debt hole and turned it into profitable business, is presented as a “notorious conformist, fascist and corrupt official.” The author of books that instantly became bestsellers called Samaranch’s merits in financing the Olympics from such revenue sources as royalties from advertising and television broadcasts dubious, noting that along with big money came corruption, doping and scandals into sports.
Along the way, the reader learned many unpleasant facts from the biography of the Marquis. So, in his youth Samaranch, to complete surprise his completely democratic family, joined the Francoists. Later, he abandoned his beloved, but by no means rich, girl in order to marry a representative of a noble family. In the 60s, he was the only Catalan who was part of the Francoist government and, being the governor of the caudillo in his native Barcelona, dealt harshly with the opposition...
In the spring of 1977, an angry crowd cordoned off Samaranch's residence in Barcelona, demanding the blood of the "dictator's henchman." The special forces miraculously managed to evacuate the Catalan prime minister - it is difficult to imagine what would have happened to the history of the Olympic movement if the police had been late. Having gone into diplomatic exile from the USSR, Juan Antonio realized that it was time to end big politics - and took up big sports.
In Spain, his merits are recognized - many agreed to turn a blind eye to Samaranch’s past, because it was he who secured the 1992 Olympics for Barcelona. However, they don’t love to love. Recently, a protest rally took place in the Catalan Almetia against the authorities’ decision to name one of the streets after Samaranch.
Luis Buñuel (1900–1983)
“He made movies as if he were writing a novel. And he used the camera like a pen. He never reshot scenes. If you played poorly, then there was no way to replay. He would immediately rewrite the scene, otherwise he would get bored,” is how Luis Buñuel was remembered by the French film star Carole Bouquet, a representative of a whole galaxy of actors and actresses whose talent was discovered by the great director.
Luis Buñuel, like General Franco, received his first education at a strict Jesuit college. Only one of them became a reactionary and dictator, and the other became a devoted champion of freedom and democracy. The life of the greatest film director, like the lives of dozens of other representatives of the generation of the golden Spanish intelligentsia of the early 20th century, can be divided into two parts. The first is a happy and carefree time of youth and daring experiments in art and cinema, which lasted until the civil war and the establishment of the regime of caudillo Franco. The second is the time spent in exile in the USA, Mexico, France and other countries of the world. The main milestones of Buñuel's pre-war life were his move to Madrid in 1917, his acquaintance with Ortega y Gasset, Unamuno, Lorca, Dali, his participation in the Parisian Avangard movement, and his experiences as a director in cinema.
In 1928, he made his first film, “Un Chien Andalou,” which was immediately criticized by the Catholic Church. Both Buñuel's second film, The Golden Age, and the documentary Land Without Bread, which tells about the terrible conditions of peasant labor, are banned from showing in the country. During the civil war, Buñuel immediately took the side of the Republicans, and in 1939, after the victory of the junta, he was forced to leave for the United States...
Surprisingly, he returned to Spain twenty-two years later at the invitation of the very man who kicked him out of the country - Francisco Franco. True, the romance between the director and the dictator did not last long. Filmed in 1961, “Viridiana”, enthusiastically received by European critics and receiving the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, was banned by censors in Spain due to accusations of insulting the church...
Buñuel can be compared to a good Spanish collection wine. The older the director became, the more elegant, beautiful, and thoughtful films he produced. Luis Buñuel made his best films already in old age. These are the most interesting works with Frenchwoman Catherine Deneuve in leading role– “Beauty of the Day” and “Tristana”. And the magnificent surreal film “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie”, award-winning Oscar in 1972.
By the way, the maestro, like a true Spaniard, loved wine very much. But he loved vermouth even more. In his autobiographical book about Buñuel, he describes in detail how his favorite cocktail is made from Noilly-Prat, the driest French vermouth. The main condition is that the ice must be very hard and cold - at least twenty degrees below zero. “When friends gather, I take everything I need and first pour a few drops of Noilly Prat and half a spoonful of Angostura coffee liqueur onto very hard ice. I shake and empty, leaving only ice, which retains the smell. I fill this ice with pure gin, stir a little and serve. That’s all, but you couldn’t imagine anything better.”
Julio Iglesias (b. 1943)
If little Julio Iglesias had been told that he would become the most popular singer in Spain and sell more albums than anyone else in the world, he would have called such a predictor a liar. Because from the very youth the Madrid native was preparing for a career as a professional football player. He became a football player, and at the age of eighteen he defended the goal of the country’s main team, Real Madrid.
However, Iglesias’s sports career ended before it really began. Julio was in a serious accident and spent two years in the hospital. I had to say goodbye to my ambitious plans to play at the World Championships. But he discovered a new talent in himself - for composing and performing songs. “When I realized that I would live, I began to think about how to live further. I missed human warmth and communication, and I began to look for them by writing songs and playing along with myself on the guitar,” recalls Iglesias. Already his first performance at the competition in Benidorm brought him fame. Unlike the noisy and hot singers of that time, Julio Iglesias appeared on stage in an invariable suit and tie, and was calm and reserved. At first he was criticized for the sake of decency. And then everyone began to worship him in unison. The songs Gwendoline, Paloma and Canto A Galicia became national hits.
It only took Iglesias a few years to become Spain's number one singer. And he still maintains the palm, releasing an album a year and touring incessantly. In terms of the number of these concerts - something like five thousand - he is only slightly behind James Brown. In terms of the number of released numbered albums - almost eighty - it is ahead of Rolling Stones. Finally, in the Guinness Book of Records, Julio Iglesias appears as the only owner of a “diamond disc” in the history of music - he received it for the fact that over two hundred and fifty million copies of his albums have been sold in the world.
Spanish artists known to all art lovers. Their paintings are in many museums around the world. Spain gave us large number surprising people with their talent in all fields of art. We will tell you about several outstanding painters, because full list difficult to compose.
Prado Museum
The collection of this royal collection is amazing in that it contains almost all the outstanding Spanish artists, and no foreign ones. This can be explained by the fact that, from the 16th century to XIX century, they all served at the court of kings. Another very large customer was the Church. That's why we often see religious subjects in paintings. Private orders were quite rare, and painting was the property of a narrow circle of connoisseurs. Now let us turn our gaze to individual outstanding representatives of this school.
Renaissance era
The late Renaissance gave us great, brilliant painters. Spanish artists of the Renaissance are, undoubtedly, El Greco, de Ribera, Zurbaran and Velazquez. On short biography The last one we'll stop at. He was born in Seville and quickly became a native famous painter. He went to Madrid, but did not manage to get to the royal court right away. Quite soon he became a court painter.
This happened in 1623, when the artist painted a portrait of King Philip IV. To improve, Diego Velazquez went to Italy, visited Genoa, Milan, Venice and Rome. After that, his palette began to play bright colors. Only after 1630 can his work be called mature. He paints a lot of portraits of jesters and dwarfs, penetrating deeply into the innermost inner world people offended by nature. After the second trip to Italy, in 1651, the late, most perfect period of this master began. He applies new techniques, and from under his brush come portraits of infantas, ladies of the royal family, a deeply psychological portrait of Philip IV, as well as large-scale canvases “The Spinner” and “Las Meninas”. He died in 1660. He turned 61 years old. D. Velazquez had a huge influence on the development of world painting, and many, not only Spanish, artists learned from his works.
Painter, draftsman and engraver
We begin a short conversation about F. Goya. His work defies any single definition. It is free from conventions, filled with passion and unbridled imagination. We will present a canvas made in a light, elegant Rococo style.
For us, this is an unusual Goya. The painting is called “Autumn. Vintage". She charms with her cheerfulness. This work is completely decorative and pleasing to the eye. In general, Spanish artists learned from the painter a different, more satirical depiction of life.
Other genre
Still lifes were painted in imitation of the Flemings in XVII century when the Spaniards discovered them. The background of these canvases is usually dark. The paintings of Spanish artists are characterized by a carefully calibrated composition, a delicate depiction of each flower and petal, bug or butterfly. They also depict moments of cooking. The works are so believable that looking at them makes you want to eat a hearty meal.
Shown here is a still life by Luis Melendez. It was outstanding master, who knew how to show off mouth-watering food. All products are prepared. We are only waiting for a chef who will turn them into delicious dishes.
Famous Spanish artist
In the 20th century, it is difficult to choose who is better known to the general public - P. Picasso or S. Dali. Picasso created more than twenty thousand works. His pre-war paintings are usually divided into four periods, when he experimented with color and form. Later, he felt that painting had a greater range of influence on the viewer, and this was reflected in his canvases. His works are most expensive at auctions. The creator himself said that he wanted to live like a poor person, but at the same time be rich. The eccentric S. Dali amazed his contemporaries not only with his mustache and fantastic paintings that came to him from dreams, but also with antics that actively worked for advertising.
Thanks to his wife, his commercial activity was very successful, and only very wealthy people could buy his works.
Not all listed spanish painters here they represent their homeland. Contemporary Spanish artists work mostly in a realistic or romantic style. There is a place for science fiction, but it occupies a small part. Their paintings include landscapes, portraits, animal works, and still lifes.
It's more than beautiful pictures, this is a reflection of reality. In the works of great artists you can see how the world and the consciousness of people changed.
Art is also an attempt to create an alternative reality where you can hide from the horrors of your time, or a desire to change the world. The art of the 20th century rightfully occupies a special place in history. The people who lived and worked in those times experienced social upheavals, wars, and unprecedented developments in science; and all this found its mark on their canvases. 20th century artists took part in creating the modern vision of the world.
Some names are still pronounced with aspiration, while others are unfairly forgotten. Someone had such a controversial creative path that we still cannot give him an unambiguous assessment. This review is dedicated to the 20 greatest artists of the 20th century. Camille Pizarro- French painter. An outstanding representative of impressionism. The artist’s work was influenced by John Constable, Camille Corot, Jean Francois Millet.
Born July 10, 1830 in St. Thomas, died November 13, 1903 in Paris.
Hermitage at Pontoise, 1868 
Opera passage in Paris, 1898
Sunset at Varengeville, 1899
Edgar Degas - French artist, one of the greatest impressionists. Degas' work was influenced by Japanese graphics. Born on July 19, 1834 in Paris, he died on September 27, 1917 in Paris. 
Absinthe, 1876
Star, 1877
Woman combing her hair, 1885
Paul Cezanne - French artist, one of the greatest representatives of post-impressionism. In his work he strove to reveal the harmony and balance of nature. His work had a tremendous influence on the worldview of artists of the 20th century. Born January 19, 1839 in Aix-en-Provence, France, died October 22, 1906 in Aix-en-Provence.
Gamblers, 1893
Modern Olympia, 1873
Still life with skulls, 1900
Claude Monet- an outstanding French painter. One of the founders of impressionism. In his works, Monet sought to convey the richness and richness of the surrounding world. For him late period characterized by decorativeism and The late period of Monet’s work was characterized by decorativeism, an increasing dissolution of object forms in sophisticated combinations of color spots.
Born November 14, 1840 in Paris, died December 5, 1926 in Jverny.
Welk Cliff at Pourville, 1882
After Lunch, 1873-1876
Etretat, sunset, 1883
Arkhip Kuindzhi - famous Russian artist, master of landscape painting. Lost his parents early. WITH early years A love for painting began to manifest itself. The work of Arkhip Kuindzhi had a huge influence on Nicholas Roerich. Born on January 15, 1841 in Mariupol, died on July 11, 1910 in St. Petersburg.
"Volga", 1890-1895
"North", 1879
"View of the Kremlin from Zamoskvorechye", 1882
Pierre Auguste Renoir - French artist, graphic artist, sculptor, one of the outstanding representatives of impressionism. Also known as the master secular portrait. Auguste Rodin was the first impressionist to become popular among wealthy Parisians. Born on February 25, 1841 in Limoges, France, died on December 2, 1919 in Paris.
Pont des Arts in Paris, 1867
Ball at the Moulin de la Galette, 1876
Jeanne Samary, 1877
Born June 7, 1848 in Paris, died May 8, 1903 on the island of Hiva Oa, French Polynesia.
Breton landscape, 1894
Breton village in snow, 1888
Are you jealous? 1892
Saints' Day, 1894
Wassily Kandinsky - Russian and German artist, poet, art theorist. Considered one of the leaders of the avant-garde of the 1st half of the 20th century. He is one of the founders of abstract art.Born on November 22, 1866 in Moscow, died on December 13, 1944 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.
Couple riding on horseback, 1918
A colorful life, 1907
Moscow 1, 1916
In grey, 1919
Henri Matisse - one of the greatest French artists and sculptors. One of the founders of the Fauvist movement. In his work, he strived to convey emotions through color. I was influenced in my creativity Islamic culture western Maghreb. Born on December 31, 1869 in the city of Le Cateau, he died on November 3, 1954 in the town of Cimiez.
Square in Saint-Tropez, 1904
Outline of Notre Dame at night, 1902
Woman with a Hat, 1905
Dance, 1909
Italian, 1919
Portrait of Delectorskaya, 1934
Nicholas Roerich- Russian artist, writer, scientist, mystic. During his life he painted more than 7,000 paintings. One of the outstanding cultural figures of the 20th century, founder of the “Peace through Culture” movement. Born on October 27, 1874 in St. Petersburg, died on December 13, 1947 in the city of Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Overseas guests, 1901
The Great Spirit of the Himalayas, 1923
Message from Shambhala, 1933
Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin - Russian artist, graphic artist, theorist, writer, teacher. Was one of the ideologists of the reorganization art education in the USSR. Born on November 5, 1878 in the city of Khvalynsk, Saratov province, died on February 15, 1939 in Leningrad.
“1918 in Petrograd”, 1920
"Boys at Play", 1911
Bathing the Red Horse, 1912
Portrait of Anna Akhmatova
Kazimir Malevich- Russian artist, founder of Suprematism - a movement in abstract art, teacher, art theorist and philosopher Born on February 23, 1879 in Kyiv, died on May 15, 1935 in Moscow.
Rest (Society in Top Hat), 1908
"Peasant women with buckets", 1912-1913
Black Suprematist Square, 1915
Suprematist painting, 1916
On the boulevard, 1903
Pablo Picasso- Spanish artist, sculptor, sculptor, ceramic designer. One of the founders of Cubism. The work of Pablo Picasso had a significant influence on the development of painting in the 20th century. According to a survey of Time magazine readers Born October 25, 1881 in Malaga, Spain, died April 8, 1973 in Mougins, France.
Girl on a ball, 1905
Portrait of Ambroise Vallors, 1910
Three Graces
Portrait of Olga
Dance, 1919
Woman with a flower, 1930
Amadeo Modigliani - Italian artist, sculptor. One of the brightest representatives of expressionism. During his lifetime he had only one exhibition in December 1917 in Paris. Born July 12, 1884 in Livorno, Italy, died January 24, 1920 from tuberculosis. World recognition received posthumously; received worldwide recognition posthumously. 
Cellist, 1909
The couple, 1917
Joan Hebuterne, 1918
Mediterranean landscape, 1918
Diego Rivera- Mexican painter, muralist, politician. He was the husband of Frida Kahlo. I found shelter in their house short time Leon Trotsky. Born December 8, 1886 in Guanajuato, died December 21, 1957 in Mexico City.
Notre Dame de Paris in the rain, 1909
Woman at the Well, 1913
Union of Peasants and Workers, 1924
Detroit Industry, 1932
Marc Chagall- Russian and French painter, graphic artist, illustrator, theater artist. One of the greatest representatives of the avant-garde. Born on June 24, 1887 in the city of Liozno, Mogilev province, died on March 28, 1985 in Saint-Paul-de-Provence.
Anyuta (Portrait of a Sister), 1910
Bride with a Fan, 1911
Me and the Village, 1911
Adam and Eve, 1912
Mark Rothko(present Mark Rotkovich) - American artist, one of the founders of abstract expressionism and the founder of color field painting. The artist's first works were created in a realistic spirit, however, then by the mid-40s, Mark Rothko turned to surrealism. By 1947, a major turning point occurred in the work of Mark Rothko, he created own style- abstract expressionism, which moves away from objective elements.
Born on September 25, 1903 in the city of Dvinsk (now Daugavpils), died on February 25, 1970 in New York.
Untitled
Number 7 or 11
Orange and yellow
Salvador Dali- painter, graphic artist, sculptor, writer, designer, director. Perhaps the most famous representative of surrealism and one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Designed by Chupa Chups.
Born May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Spain, died January 23, 1989 in Spain.
Temptation of Saint Anthony, 1946
last supper, 1955
Woman with a Head of Roses, 1935
My wife Gala, naked, looking at her body, 1945
Frida Kahlo - Mexican artist and graphic artist, one of the brightest representatives of surrealism. Frida Kahlo began painting after a car accident, which left her bedridden for a year.
She was married to the famous Mexican communist artist Diego Rivera. Leon Trotsky found refuge in their house for a short time.
Born July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, Mexico, died July 13, 1954 in Coyoacan.
Embrace of Universal Love, Earth, Me, Diego and Coatl, 1949
Moses (Core of Creation), 1945
Two Fridas, 1939
Andy Warhol(present Andrei Varhola) - American artist, designer, director, producer, publisher, writer, collector. The founder of pop art, is one of the most controversial personalities in the history of culture. Several films have been made based on the artist’s life. Born on August 6, 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, died in 1963 in New York.
Great Spanish artists in their works touched on topics that concern every person, so their names have remained for centuries. Starting with El Greco, we can distinguish nine such masters who lived from the 16th to the 20th centuries. The highest flowering is the 17th century. Otherwise it is also called Golden. This is the Baroque period.
Sixteenth century
The first to glorify the Spanish school was the Greek Domenico Theotokopoulos (1541-1614), who was nicknamed El Greco in Spain. In those days, fires often burned over heretics. Therefore, secular topics were practically not touched upon. Easel and fresco painting- these are types of illustrations to the Holy Scriptures. But even here great caution had to be exercised. Traditional interpretations were required.
El Greco combines religious themes with amazing beauty and splendor color scheme, which precedes the emergence of the Baroque. One of his masterpieces, “Apostles Peter and Paul” (1582-592), is kept in Russia. It depicts the simple illiterate fisherman Peter and the creator of all Christian doctrine, the highly educated Paul, naturally, with the Bible. Christianity in the first centuries won all hearts with its love for people, mercy and simplicity - it was enough just to believe, and any person, educated or not, poor or rich, became a Christian. Spanish artists learned a lot from the painter, who had a unique style associated with eye disease. However, for a long period his painting was forgotten and rediscovered three centuries later.
Baroque - Golden Age
As nowhere else, Catholicism is still strong, moreover, it represents a powerful and formidable force that requires a person to mortify carnal desires and joys and complete immersion in religious rituals. Spanish artists such as José Ribera (1591-1652), (1598-1664), Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) and Bartolomeo Murillo (1617-1682) are the brightest representatives of this period. They are familiar with the work of Caravaggio, who greatly influences them, not with his still lifes, but with his understanding of what death is and how closely it comes into contact with life.
Spanish artists Ribera and Zurbaran
This association is somewhat arbitrary. The paintings of José Ribera (1591-1652) are distinguished by themes associated with martyrdom and naturalism in depicting the suffering of saints and heroes from mythology, as well as sharp contrasts of light and shadow. Francisco Zurbaran (1598-1664) his best paintings, colored with lyricism, creates in the 30s of the 16th century. In 1662, he wrote with emotion “Madonna and Child and John the Baptist.”
The bright image of the baby, located in the center of a simple and natural composition, immediately attracts attention, as does the gentle face of the Madonna, and the golden clothes of the kneeling John, at whose feet is a symbolic white sheep. The grown Christ will be the shepherd of a huge flock of those who believe in him. Zurbaran paints only from life - this is his principle, using the contrast of deep shadows and strong light. Zurbaran was friendly with a brilliant artist Diego Velazquez, who helped him with orders. Spanish artists sought to support each other.
Velazquez (1599-1660)
Initially, the Spanish artist Diego Velazquez, living in Seville, worked a lot on genre scenes, as well as on allegorical paintings. But getting to know Italian painting from the royal collection changed him a lot aesthetic views. It changes the color to soft silver and moves to transparent tones. With great difficulty he manages to get a position as a court painter. But King Philip IV immediately appreciated the gift young artist, and he subsequently created portraits of members of the royal family. The pinnacle of his work were two paintings that are still unsolved, so much meaning did the artist put into them. These are “Las Meninas” (1656), that is, the retinue of courtiers for the heirs to the royal throne, and “Spinners” (1658).
At first glance, everything in “Las Meninas” seems simple. In the large room there is a young infanta, surrounded by ladies-in-waiting, a bodyguard, two dwarfs, a dog and an artist. But behind the painter’s back there is a mirror hanging on the wall, in which the king and queen are reflected. Whether the royal couple is in the room or not is one of the mysteries. There are many more of them, enough for a huge article. And not a single riddle has a clear answer.
From Francisco Goya to Salvador Dali
Born in Zaragoza, Goya (1746-1828) became the official court artist, but then lost this position and received the post of vice-director of the Academy of Arts. In any capacity, Goya works hard and quickly, creating cardboard for tapestries, portraits, painting churches, painting paintings for cathedral in Valencia. He works hard and hard all his life, changing like a master, moving from bright festive compositions to rich colors to fast and sharp graphics, and if this is painting, then dark and gloomy.
The drawing school in Spain is not dying, but the next artist is spanish painting, great master, appears in 1881. This is Picasso. There are many things that mark his work. These are the “blue” and “pink” periods, and cubism, and surrealism, and pacifism. Behind all his works there is a subtle irony and a desire to sell. And he knew how to draw. Having created portraits of his beloved during the Cubist period, which sold like hot cakes, for himself he painted her in the style of realism. And only after becoming a wealthy man, he began to allow himself to paint as he wanted.
His work “Don Quixote” (1955) is laconic. The knight himself, his squire, a horse, a donkey and several are depicted. Don Quixote is light and weightless, and Rocinante is almost a bag of bones. In contrast, Sancho on the left is a black, heavy mass. And although both figures stand still, the drawing is full of movement. The lines are energetic, catchy, and full of humor.
The famous Spanish artist Salvador Dali is eccentric. This man had everything for sale. And paintings, and diaries, and books. He made a fortune for himself thanks to the energetic help of his wife, better known as Gala. She was both his muse and manager. Their union was very successful commercially.
Concluding this article on the topic of famous Spanish artists, it must be said that they all had an individuality as bright as the sun of Spain.