The most famous and significant for the history of art pictures of the world for your inspiration. Millions of people admire the immortal paintings of great artists. Art, classical and modern, is one of the main sources of inspiration, taste and cultural education of any person, and even more creative.
Raphael "Sistine Madonna" 1512
Stored in the Old Masters Gallery in Dresden.
The picture has a little secret: the background, which looks like clouds from a distance, upon closer examination turns out to be the heads of angels. And the two angels depicted in the picture below have become the motif of numerous postcards and posters.
Rembrandt "The Night Watch" 1642
Stored in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The true name of the painting by Rembrandt is "The performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg." Art critics who discovered the painting in the 19th century thought that the figures were standing against a dark background, and they called it “Night Watch”. Later it turned out that a layer of soot makes the picture dark, and the action actually takes place during the day. However, the picture has already entered the treasury of world art under the name "Night Watch".
Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper" 1495-1498
Located in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.
Over the more than 500-year history of the existence of the work, the fresco was repeatedly destroyed: a doorway was made through the painting, and then a doorway was laid, the refectory of the monastery, where the image is located, was used as an armory, a prison, and bombed. The famous fresco has been restored at least five times, with the most recent restoration taking 21 years. Today, to view the work of art, visitors must book tickets in advance and can only spend 15 minutes in the refectory.
Salvador Dali "The Persistence of Memory" 1931
Stored at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
According to the author himself, the picture was painted as a result of associations that arose in Dali at the sight of processed cheese. Returning from the cinema, where she went that evening, Gala quite correctly predicted that no one who saw "The Persistence of Memory" once would forget it.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Tower of Babel" 1563
Stored at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
According to Brueghel, the failure that befell the construction of the Tower of Babel was not due to language barriers that suddenly arose according to the biblical story, but to mistakes made during the construction process. At first glance, the huge building seems solid enough, but upon closer inspection, it is clear that all the tiers are laid unevenly, the lower floors are either unfinished or are already collapsing, the building itself is tilting towards the city, and the prospects for the entire project are very sad.
Kazimir Malevich "Black Square" 1915
According to the artist, he painted the picture for several months. Subsequently, Malevich made several copies of the "Black Square" (according to some sources, seven). According to one version, the artist was unable to complete the work on the painting in the right time, so he had to cover up the work with black paint. Subsequently, after the recognition of the public, Malevich painted new "Black Squares" already on blank canvases. Malevich also painted the paintings "Red Square" (two copies) and one "White Square".
Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin "Bathing the red horse" 1912
Located in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
Painted in 1912, the picture turned out to be visionary. The red horse acts as the Destiny of Russia or Russia itself, which the fragile and young rider is unable to hold. thus, the artist symbolically predicted with his painting the “red” fate of Russia in the 20th century.
Peter Paul Rubens "The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus" 1617-1618
Stored in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
The painting "The Abduction of the Daughters of Leucippus" is considered the personification of courageous passion and bodily beauty. The strong, muscular arms of young men pick up young naked women to put them on horseback. The sons of Zeus and Leda steal the brides of their cousins.
Paul Gauguin "Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" 1898
Stored at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
At the direction of Gauguin himself, the picture should be read from right to left - the three main groups of figures illustrate the questions posed in the title. Three women with a child represent the beginning of life; the middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, according to the artist's intention, "an old woman approaching death seems reconciled and given over to her thoughts", at her feet "a strange white bird ... represents the futility of words."
Eugene Delacroix "Liberty Leading the People" 1830
Stored in the Louvre in Paris
Delacroix created a painting based on the July Revolution of 1830 in France. In a letter to his brother on October 12, 1830, Delacroix writes: "If I did not fight for the Motherland, then at least I will write for her." The bare chest of a woman leading the people symbolizes the selflessness of the French people of that time, who with “bare chest” went to the enemy.
Claude Monet "Impression. Rising Sun" 1872
Stored at the Musée Marmottan in Paris.
The name of the work "Impression, soleil levant" with the light hand of the journalist L. Leroy became the name of the artistic direction "Impressionism". The painting was painted from nature in the old outport of Le Havre in France.
Jan Vermeer "Girl with a pearl earring" 1665
Stored in the Mauritshuis Gallery in The Hague.
One of the most famous paintings by the Dutch artist Jan Vermeer is often referred to as the Northern or Dutch Mona Lisa. Very little is known about the painting: it is not dated, the name of the depicted girl is not known. In 2003, based on the novel of the same name by Tracey Chevalier, the feature film "Girl with a Pearl Earring" was shot, in which the history of the creation of the canvas is hypothetically restored in the context of Vermeer's biography and family life.
Ivan Aivazovsky "The Ninth Wave" 1850
Stored in St. Petersburg in the State Russian Museum.
Ivan Aivazovsky is a world famous Russian marine painter who has dedicated his life to depicting the sea. He created about six thousand works, each of which received recognition during the life of the artist. The painting "The Ninth Wave" is included in the book "100 Great Paintings".
Andrei Rublev "Trinity" 1425-1427
The icon of the Holy Trinity, painted by Andrei Rublev in the 15th century, is one of the most famous Russian icons. The icon is a board in a vertical format. The tsars (Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Mikhail Fedorovich) "encrusted" the icon with gold, silver and precious stones. Today the salary is stored in the Sergiev Posad State Museum-Reserve.
Mikhail Vrubel "Seated Demon" 1890
Stored in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
The plot of the picture is inspired by Lermontov's poem "The Demon". The demon is an image of the strength of the human spirit, internal struggle, doubts. Tragically clasping his hands, the Demon sits with sad, huge eyes directed into the distance, surrounded by unprecedented flowers.
William Blake "The Great Architect" 1794
Stored in the British Museum in London.
The name of the painting "The Ancient of Days" literally translates from English as "Ancient of Days". This phrase was used as the name of God. The main character of the picture is God at the moment of creation, who does not establish order, but limits freedom and marks the limits of the imagination.
Edouard Manet "Bar at the Folies Bergère" 1882
Stored at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
The Folies Bergère is a variety show and cabaret in Paris. Manet frequented the Folies Bergère and ended up painting this painting, his last before his death in 1883. Behind the bar, in the midst of a crowd of drinking, eating, talking and smoking, a barmaid is absorbed in her own thoughts, watching a trapeze acrobat, which can be seen in the upper left corner of the picture.
Titian "Earthly Love and Heavenly Love" 1515-1516
Stored in the Galleria Borghese in Rome.
It is noteworthy that the modern name of the painting was not given by the artist himself, but began to be used only two centuries later. Until that time, the painting had various titles: "Beauty Embellished and Unadorned" (1613), "Three Types of Love" (1650), "Divine and Worldly Women" (1700), and, in the end, "Earthly Love and Heavenly Love » (1792 and 1833).
Mikhail Nesterov "Vision to the youth Bartholomew" 1889-1890
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
The first and most significant work from the cycle dedicated to Sergius of Radonezh. Until the end of his days, the artist was convinced that “The Vision of the Young Bartholomew” was his best work. In his old age, the artist liked to repeat: “It’s not me who will live. The “Young Bartholomew” will live.” Now, if in thirty, fifty years after my death he will still say something to people - that means he is alive, which means that I am also alive ."
Pieter Bruegel the Elder "The Parable of the Blind" 1568
Stored in the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.
Other names of the painting are “The Blind”, “Parabola of the Blind”, “The Blind Leading the Blind”. It is believed that the plot of the picture is based on the biblical parable of the blind: "If the blind lead the blind, then both of them will fall into the pit."
Viktor Vasnetsov "Alyonushka" 1881
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery.
The fairy tale "About sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka" is taken as a basis. Initially, Vasnetsov's painting was called "Fool Alyonushka". Orphans were called “fools” at that time. “Alyonushka,” the artist himself later said, “as if she had been living in my head for a long time, but in reality I saw her in Akhtyrka when I met one simple-haired girl who struck my imagination. There was so much longing, loneliness and purely Russian sadness in her eyes ... Some special Russian spirit emanated from her."
Vincent van Gogh Starry Night 1889
Stored at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Unlike most of the artist's paintings, Starry Night was painted from memory. Van Gogh was at that time in the Saint-Remy hospital, tormented by bouts of insanity.
Karl Bryullov "The Last Day of Pompeii" 1830-1833
Stored in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
The painting depicts the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. e. and the destruction of the city of Pompeii near Naples. The image of the artist in the left corner of the picture is a self-portrait of the author.
Pablo Picasso "Girl on a ball" 1905
Stored in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow
The painting ended up in Russia thanks to the industrialist Ivan Abramovich Morozov, who bought it in 1913 for 16,000 francs. In 1918, the personal collection of I. A. Morozov was nationalized. At the moment, the painting is in the collection of the State Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin.
Leonardo da Vinci "Madonna Litta" 1491
Stored in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
The original title of the painting is Madonna and Child. The modern name of the painting comes from the name of its owner, Count Litta, owner of a family art gallery in Milan. There is an assumption that the figure of the baby was not painted by Leonardo da Vinci, but belongs to the brush of one of his students. This is evidenced by the baby's pose, which is unusual for the author's manner.
Jean Ingres "Turkish Baths" 1862
Stored in the Louvre in Paris.
Ingres finished painting this picture when he was already over 80 years old. With this picture, the artist sums up a peculiar result of the image of bathers, the themes of which have long been present in his work. Initially, the canvas was in the form of a square, but a year after its completion, the artist turned it into a round picture - a tondo.
Ivan Shishkin, Konstantin Savitsky "Morning in a pine forest" 1889
Stored in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow
“Morning in a Pine Forest” is a painting by Russian artists Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky. Savitsky painted bears, but the collector Pavel Tretyakov, when he acquired the painting, erased his signature, so now only Shishkin is indicated as the author of the painting.
Mikhail Vrubel "The Swan Princess" 1900
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery
The picture was painted on the basis of the stage image of the heroine of the opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov based on the plot of the fairy tale of the same name by A. S. Pushkin. Vrubel created sketches for the scenery and costumes for the premiere of the opera in 1900, and his wife sang the part of the Swan Princess.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo "Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II in the form of Vertumnus" 1590
Located in Skokloster Castle in Stockholm.
One of the few surviving works of the artist, who made portraits from fruits, vegetables, flowers, crustaceans, fish, pearls, musical and other instruments, books, and so on. "Vertumnus" is a portrait of the emperor, represented as the ancient Roman god of the seasons, vegetation and transformation. In the picture, Rudolph consists entirely of fruits, flowers and vegetables.
Edgar Degas "Blue Dancers" 1897
Located in the Museum of Art. A. S. Pushkin in Moscow.
Degas was a big fan of ballet. He is called the artist of ballerinas. The work "Blue Dancers" refers to the late period of Degas's work, when his eyesight weakened, and he began to work with large color spots, giving paramount importance to the decorative organization of the surface of the picture.
Let's now remember the most famous paintings of the world. On the one hand, this topic is very simple, and on the other hand, it is insanely complex. Indeed, in the entire history of mankind on Mother Earth in different centuries and in different countries, many brilliant painters were born who left their immortal masterpieces to the world.
I would very much not want to undeservedly bypass the attention of any great artist. But within the framework of this article, we will try to talk only about those works that are familiar not only to true connoisseurs of beauty, artists and art historians, but also to the absolute majority of the simplest inhabitants of our planet.
Such, for example, are some paintings by da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli, Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Karl Bryullov, Aivazovsky, Kustodiev and others. Their works are printed on calendars, in magazines, books and textbooks, published in huge editions in the form of reproductions, constantly flashing on TV screens. In fact, they are familiar to us since childhood.
Paintings by Leonardo da Vinci
A conversation about the most famous paintings of the world is inconceivable without mentioning such world paintings as the famous Gioconda, Madonna Litta, Lady with an Ermine, written by the great Leonardo da Vinci. The first two names stand out from this list. The beautiful and mysterious "Mona Lisa" for many centuries, with a unique smile on her lips, calmly looking at the bustle of this world - is there at least one among civilized people who would never have seen this picture?
It is believed that the canvas depicts Lisa Gherardini, the modest wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. Now you understand where such an unusual name for the portrait came from - "Gioconda"? And the picture was painted approximately in 1503-1505. Today, its priceless original can be seen with your own eyes in the Louvre. The portrait hangs there, protected by thick bulletproof glass, and there are always a lot of people crowding around it. And this is not surprising, because people still have not been able to unravel the secret of this lady's smile.
Da Vinci's paintings are priceless to one and all, they cannot be bought even for very big money. But there is a special work among his works - this is a picturesque fresco "The Last Supper". The time of its creation: 1495-1498, and it was written by a master commissioned by the church in the refectory of the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia, which is located in the glorious Italian city of Milan. The plot depicts one of the most important events in the history of mankind - the last evening meal of Christ with his twelve disciples. It is great luck that the restorers managed to save the fresco to our times, because. it is widely known that while working on it, Leonardo was experimenting with paints and a primer on the wall, which subsequently led to the rapid destruction of the paint layer.
Works by Rafael Santi
The next artist, about whom it can be said without exaggeration that he left behind the most famous paintings of the world, is, of course, Rafael Santi, a painter who lived in Italy from 1483 to 1520. One of his most famous and popular works - considered one of the most perfect and amazing pictorial creations ever created by the human hand.
Another famous creation of the master is a huge (770 by 500 cm) fresco "The School of Athens", which adorns one of the main halls of the Vatican Palace. Among the numerous figures of the picture you can see such great thinkers of mankind as Pythagoras, Epicurus, Socrates, Diogenes, Aristotle, Plato. Among the philosophers, Raphael portrayed himself, as well as his beautiful beloved Margherita.
Unsurpassed Botticelli
What do you think, what works we have next in the list of "Paintings of the most famous artists of the world"? These are stunning and unearthly works by Sandro Botticelli. Let's name just two of his creations, which are familiar to everyone: "The Birth of Venus" and the canvas, which depicts the famous three graces - "Spring". Both the one and the other picture are a hymn to female beauty. No other master has hitherto been able to capture in paint such captivating and poetic female images.
The muse of the artist was a young beautiful Florentine, beloved Giuliano Medici - It is her gentle perfect features that look at us from time immemorial.
Impressionist paintings
Well, now it's time to remember about impressionism. This artistic movement originated in France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are a lot of artists working in this manner, and the work of each of them deserves a separate discussion. In this article, we will talk about the most famous paintings by Monet, who stood at the origins of impressionism and is considered one of its founders. The works of this master are included in the collections of the largest museums in Paris, Berlin, St. Petersburg and other cities of the world.
The general public is well aware of such paintings by Claude Monet as "The Pond with and" Water Lilies. "The artist wrote many versions of works based on these motives.
Van Gogh - the artist whose paintings are the most expensive in the world
Van Gogh was perhaps the most efficient artist in the history of mankind. His legacy is about 800 paintings and countless drawings. The most famous is, perhaps, "Sunflowers". It is known for certain that the master painted 7 still lifes from this series. But, only 5 have survived to this day, and each painting is rated as the most expensive diamond. Just think: during his lifetime, Van Gogh managed to sell only one of his works, and even that for mere pennies, and now the cost of his paintings at auctions is breaking all records.
Another most famous painting by Van Gogh is the exquisite fantasy painting Starry Night. This work is so popular that today you can even find its animated version on the Internet. Van Gogh's painting is so talented and original that even in the form of reproductions it can be looked at endlessly.
Dreams on canvas
Speaking about the most famous paintings of the world, it is impossible not to mention the work of the founder of surrealism, Salvador Dali. It is believed that the artist's most popular painting is "The Persistence of Memory", which depicts clocks as symbols of the endless flow of time. The deserted shore in the distance symbolizes the emptiness that, according to Dali, he often felt inside himself.
However, this is far from the only popular work of the surrealist. The paintings "Atomic Leda", "Premonition of Civil War", "Burning Giraffe", "Dream" can be considered no less famous.
The most famous Russian paintings
So far, our article has mentioned paintings by foreign masters. Meanwhile, there are quite a few paintings painted by our great compatriots, which are very popular all over the world. There have always been many talented artists in Russia. And if it is rather difficult to see many masterpieces of world art with one's own eyes, due to the fact that they are located abroad, then we can see the originals of Russian painters in many museums of our country, for example, in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
Here are the paintings of the Tretyakov Gallery, the most famous, both here and abroad: "Three Heroes" (V. Vasnetsova), "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan" (I. Repin), "Seated Demon" (M. Vrubel), "The Appearance of Christ to the People" (A. Ivanov), "Girl with Peaches" (I. Repin), "Morning in a Pine Forest" (I. Shishkin), "Moscow Yard" (V. Polenov), "The Rooks Have Arrived" and others.
Kustodievsky beauties
Separately, I would like to talk about the works of the world-famous Russian artist Boris Kustodiev - no one else could tell so tasty and beautifully through painting about Russian life, about the mysterious Russian soul. Who among us has not admired a portly beauty behind a samovar (“The Merchant for Tea”) or a full-blooded young lady full of health and youth in a village bathhouse (“Russian Venus”).
Here are the names of some popular works of the original painter: "Winter", "Portrait of Fyodor Chaliapin", "Haymaking", "Merchant with purchases", "Fair", "Bather", "Shrovetide".
"Malevich's black square
We briefly talked about some of the most famous Russian paintings, but it would be wrong to end the article without writing anything about one of the most controversial and controversial works that came to light from the brush of one of the outstanding Russian artists. We are talking about the "Black Square" by Kazimir Malevich - the founder of the direction in painting called "Suprematism". And although Malevich painted many paintings during his long creative life, it was this work of his that was most remembered by the whole world.
There are several variants of the "Black Square". They can be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery, the Hermitage and the Russian Museum. The price of these works is huge, according to experts, today it can reach up to 80 million dollars.
Conclusion
It is a pity that in this short review it was not possible to talk about the world masterpieces of Rembrandt, Rubens, Karl Bryullov, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin and other wonderful creators. Their work deserves no less attention.
Although I think that the profession of a designer is not related to art, but it seems to me that cultural education and the development of taste are important for every designer. Therefore, today's post will be a little general educational.
I would like every person to admire the immortal paintings of great artists. In this article, I have collected the best and most iconic paintings of various fine art masters.
Get inspired for health (clickable)!
Leonardo da Vinci "La Gioconda"
It seems to me that it is worth starting the review with the most probably famous painting of the world - the Gioconda (or "Mona Lisa") by Leonardo da Vinci. This is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini painted approximately in 1503-1505. Currently kept in the Louvre.
A significant feature of the picture is the famous mysterious smile of Mona Lisa. There are several secrets in the most famous smile in the world that excite minds to this day. The first secret: it is difficult to understand whether the Mona Lisa is actually smiling or just seems to be. The second and third riddles can only be seen live, having been in the Louvre: from any place in the hall it seems that the portrait is looking at you and smiling only at you; gradually passing by the portrait from left to right, you can see how the girl on it is getting older. The last two phenomena I happened to observe personally and I can confirm that they actually take place.
Raphael "Sistine Madonna"
This picture is often used for various Christmas cards. Or rather angels from below. The painting was commissioned from Raphael in 1512. Currently kept in the Old Masters Gallery in Dresden.
Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper"
The fresco depicts the last supper of Christ with his disciples. It was written in 1495-1498 in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Approximate size 4.5 m x 8.7 m.
Sandro Botticelli "The Birth of Venus"
The painting of the famous Italian is kept in Florence in the Uffizi Gallery. The picture was painted in 1486. And depicts the goddess of beauty, born from sea foam and coming out onto land.
Salvador Dali "The Persistence of Memory"
Probably the most famous painting by Salvador Dali. Personally, the picture hits me right in the brain and makes me doubt the reality of the world around me. Written in 1931 and currently stored in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Kazimir Malevich Black square"
This canvas measuring 79.5 × 79.5 centimeters was iconic and gave rise to a new direction in painting. At the same time, Black Square is also the most controversial canvas. There are not so few people who do not see art here and say that they will draw just as well. Since 1915, Malevich painted 7 identical canvases.
An interesting fact: many critics suggest that Malevich originally painted a different picture, and subsequently smeared it with black paint. Studies for the location were carried out repeatedly, but art critics were indignant, arguing that the painting could be irreparably harmed.
Vincent van Gogh "Starlight Night"
One of my favorite paintings in general. Painted by a Dutch artist in 1889. It is currently kept at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Karl Bryulov " The last day of Pompeii"
The Russian painter painted this picture in 1830 after visiting Pompeii. The picture tells about the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which buried the whole city. Currently stored in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
Pablo Picasso "Girl on the Ball"
The painting was painted by a famous Spanish artist in 1905 and depicts a group of wandering acrobats. Currently stored in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow.
Ivan Aivazovsky "The Ninth Wave"
The picture strikes with a riot of colors and shows the helplessness of a person in front of the elements. Painted by the world famous Russian artist in 1850. Exhibited in St. Petersburg at the State Russian Museum.
In fact, this list can be continued indefinitely. There are a huge number of works of art in the world. I recommend watching all of them live.
No inspiration? I advise you to choose the time and visit a good museum.
There are many talented individuals among Russian artists. Their work is highly valued all over the world and competes with such world masters as Rubens, Michelangelo, Van Gogh and Picasso. In this article, we have collected 10 of the most famous Russian artists.
1. Ivan Aivazovsky
Ivan Aivazovsky is one of the most famous Russian artists. He was born in Feodosia. From childhood, Aivazovsky showed his incredible creative abilities: he loved to draw and taught himself to play the violin.
At the age of 12, the young talent began to study in Simferopol at the Academy of Painting. Here he learned to copy engravings and paint from nature. A year later, he managed to enter the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy, although he had not yet reached the age of 14 years.
For a long time the artist traveled around Europe and lived in Italy, where his paintings were also recognized for their true worth. So the young artist from Feodosia became a fairly famous and rich man.
Later, Aivazovsky returned to his homeland, where he received the uniform of the Naval Ministry and the title of academician. The artist also visited Egypt and was present at the opening of the new Suez Canal. The artist described all his impressions in pictures. By this time, he had already developed his own unique style and the ability to write from memory. Aivazovsky briefly sketched complex elements in a notebook in order to later transfer them to the canvas. The paintings "Odessa", "The Ninth Wave" and "The Black Sea" brought him worldwide fame.
The artist spent the last years of his life in Feodosia, where he built himself a house in the Italian style. A little later, Aivazovsky added a small gallery to it, so that everyone could freely enjoy his amazing paintings and drown in the ocean of colors. Today, this mansion still serves as a museum and many visitors come here every day to see with their own eyes the skill of the marine painter, who lived a long and happy life.
2. Viktor Vasnetsov
Viktor Vasnetsov continues the list of the most famous Russian artists. He was born in the spring of 1848 in the family of a priest in the small village of Lopyal. The craving for painting woke up in him at a very early age, but his parents could not give him a proper education due to lack of money. Therefore, at the age of 10, Victor began to study at a free theological seminary.
In 1866, with virtually no money, he left for St. Petersburg. Vasnetsov easily passed the entrance exam and entered the Academy of Arts. Here began his friendship with the famous artist Repin, with whom he later went to Paris. After returning to St. Petersburg, Vasnetsov begins to paint his most famous paintings: "Three heroes", "Snow Maiden" and "God Sabaoth".
The artist was able to fully reveal his talent only after moving to Moscow. Here he is cozy and comfortable, and each subsequent picture is better than the previous one. It was in Moscow that Vasnetsov painted such paintings as Alyonushka, Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf and Nestor the Chronicler.
3. Karl Bryullov
This famous Russian artist was born in 1799. Karl's father was a famous painter and professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. Therefore, the fate of the boy was a foregone conclusion. Fortunately, Karl Bryullov managed to inherit the artist's talent from his father.
Studying was given to the young artist very easily. He was many times superior to the rest of the students in his class and graduated from the Academy of Arts with honors. After that, Karl went to travel around Europe, stopping for a long time only in Italy. It was here that he created his masterpiece - "The Last Day of Pompeii", having spent about six years writing it.
Upon his return to St. Petersburg, Karl Bryullov was awaited by fame and glory. They were glad to see him everywhere and certainly admired his new paintings. During this period, the artist creates several of his immortal paintings: Horsewoman, Siege of Pskov, Narcissus and others.
4. Ivan Shishkin
Ivan Shishkin is one of the most famous Russian landscape painters, who in his paintings could present any inconspicuous landscape in the most favorable light. It seems that nature itself plays on the canvases of this artist with living colors.
Ivan Shishkin was born in 1832 in Yelabuga, which today belongs to Tatarstan. The father wanted his son to eventually take the post of city official, but Ivan gravitated towards drawing. At the age of 20, he left for Moscow to study painting. After successfully graduating from the Moscow School of Arts, Shishkin entered the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg.
Later, he traveled a long time in Europe, sketching amazing landscapes. At this time, he created the painting "View in the vicinity of Düsseldorf", which brought him great fame. After returning to Russia, Shishkin continues to create with redoubled energy. According to him, Russian nature is several hundred times superior to European landscapes.
Ivan Shishkin painted many amazing paintings in his life: “Morning in a Pine Forest”, “First Snow”, “Pine Forest” and others. Even death overtook this painter right behind the easel.
5. Isaac Levitan
This great Russian master of landscapes was born in Lithuania, but lived all his life in Russia. Repeatedly, his Jewish origin caused him many humiliations, but did not force him to leave this country, which he idolized and praised in his paintings.
Already the first landscapes of Levitan received high marks from Perov and Savrasov, and Tretyakov himself even bought his painting “Autumn Day in Sokolniki”. But in 1879, Isaac Levitan, along with all the Jews, was expelled from Moscow. Only with the great efforts of friends and teachers he manages to return to the city.
In the 1880s, the artist painted many amazing paintings that made him very famous. These were "Pines", "Autumn" and "First Snow". But yet another humiliation forced the author to leave Moscow again and go to the Crimea. On the peninsula, the artist writes a number of amazing works and significantly improves his financial condition. This allows him to travel around Europe and get acquainted with the work of world masters. The pinnacle of Levitan's work was his painting "Above Eternal Peace".
6. Vasily Tropinin
The great Russian portrait painter Vasily Tropinin had an amazing fate. He was born in the family of serfs Count Markov in 1780 and only at the age of 47 received the right to be a free man. Even as a child, little Vasily had a penchant for drawing, but the count sent him to study as a confectioner. Later, he is still sent to the Imperial Academy, where he shows his talent in all its beauty. For his portraits "The Lacemaker" and "The Beggar Old Man" Vasily Tropinin was awarded the title of academician.
7. Petrov-Vodkin Kuzma
The famous Russian artist Petrov-Vodkin managed to leave behind a rich heritage in world painting. He was born in 1878 in Khvalynsk, and in his youth he was going to become a railway worker. However, fate made him a painter of world renown.
8. Alexey Savrasov
The paintings of this Russian artist were already selling well, as soon as he was 12 years old. A little later, he entered the Moscow School of Painting and instantly became one of the best students. A trip to Ukraine helped Savrasov finish college ahead of schedule and receive the title of artist.
The paintings "Stone in the Forest" and "Moscow Kremlin" made this painter an academician at the age of 24! The royal family is interested in young talent, and Tretyakov himself buys many of his works for international exhibitions. Among them were "Winter", "Rooks have arrived", "Thaw" and others.
The death of two daughters and the subsequent divorce take a toll on Savrasov. He drinks heavily and soon dies in a hospital for the poor.
9. Andrey Rublev
Andrei Rublev is the most famous Russian icon painter. He was born in the 15th century and left behind a great legacy in the form of the icons "Trinity", "Annunciation", "Baptism of the Lord". Andrei Rublev, together with Daniil Cherny, decorated many churches with frescoes, and also painted icons for iconostases.
10. Mikhail Vrubel
Our list of the most famous Russian artists is completed by Mikhail Vrubel, who during his life created many masterpieces in various subjects. He was engaged in painting the Kyiv temple, and later in Moscow he set about creating his famous series of "demonic" paintings. The creative throwing of this artist did not find proper understanding among his contemporaries. Only a few decades after the death of Mikhail Vrubel, art critics gave him his due, and the Church agreed with his interpretations of biblical events.
Unfortunately, the artist's personal life caused him to develop a severe form of mental disorders. The title of academician overtook him in a lunatic asylum, from which he was no longer destined to leave. Nevertheless, Mikhail Vrubel managed to create many amazing works of art that are worthy of genuine admiration. Among them, it is especially worth highlighting the paintings "Seated Demon", "The Swan Princess" and "Faust".
The most famous and significant for the history of art pictures of the world for your inspiration.
The immortal paintings of great artists are admired by millions of people. Art, classical and modern, is one of the main sources of inspiration, taste and cultural education of any person, and even more creative.
There are certainly more world-famous paintings than 33. There are several hundred of them, and all of them would not fit in one review. Therefore, for ease of viewing, we have selected a few that are most significant for world culture and are often copied. Each work is accompanied by an interesting fact, an explanation of the artistic meaning or the history of its creation.
Raphael "Sistine Madonna" 1512
Stored in the Old Masters Gallery in Dresden.
The picture has a little secret: the background, which looks like clouds from a distance, upon closer examination turns out to be the heads of angels. And the two angels depicted in the picture below have become the motif of numerous postcards and posters.
Rembrandt "The Night Watch" 1642
Stored in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The true name of the painting by Rembrandt is "The performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg." Art critics who discovered the painting in the 19th century thought that the figures were standing against a dark background, and they called it “Night Watch”. Later it turned out that a layer of soot makes the picture dark, and the action actually takes place during the day. However, the picture has already entered the treasury of world art under the name "Night Watch".
Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper" 1495-1498
Located in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.
Over the more than 500-year history of the existence of the work, the fresco was repeatedly destroyed: a doorway was made through the painting, and then a doorway was laid, the refectory of the monastery, where the image is located, was used as an armory, a prison, and bombed. The famous fresco has been restored at least five times, with the most recent restoration taking 21 years. Today, to view the work of art, visitors must book tickets in advance and can only spend 15 minutes in the refectory.
Salvador Dali "The Persistence of Memory" 1931
According to the author himself, the picture was painted as a result of associations that arose in Dali at the sight of processed cheese. Returning from the cinema, where she went that evening, Gala quite correctly predicted that no one who saw "The Persistence of Memory" once would forget it.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Tower of Babel" 1563
Stored at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
According to Brueghel, the failure that befell the construction of the Tower of Babel was not due to language barriers that suddenly arose according to the biblical story, but to mistakes made during the construction process. At first glance, the huge building seems solid enough, but upon closer inspection, it is clear that all the tiers are laid unevenly, the lower floors are either unfinished or are already collapsing, the building itself is tilting towards the city, and the prospects for the entire project are very sad.
Kazimir Malevich "Black Square" 1915
According to the artist, he painted the picture for several months. Subsequently, Malevich made several copies of the "Black Square" (according to some sources, seven). According to one version, the artist was unable to complete the work on the painting in the right time, so he had to cover up the work with black paint. Subsequently, after the recognition of the public, Malevich painted new "Black Squares" already on blank canvases. Malevich also painted the paintings "Red Square" (two copies) and one "White Square".
Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin "Bathing the red horse" 1912
Located in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
Painted in 1912, the picture turned out to be visionary. The red horse acts as the Destiny of Russia or Russia itself, which the fragile and young rider is unable to hold. thus, the artist symbolically predicted with his painting the “red” fate of Russia in the 20th century.
Peter Paul Rubens "The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus" 1617-1618
Stored in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
The painting "The Abduction of the Daughters of Leucippus" is considered the personification of courageous passion and bodily beauty. The strong, muscular arms of young men pick up young naked women to put them on horseback. The sons of Zeus and Leda steal the brides of their cousins.
Paul Gauguin "Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" 1898
Stored at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
At the direction of Gauguin himself, the picture should be read from right to left - the three main groups of figures illustrate the questions posed in the title. Three women with a child represent the beginning of life; the middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, according to the artist's intention, "an old woman approaching death seems reconciled and given over to her thoughts", at her feet "a strange white bird ... represents the futility of words."
Eugene Delacroix "Liberty Leading the People" 1830
Stored in the Louvre in Paris
Delacroix created a painting based on the July Revolution of 1830 in France. In a letter to his brother on October 12, 1830, Delacroix writes: "If I did not fight for the Motherland, then at least I will write for her." The bare chest of a woman leading the people symbolizes the selflessness of the French people of that time, who with “bare chest” went to the enemy.
Claude Monet "Impression. Rising Sun" 1872
Stored at the Musée Marmottan in Paris.
The name of the work "Impression, soleil levant" with the light hand of the journalist L. Leroy became the name of the artistic direction "Impressionism". The painting was painted from nature in the old outport of Le Havre in France.
Jan Vermeer "Girl with a pearl earring" 1665
Stored in the Mauritshuis Gallery in The Hague.
One of the most famous paintings by the Dutch artist Jan Vermeer is often referred to as the Northern or Dutch Mona Lisa. Very little is known about the painting: it is not dated, the name of the depicted girl is not known. In 2003, based on the novel of the same name by Tracey Chevalier, the feature film "Girl with a Pearl Earring" was shot, in which the history of the creation of the canvas is hypothetically restored in the context of Vermeer's biography and family life.
Ivan Aivazovsky "The Ninth Wave" 1850
Stored in St. Petersburg in the State Russian Museum.
Ivan Aivazovsky is a world famous Russian marine painter who has dedicated his life to depicting the sea. He created about six thousand works, each of which received recognition during the life of the artist. The painting "The Ninth Wave" is included in the book "100 Great Paintings".
Andrei Rublev "Trinity" 1425-1427
The icon of the Holy Trinity, painted by Andrei Rublev in the 15th century, is one of the most famous Russian icons. The icon is a board in a vertical format. The tsars (Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Mikhail Fedorovich) "encrusted" the icon with gold, silver and precious stones. Today the salary is stored in the Sergiev Posad State Museum-Reserve.
Mikhail Vrubel "Seated Demon" 1890
Stored in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
The plot of the picture is inspired by Lermontov's poem "The Demon". The demon is an image of the strength of the human spirit, internal struggle, doubts. Tragically clasping his hands, the Demon sits with sad, huge eyes directed into the distance, surrounded by unprecedented flowers.
William Blake "The Great Architect" 1794
Stored in the British Museum in London.
The name of the painting "The Ancient of Days" literally translates from English as "Ancient of Days". This phrase was used as the name of God. The main character of the picture is God at the moment of creation, who does not establish order, but limits freedom and marks the limits of the imagination.
Edouard Manet "Bar at the Folies Bergère" 1882
Stored at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
The Folies Bergère is a variety show and cabaret in Paris. Manet frequented the Folies Bergère and ended up painting this painting, his last before his death in 1883. Behind the bar, in the midst of a crowd of drinking, eating, talking and smoking, a barmaid is absorbed in her own thoughts, watching a trapeze acrobat, which can be seen in the upper left corner of the picture.
Titian "Earthly Love and Heavenly Love" 1515-1516
Stored in the Galleria Borghese in Rome.
It is noteworthy that the modern name of the painting was not given by the artist himself, but began to be used only two centuries later. Until that time, the painting had various titles: "Beauty Embellished and Unadorned" (1613), "Three Types of Love" (1650), "Divine and Worldly Women" (1700), and, in the end, "Earthly Love and Heavenly Love » (1792 and 1833).
Mikhail Nesterov "Vision to the youth Bartholomew" 1889-1890
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
The first and most significant work from the cycle dedicated to Sergius of Radonezh. Until the end of his days, the artist was convinced that “The Vision of the Young Bartholomew” was his best work. In his old age, the artist liked to repeat: “It’s not me who will live. The “Young Bartholomew” will live.” Now, if in thirty, fifty years after my death he will still say something to people - that means he is alive, which means that I am also alive ."
Pieter Bruegel the Elder "The Parable of the Blind" 1568
Stored in the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.
Other names of the painting are “The Blind”, “Parabola of the Blind”, “The Blind Leading the Blind”. It is believed that the plot of the picture is based on the biblical parable of the blind: "If the blind lead the blind, then both of them will fall into the pit."
Viktor Vasnetsov "Alyonushka" 1881
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery.
The fairy tale "About sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka" is taken as a basis. Initially, Vasnetsov's painting was called "Fool Alyonushka". Orphans were called “fools” at that time. “Alyonushka,” the artist himself later said, “as if she had been living in my head for a long time, but in reality I saw her in Akhtyrka when I met one simple-haired girl who struck my imagination. There was so much longing, loneliness and purely Russian sadness in her eyes ... Some special Russian spirit emanated from her."
Vincent van Gogh Starry Night 1889
Stored at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Unlike most of the artist's paintings, Starry Night was painted from memory. Van Gogh was at that time in the Saint-Remy hospital, tormented by bouts of insanity.
Karl Bryullov "The Last Day of Pompeii" 1830-1833
Stored in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
The painting depicts the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. e. and the destruction of the city of Pompeii near Naples. The image of the artist in the left corner of the picture is a self-portrait of the author.
Pablo Picasso "Girl on a ball" 1905
Stored in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow
The painting ended up in Russia thanks to the industrialist Ivan Abramovich Morozov, who bought it in 1913 for 16,000 francs. In 1918, the personal collection of I. A. Morozov was nationalized. At the moment, the painting is in the collection of the State Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin.
Leonardo da Vinci "Madonna Litta" 1491
Stored in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
The original title of the painting is Madonna and Child. The modern name of the painting comes from the name of its owner, Count Litta, owner of a family art gallery in Milan. There is an assumption that the figure of the baby was not painted by Leonardo da Vinci, but belongs to the brush of one of his students. This is evidenced by the baby's pose, which is unusual for the author's manner.
Jean Ingres "Turkish Baths" 1862
Stored in the Louvre in Paris.
Ingres finished painting this picture when he was already over 80 years old. With this picture, the artist sums up a peculiar result of the image of bathers, the themes of which have long been present in his work. Initially, the canvas was in the form of a square, but a year after its completion, the artist turned it into a round picture - a tondo.
Ivan Shishkin, Konstantin Savitsky "Morning in a pine forest" 1889
Stored in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow
“Morning in a Pine Forest” is a painting by Russian artists Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky. Savitsky painted bears, but the collector Pavel Tretyakov, when he acquired the painting, erased his signature, so now only Shishkin is indicated as the author of the painting.
Mikhail Vrubel "The Swan Princess" 1900
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery
The picture was painted on the basis of the stage image of the heroine of the opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov based on the plot of the fairy tale of the same name by A. S. Pushkin. Vrubel created sketches for the scenery and costumes for the premiere of the opera in 1900, and his wife sang the part of the Swan Princess.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo "Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II in the form of Vertumnus" 1590
Located in Skokloster Castle in Stockholm.
One of the few surviving works of the artist, who made portraits from fruits, vegetables, flowers, crustaceans, fish, pearls, musical and other instruments, books, and so on. "Vertumnus" is a portrait of the emperor, represented as the ancient Roman god of the seasons, vegetation and transformation. In the picture, Rudolph consists entirely of fruits, flowers and vegetables.
Edgar Degas "Blue Dancers" 1897
Located in the Museum of Art. A. S. Pushkin in Moscow.
Degas was a big fan of ballet. He is called the artist of ballerinas. The work "Blue Dancers" refers to the late period of Degas's work, when his eyesight weakened, and he began to work with large color spots, giving paramount importance to the decorative organization of the surface of the picture.
Leonardo da Vinci "Mona Lisa" 1503-1505
Stored in the Louvre, Paris.
The Mona Lisa might not have gained worldwide fame if it had not been stolen in 1911 by an employee of the Louvre. The painting was found two years later in Italy: the thief responded to an ad in a newspaper and offered to sell the Gioconda to the director of the Uffizi Gallery. All this time, while the investigation was going on, "Mona Lisa" did not leave the covers of newspapers and magazines around the world, becoming an object of copying and worship.
Sandro Botticelli "The Birth of Venus" 1486
Stored in Florence at the Uffizi Gallery
The painting illustrates the myth of the birth of Aphrodite. The naked goddess floats to the shore in an open shell, driven by the wind. On the left side of the picture, Zephyr (the west wind), in the arms of his wife Chlorida, blows on a shell, creating a wind filled with flowers. On the shore, the goddess is met by one of the graces. The Birth of Venus is well preserved due to the fact that Botticelli applied a protective layer of egg yolk to the painting.
Michelangelo "Creation of Adam" 1511
Located in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
