Every modern person should know what painting is. Masterpieces of world significance, which are presented in our article, cannot leave anyone indifferent. You can also find out where to find a complete list of paintings that are famous all over the world. Painting plays an important role in everyone's life. Thanks to it, you can form a multifaceted personality.
What is painting? general information
Painting is a kind of fine art. Thanks to him, the artist conveys visual images by applying paints to any surface. The emergence of painting in Russia is associated with the development of realism and symbolism. Experts distinguish five main varieties of painting:
- easel;
- monumental;
- decorative;
- theatrical and decorative;
- miniature.
For a long period of time, it was believed that the story begins with a Dutch artist named Jan van Eyck, who created his paintings in the 15th century. Many experts call him the creator of oil fine art. This theory is also described in the specialized literature. However, this cannot be confirmed. Several artists are known to have worked in oils long before van Eyck.
Great masterpieces of painting allow you to find out how people lived many years ago. Leonardo da Vinci argued that paintings are created by man, nature and time. Painting can be performed on absolutely any basis. It participates in the formation of the artificial and natural environment.
Painting is illusory. Plotinus argued that one should not copy nature, one should learn from it. The development of painting has long gone beyond the understanding of its main tasks of "reproducing reality". That is why many artists abandon irrelevant methods of self-expression and influence on the viewer. There are new trends in painting.
Famous masterpieces of painting and this type of fine art in general can perform the following functions:
- cognitive;
- religious;
- aesthetic;
- philosophical;
- ideological;
- social and educational;
- documentary.
The main and most meaningful value in painting is color. It is believed that he is the bearer of the idea.
There is a wide variety:
- portrait;
- scenery;
- marina;
- historical painting;
- battle;
- still life;
- genre painting;
- architectural;
- religious;
- animalistic;
- decorative.
Painting plays a huge role in self-development. Masterpieces of world significance, shown to a child, help to form a personality in him and teach him to appreciate this or that object of art. Often, painting helps to alleviate the condition of a patient who has a particular disease. Art therapy not only involves getting acquainted with the types of fine art, but also allows you to try to create a masterpiece on your own.
Leonardo da Vinci, "Mona Lisa"
Some paintings (masterpieces of world art) contain many secrets and mysteries. It's still hard to figure them out. Mona Lisa is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci. It is considered one of the most famous paintings in the world. Its original is in the Louvre (Paris). There it is considered the main exhibit. This is no coincidence, because most tourists visit the Louvre every day just to look at the painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
To date, "Mona Lisa" is not in the best condition. That is why the museum management announced several years ago that the work of art would no longer be given to any exhibitions. You can only see the portrait in the Louvre.
The painting became popular after it was stolen by a museum worker in 1911. The search for the stolen masterpiece continued for two years. All this time they wrote about her in magazines and newspapers, placed on the covers. Gradually, "Mona Lisa" became the object of copying and worship.
Paintings (masterpieces of world art) are actively studied by specialists. The Mona Lisa was created over 500 years ago. Scientists say that she changes like a real woman. Over time, the portrait faded, turned yellow, and in some places there are dark spots. The wooden supports were wrinkled and cracked. It is known that the picture contains 25 secrets.
9 years ago, museum visitors were able to enjoy the original color of the painting for the first time. Unique shots designed by Pascal Cotte made it possible to see what the masterpiece looked like before it began to fade.
Photographs taken using a unique technology make it possible to find out that after creating the masterpiece, Leonardo changed the position of the Mona Lisa's hand, her facial expression and smile. It is known that there is a dark spot in the area of the eye in the portrait. Scientists claim that this damage arose due to the fact that water got on the varnish coating. His education is associated with the fact that the painting hung in Napoleon's bathroom for some time.
The artist has been working on the painting for over two years. It is included in the list of "500 Masterpieces of Painting of World Importance". There is a theory according to which the portrait does not depict the Mona Lisa at all. The painting got its name on the basis of the words Scientists of our time claim that this could be a mistake, and a completely different woman is depicted on the masterpiece. The greatest number of questions is caused by the smile of the Gioconda. There are many versions of its interpretation. Some argue that Gioconda is depicted as pregnant and her facial expression is associated with a desire to feel the movement of the fetus, while others believe that the smile betrays the hidden homosexuality of the artist himself. Some experts believe that "Mona Lisa" is a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci.
"The Coronation of Napoleon", Jacques Louis David
Many people are drawn to painting. Masterpieces of world significance often show the viewer an episode of some important historical event. The painting, which was painted by Jacques Louis David, was commissioned by Emperor Napoleon I of France. "The Coronation of Napoleon" shows the events of December 2, 1804. It is known that the customer asked the artist to depict the coronation better than it really is.
David created a masterpiece inspired by the painting by Rubens. He worked on it for several years. For a long period of time, the painting remained the property of the artist. She ended up in the museum after the departure of Jacques Louis David. His work made a good impression on many. In 1808, the artist received an order from an American entrepreneur who asked him to create an identical copy.
The painting depicts about 150 characters. It is known that each image is characterized by incredible accuracy and realism. In the left corner of the canvas, all the relatives of the emperor are depicted. Behind Napoleon sits his mother. However, she did not attend the coronation. Experts say that, most likely, this was done in connection with the wishes of Napoleon himself. It is known that he treated her very reverently.
In those days, the picture was a fantastic success. After Napoleon was overthrown, the canvas was kept in reserve for a long period of time and was not exhibited. In our time, the picture, just as before, delights many.
Valentin Serov, "Girl with peaches"
No less popular are the masterpieces of Russian painting. "Girl with Peaches" is a painting painted by Valentin Serov in 1887. Nowadays, you can see her live in the State Tretyakov Gallery. The painting depicts 12-year-old Vera Mamontova. She is sitting at a table with a knife, peaches and leaves on it. The girl is wearing a pink blouse with a dark blue bow.
The painting by Valentin Serov was painted in the estate of Savva Ivanovich Mamontov in Abramtsevo. In 1871, peach trees were planted on the estate. They were looked after by a specially hired person. For the first time the artist came to the estate in 1875 with his mother.
In August 1877, 11-year-old Vera Mamontova sat down at the table, picking up a peach. Valentin Serov invited the girl to pose. Vera accepted the artist's proposal. She posed every day for almost two months. After the picture was painted, the artist gave it to Elizaveta Mamontova, the girl's mother. She hung in one of the rooms for a long time. Currently, there is a copy, and the original is located in the museum. In 1888, the author of the painting was awarded the prize of the Moscow Society of Art Lovers.
Masterpieces of Russian painting contain a large number of little-known facts. The Peaches Girl is no exception. It is known that Vera Mamontova, depicted on the canvas, lived only 32 years. The cause of her death was pneumonia. Her husband did not marry after the death of the chosen one. He raised three children on his own.
Special literature
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to visit world-famous museums. However, many want to see the masterpieces of painting. You can find photos of some of them in our article. It is worth noting that today there is a huge number of printed publications that showcase the best paintings from around the world. There you can find both modern and ancient works of various artists. It is worth noting that some editions are produced in limited quantities, and it is not easy to find them.
The magazine "50 Artists. Masterpieces of Russian Painting" is a weekly publication. It will be of interest to readers of absolutely any age. It contains photographs of world-famous paintings, the history of their creation and interesting facts about them. The first magazine, which was published six years ago, was accompanied by a binder for storing publications and a reproduction of one of the paintings, which can be placed on a desktop or wall. Each issue describes the work of one of the artists. The volume of the magazine is 32 pages. You can find it on the territory of the Russian Federation or nearby countries. "50 Russian Artists. Masterpieces of Russian Painting" is a magazine that will definitely appeal to connoisseurs of fine art. A complete collection of issues will allow you to explore the basic information about the most popular artists. The cost of the magazine does not exceed 100 rubles.
"Masterpieces of Russian Painting" is a book authored by L. M. Zhukova. It contains 180 pages. The publication includes 150 high-quality images. The book-album attracts many. This is no coincidence, because it demonstrated a huge number of reproductions. Thanks to them, one can trace how Russian painting was formed. The cost of the book ranges from 700 to 1000 rubles.
"Famous Museums of Italy. Masterpieces of Painting" - a book that was released this year. It presents the best paintings from six museums in Italy. In the publication, the reader can also get acquainted with the history of the creation of museums. The book contains 304 pages.
Those wishing to see works of world significance will definitely like the electronic gallery of masterpieces of painting. Today, there are many resources and applications that feature the most famous canvases.
Victor Vasnetsov, "Bogatyrs"
"Bogatyrs (Three heroes)" - a picture that was painted by Viktor Vasnetsov in 1898. It is included in the masterpieces of art. Vasnetsov's painting is known to many. The work "Heroes" is considered a symbol of Russian art. The basis of all Vasnetsov's work is folklore themes.
Three Russian heroes are depicted. They symbolize the strength and power of the Russian people. The artist worked on the creation of this work of art for about 30 years. The first sketch was made by Vasnetsov in 1871.
One of the heroes depicted in the picture is Ilya Muromets. He is known to us as a character of Russian epics. However, few people know that this hero really existed. Many stories about his exploits are real, and Ilya Muromets himself is a historical figure.
Dobrynya Nikitich, who is also depicted in the picture, according to folk legends, was very educated and courageous. Many incredible stories are associated with his personality. You can often hear a story about his charmed sword and armor.
Alyosha Popovich differs from the other two heroes in age. He is young and slim. In his hands you can see a bow and arrows. There are many small details in the picture that will help to carefully study the character of the characters.
Mikhail Vrubel, "Seated Demon"
Another well-known painting is "Seated Demon". Its author is Mikhail Vrubel. It was created in 1890. You can see its original in the Tretyakov Gallery. It is believed that the picture personifies the doubts inherent in man.
Experts believe that the artist was possessed by the image of a demon, because it is known that he wrote many similar works. There is information that during this period, Vrubel's acquaintances noticed that the artist was developing a mental disorder. The occurrence of the disease is associated with experienced stress. It is known that Vrubel had a son with the so-called cleft lip. The artist's relatives noted that in connection with the occurrence of a mental disorder, his craving for art increased. However, it was almost impossible to be near him. In the spring of 1902, the disease reached a critical point. The artist was placed for treatment in a psychiatric hospital. Despite the difficult fate of Vrubel, his paintings do not cease to attract new admirers of his work and connoisseurs of art from all over the world. His work is shown at various exhibitions. "Demon Seated" is one of the artist's most popular paintings.
Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, "Bathing the Red Horse"
Every modern person should know the masterpieces of painting. The photos presented in our article will help you familiarize yourself with them. "Bathing the Red Horse" is a painting painted by the artist in 1912. Its author is Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin. Painting the horse in an unusual color, the artist uses the traditions of Russian icon painting. Red is a symbol of the greatness of life and sacrifice. The indomitable horse symbolizes the incomprehensibility of the Russian spirit. Bright pink color is associated with the image of the Garden of Eden.
On November 10, 1912, an exhibition was held in Moscow. A picture of Petrov-Vodkin was placed above the front door, believing that it would become a kind of banner. However, this opinion was erroneous. The picture was not appreciated by some visitors of the exhibition, as well as by artists. Controversy erupted around the pioneering work. In 1914, an exhibition was held in Sweden, which featured 10 works by Petrov-Vodkin, including Bathing a Red Horse. They were valued at tens of millions of dollars.
The painting is over 100 years old. Today, her role in the development of painting is obvious. However, in our time there are many connoisseurs of art who did not like the work of Petrov-Vodkin.
Salvador Dali, "The Persistence of Memory"
Many people are interested in painting. Masterpieces of world art do not cease to amaze even today. All the work of Salvador Dali is paradoxical and difficult to logically analyze. The painting "The Persistence of Memory", written in 1931, attracted the attention of many critics. The main image of the work is most often explained by the complexity and non-linearity of the nature of that time. Favorite symbols of Salvador Dali are collected in one picture. The sea symbolizes immortality, the egg - life, and the olive - wisdom. The picture shows the evening time of the day. Evening is a symbol of melancholy. It defines the overall mood of the work. It is known that the three clocks in the picture are the past, present and future. It is believed that the blurred object with eyelashes is a self-portrait of the sleeping author. Salvador Dali argued that sleep frees all subconscious thoughts, and a person becomes defenseless. That is why in the picture his figure is presented as a blurry object.
Surprisingly, the image of the work arose from the artist after he looked at the processed cheese. He created the painting in a few hours.
The painting by Salvador Dali is notable for its small size (24 × 33 cm). The work has become a symbol of surrealism. The painting was first exhibited in Paris in 1931. There it was sold for $250.
Summing up
Painting plays an important role in our life. Masterpieces of fine art remain relevant today. There are many worthy paintings that are of world significance. Our article contains some of them. Each picture presented has individual details and images. It is worth noting that some of them are associated with little-known facts and mysteries that are not fully understood today.
Painting plays a special role in the life of children and teenagers. By studying masterpieces, they learn to analyze, express their point of view and form an independent and highly intellectual personality. Painting plays an important role not only in the lives of children, but also adults. It is no secret that a modern person must be a comprehensively developed personality. It is important to study all spheres of life, including painting, in order to feel worthy in an educated society, and possibly find your calling in art.
). However, within the framework of this article, we will consider only subject art.
Historically, all genres were divided into high and low. TO high genre or historical painting included works of a monumental nature, carrying some kind of morality, a significant idea, demonstrating historical, military events associated with religion, mythology or fiction.
TO low genre included everything related to everyday life. These are still lifes, portraits, everyday painting, landscapes, animalism, images of naked people and so on.
Animalism (lat. animal - animal)
The animalistic genre arose in antiquity, when the first people painted predatory animals on the rocks. Gradually, this direction grew into an independent genre, implying an expressive image of any animals. Animalists usually show a great interest in the animal world, for example, they can be excellent riders, keep pets, or simply study their habits for a long time. As a result of the artist's intention, animals can appear realistic or in the form of artistic images.
Among Russian artists, many were well versed in horses, for example, and. So, in the famous painting by Vasnetsov “Heroes”, heroic horses are depicted with the greatest skill: colors, animal behavior, bridles and their connection with riders are carefully thought out. Serov did not like people and considered the horse in many ways better than a man, which is why he often depicted it in a variety of scenes. although he painted animals, he did not consider himself an animal painter, so the bears in his famous painting “Morning in a Pine Forest” were created by the animal painter K. Savitsky.
In tsarist times, portraits with pets, which were dear to man, became especially popular. For example, in the picture, Empress Catherine II appeared with her beloved dog. Animals were also present in the portraits of other Russian artists.
Examples of paintings by famous Russian artists in the domestic genre
history painting
This genre implies monumental paintings that are designed to convey to society a grandiose idea, any truth, morality, or demonstrate significant events. It includes works on historical, mythological, religious themes, folklore, as well as military scenes.
In ancient states, myths and legends were considered past events for a long time, so they were often depicted on frescoes or vases. Later, artists began to separate the events from fiction, which was expressed primarily in the depiction of battle scenes. In ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece, victorious warriors often depicted scenes of heroic battles on the shields in order to demonstrate their triumph over the enemy.
In the Middle Ages, due to the dominance of church dogmas, religious themes prevailed, in the Renaissance, society turned to the past mainly in order to glorify its states and rulers, and since the 18th century, this genre was often turned to educate young people. In Russia, the genre became widespread in the 19th century, when artists often tried to analyze the life of Russian society.
In the works of Russian artists, battle painting was presented, for example, and. Mythological and religious subjects in his paintings affected,. Historical painting prevailed among the people, folklore - among them.
Examples of paintings by famous Russian artists in the genre of historical painting
Still life (fr. nature - nature and morte - dead)
This genre of painting is associated with the depiction of inanimate objects. They can be flowers, fruits, dishes, game, kitchen utensils and other items, from which the artist often composes a composition according to his plan.
The first still lifes appeared in ancient countries. In ancient Egypt, it was customary to depict offerings to the gods in the form of various dishes. At the same time, the recognition of the subject was in the first place, so the ancient artists did not particularly care about the chiaroscuro or texture of still life objects. In ancient Greece and Rome, flowers and fruits were found in paintings and in houses to decorate the interior, so that they were already depicted more reliably and picturesquely. The formation and flourishing of this genre falls on the 16th and 17th centuries, when still lifes began to contain hidden religious and other meanings. At the same time, their many varieties appeared, depending on the subject of the image (flower, fruit, scientist, etc.).
In Russia, the heyday of still life falls only in the 20th century, since before that it was used mainly for educational purposes. But this development was rapid and captured, including abstractionism with all its directions. For example, he created beautiful flower arrangements in, preferred, worked in and often “enlivened” his still lifes, giving the viewer the impression that the dishes were about to fall off the table or that all objects would now begin to rotate.
The objects depicted by the artists, of course, were also influenced by their theoretical views or worldview, state of mind. So, these were objects depicted according to the principle of spherical perspective discovered by him, and expressionist still lifes were striking in their drama.
Many Russian artists used still life mainly for educational purposes. So, he not only honed his artistic skills, but also conducted many experiments, laying out objects in different ways, working with light and color. experimented with the shape and color of the line, sometimes moving away from realism to pure primitivism, sometimes mixing both styles.
Other artists combined in still lifes what they depicted earlier and their favorite things. For example, in the paintings you can find his favorite vase, music notes and the portrait of his wife he created before, but he depicted flowers loved since childhood.
Many other Russian artists worked in the same genre, for example, and others.
Examples of paintings by famous Russian artists in the still life genre
Nude (fr. nudite - nudity, abbreviated nu)
This genre is designed to depict the beauty of the naked body and appeared even before our era. In the ancient world, great attention was paid to physical development, since the survival of the entire human race depended on it. So, in ancient Greece, athletes traditionally competed naked so that boys and young men could see their well-developed bodies and strive for the same physical perfection. Approximately in the VII-VI centuries. BC e. Nude male statues also appeared, personifying the physical power of a man. Female figures, on the contrary, always appeared before the audience in robes, since it was not customary to expose the female body.
In subsequent eras, attitudes towards naked bodies changed. So, in the days of Hellenism (from the end of the 6th century BC), endurance faded into the background, giving way to admiring the male figure. At the same time, the first female nude figures began to appear. In the Baroque era, women with magnificent forms were considered ideal, during the Rococo sensuality became a priority, and in the 19th-20th centuries, paintings or sculptures with naked bodies (especially men) were often banned.
Russian artists have repeatedly turned to the nude genre in their works. So, these are dancers with theatrical attributes, these are posing girls or women in the center of monumental plots. This is a lot of sensual women, including in couples, this is a whole series of paintings depicting naked women in various activities, and this is girls full of innocence. Some, for example, depicted completely naked men, although such paintings were not welcomed by the society of their time.
Examples of paintings by famous Russian artists in the nude genre
Landscape (fr. Paysage, from pays - area)
In this genre, the priority is the image of the natural or man-made environment: natural corners, views of cities, villages, monuments, etc. Depending on the selected object, natural, industrial, marine, rural, lyrical and other landscapes are distinguished.
The first landscapes of ancient artists were found in Neolithic rock art and were images of trees, rivers or lakes. Later, the natural motif was used to decorate the home. In the Middle Ages, the landscape was almost completely replaced by religious themes, and in the Renaissance, on the contrary, the harmonious relationship between man and nature came to the fore.
In Russia, landscape painting has been developing since the 18th century and was initially limited (landscapes were created in this style, for example, and), but later a whole galaxy of talented Russian artists enriched this genre with techniques from different styles and trends. created the so-called discreet landscape, that is, instead of chasing spectacular views, he depicted the most intimate moments in Russian nature. and came to a lyrical landscape that struck the audience with a subtly conveyed mood.
And this is an epic landscape, when the viewer is shown all the grandeur of the surrounding world. endlessly turned to antiquity, E. Volkov knew how to turn any discreet landscape into a poetic picture, amazed the viewer with his wondrous light in landscapes, and could endlessly admire the forest corners, parks, sunsets and convey this love to the viewer.
Each of the landscape painters focused on a landscape that fascinated him especially strongly. Many artists could not pass by large-scale construction projects and painted a lot of industrial and urban landscapes. Among them are works
) in her expressive sweeping works was able to preserve the transparency of the fog, the lightness of the sail, the smooth rocking of the ship on the waves.
Her paintings amaze with their depth, volume, saturation, and the texture is such that it is impossible to take your eyes off them.
Warm simplicity Valentina Gubareva
Primitive artist from Minsk Valentin Gubarev not chasing fame and just doing what he loves. His work is insanely popular abroad, but almost unfamiliar to his compatriots. In the mid-90s, the French fell in love with his everyday sketches and signed a contract with the artist for 16 years. The paintings, which, it would seem, should be understandable only to us, the bearers of the "modest charm of undeveloped socialism", were liked by the European public, and exhibitions began in Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain and other countries.
Sensual realism by Sergei Marshennikov
Sergei Marshennikov is 41 years old. He lives in St. Petersburg and creates in the best traditions of the classical Russian school of realistic portraiture. The heroines of his paintings are tender and defenseless in their half-naked women. Many of the most famous paintings depict the artist's muse and wife, Natalia.
The Myopic World of Philip Barlow
In the modern era of high-resolution images and the rise of hyperrealism, Philip Barlow's work immediately attracts attention. However, a certain effort is required from the viewer in order to force himself to look at blurry silhouettes and bright spots on the author's canvases. Probably, this is how people suffering from myopia see the world without glasses and contact lenses.
Sunny Bunnies by Laurent Parcelier
Laurent Parcelier's painting is an amazing world in which there is neither sadness nor despondency. You will not find gloomy and rainy pictures in him. There is a lot of light, air and bright colors on his canvases, which the artist applies with characteristic recognizable strokes. This creates the feeling that the paintings are woven from thousands of sunbeams.
Urban Dynamics in the Works of Jeremy Mann
Oil on wood panels by American artist Jeremy Mann paints dynamic portraits of a modern metropolis. “Abstract shapes, lines, contrast of light and dark spots - everything creates a picture that evokes the feeling that a person experiences in the crowd and bustle of the city, but can also express the calmness that one finds when contemplating quiet beauty,” says the artist.
The Illusory World of Neil Simon
In the paintings of the British artist Neil Simone (Neil Simone) everything is not what it seems at first glance. “For me, the world around me is a series of fragile and ever-changing shapes, shadows and boundaries,” says Simon. And in his paintings everything is really illusory and interconnected. Borders are washed away, and stories flow into each other.
The love drama of Joseph Lorasso
Italian-born contemporary American artist Joseph Lorusso transfers to canvas scenes that he saw in the everyday life of ordinary people. Hugs and kisses, passionate impulses, moments of tenderness and desire fill his emotional pictures.
Village life of Dmitry Levin
Dmitry Levin is a recognized master of the Russian landscape, who has established himself as a talented representative of the Russian realistic school. The most important source of his art is his attachment to nature, which he loves tenderly and passionately and feels himself a part of.
Bright East Valery Blokhin
In the East, everything is different: different colors, different air, different life values and reality is more fabulous than fiction - this is how a modern artist thinks
“Every portrait painted with feeling is, in essence, a portrait of the artist, and not of the one who posed for him” Oscar Wilde
What does it take to be an artist? Mere imitation of work cannot be considered art. Art is something that comes from within. The author's idea, excitement, searches, desires and sorrows, which are embodied on the artist's canvas. Throughout the history of mankind, hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions of paintings have been written. Some of them are truly masterpieces, known all over the world, even people who are not related to art know them. Is it possible to single out 25 of the most outstanding among such paintings? The task is very difficult, but we tried ...
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25The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali
Thanks to this painting, Dali became famous at a fairly young age, he was 28 years old. The picture has several more names - "Soft watch", "Hardness of memory". This masterpiece has attracted the attention of many art historians. Basically, they were interested in the interpretation of the picture. It is said that the idea of Dali's canvas is connected with Einstein's theory of relativity.
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24"Dance", Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse was not always an artist. He discovered his love for painting after receiving a degree in law in Paris. He studied art so zealously that he became one of the greatest artists in the world. This picture has very little negative criticism of art critics. It reflects a combination of pagan rituals, dance and music. People are dancing in a trance. Three colors - green, blue and red - symbolize the Earth, Sky and Humanity.
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23The Kiss, Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt has often been criticized for being nude in his paintings. "The Kiss" was noticed by critics, as it merged all forms of art. The painting could be an image of the artist himself and his lover, Emilia. Klimt painted this canvas under the influence of Byzantine mosaics. The Byzantines used gold in their paintings. Similarly, Gustav Klimt mixed gold in his paints to create his own style of painting.
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22Sleeping Gypsy, Henri Rousseau
No one but Rousseau himself could describe this picture better. Here is his description - “a nomadic gypsy who sings her songs to a mandolin, sleeps on the ground from fatigue, her jug of drinking water lies nearby. A lion passing by came up to sniff her, but did not touch her. Everything is bathed in moonlight, a very poetic atmosphere.” It is noteworthy that Henri Rousseau is self-taught.
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21"The Last Judgment", Hieronymus Bosch
Without further ado - the picture is simply magnificent. This triptych is the largest of Bosch's surviving paintings. The left wing shows the story of Adam and Eve. The central part is the "Last Judgment" on the part of Jesus - who should go to heaven and who should go to hell. The earth we see here is on fire. On the right wing is depicted a disgusting image of hell.
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20
Everyone knows Narcissus from Greek mythology - a man who was obsessed with his appearance. Dali wrote his own interpretation of Narcissus.
The story is like this. The beautiful young man Narcissus easily broke the hearts of many girls. The gods intervened and, to punish him, showed him his reflection in the water. Narcissus fell in love with himself and ended up dying because he couldn't hug himself. Then the Gods regretted that they had done this to him, and decided to immortalize him in the form of a narcissus flower.
On the left side of the picture is Narcissus looking at his reflection. Then he fell in love with himself. The right panel shows the events that unfolded after, including the resulting flower, the daffodil.
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19
The plot of the picture is based on the biblical beating of the babies in Bethlehem. After the birth of Christ became known from the Magi, King Herod instructed to kill all the small male children and babies in Bethlehem. In the picture, the carnage is at its peak, the last few children taken from their mothers are waiting for their merciless death. Also visible are the corpses of children for whom everything is behind them.
Thanks to the use of rich colors, Rubens' painting has become a world-famous masterpiece.
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18
Pollock's work is very different from other artists. He placed his canvas on the ground and moved around the canvas and walked on it, dripping paint from above onto the canvas with sticks, brushes and syringes. Thanks to this unique technique, he was nicknamed "Sprinkler Jack" in artistic circles. For some time this painting held the title of the most expensive painting in the world.
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17
Also known as "Dancing at Les Moulins de la Galette". This painting is considered one of Renoir's most joyful paintings. The idea of the picture is to show the audience the fun side of Parisian life. With a detailed study of the picture, you can see that Renoir placed several of his friends on the canvas. Because the painting appears slightly washed out, it was initially criticized by Renoir's contemporaries.
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16
The story is taken from the Bible. The Last Supper depicts Christ's last supper before his arrest. He had just spoken to his apostles and told them that one of them would betray him. All the apostles are saddened and tell him that it is certainly not them. It was this moment that da Vinci beautifully portrayed with his lively image. It took the great Leonardo four years to complete this painting.
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15
Monet's "Water Lilies" can be found everywhere. You've probably seen them on wallpapers, posters, and art magazine covers. The fact is that Monet was obsessed with lilies. Before he started painting them, he had grown countless of these flowers. Monet built a Japanese-style bridge in his garden over a lily pond. He was so pleased with what he did that he drew this story seventeen times in one year.
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14
There is something sinister and mysterious in this picture, there is an aura of fear around it. Only such a master as Munch was able to portray fear on paper. Munch made four versions of The Scream in oils and pastels. According to Munch's diary entries, it is pretty clear that he himself believed in death and spirits. In the painting “The Scream”, he depicted himself at the moment when one day, walking with friends, he felt fear and excitement, which he wanted to paint.
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13
The painting, which is usually referred to as a symbol of motherhood, should not have become one. It is said that Whistler's model, who was supposed to pose for the painting, did not show up, and he decided to paint his mother instead. We can say that the sad life of the artist's mother is depicted here. This mood is due to the dark colors that are used in this painting.
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12
Picasso met Dora Maar in Paris. It is said that she was intellectually closer to Picasso than all his previous mistresses. Using cubism, Picasso was able to convey movement in his work. It seems that Maar's face is turning to the right, towards the face of Picasso. The artist made the woman's presence almost real. Maybe he wanted to feel that she was there, always.
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11
Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in treatment, where he was only allowed to paint when his condition improved. Earlier in the same year, he cut off his left earlobe. Many considered the artist insane. Of Van Gogh's entire collection of works, Starry Night is the most famous, perhaps due to the unusual spherical light around the stars.
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10
In this painting, Manet recreated Titian's Venus of Urbino. The artist had a bad reputation for depicting prostitutes. Although the gentlemen at that time visited the courtesans quite often, they did not think that it would occur to someone to draw them. Then it was preferable for artists to paint pictures on historical, mythical or biblical themes. However, Manet, contrary to criticism, showed the audience their contemporary.
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9
This painting is a historical canvas depicting Napoleon's conquest of Spain.
Having received an order for paintings depicting the struggle of the people of Spain with Napoleon, the artist did not paint heroic and pathetic canvases. He chose the moment of execution of the Spanish rebels by French soldiers. Each of the Spaniards is experiencing this moment in his own way, someone has already reconciled, but for someone the main battle has just come. War, blood and death, that's what Goya actually portrayed.
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8
It is believed that the depicted girl is the eldest daughter of Vermeer, Maria. Her features are present in many of his works, but it is difficult to compare them. A book with the same title was written by Tracey Chevalier. But Tracy's version of who is depicted in this picture is completely different. She claims that she took this topic because there is very little information about Vermeer and his paintings, and this particular painting has a mysterious atmosphere. Later, a film was made based on her novel.
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7
The exact name of the painting is “The performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenbürg.” The rifle society was a civilian militia that was called upon to defend the city. In addition to the militia, Rembrandt added a few extra people to the composition. Considering that he bought an expensive house at the time of writing this picture, it may well be true that he received a huge fee for The Night Watch.
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6
Although the painting contains an image of Velázquez himself, it is not a self-portrait. The main character of the canvas is Infanta Margherita, daughter of King Philip IV. It depicts the moment when Velazquez, working on a portrait of the king and queen, is forced to stop and look at the Infanta Margherita, who has just entered the room with her retinue. The picture looks almost alive, awakening curiosity in the audience.
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5
This is the only painting by Brueghel that was painted in oils and not in tempera. There are still doubts about the authenticity of the painting, mainly for two reasons. Firstly, he did not paint in oils, and secondly, recent studies have shown that under the layer of painting there is a schematic drawing of poor quality, which does not belong to Brueghel.
The painting depicts the history of Icarus and the moment of his fall. According to the myth, Icarus' feathers were attached with wax, and as Icarus rose very close to the sun, the wax melted and he fell into the water. This landscape inspired Wystan Hugh Auden to write his most famous poem on the same subject.
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4
The School of Athens is perhaps the most famous fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist, Raphael.
On this mural in the School of Athens, all the great mathematicians, philosophers and scientists gathered under one roof, they share their theories and learn from each other. All the heroes lived at different times, but Raphael placed them all in the same room. Some of the figures are Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras and Ptolemy. A closer look shows that there is a self-portrait of Raphael himself in this picture. Every artist would like to leave their mark, the only difference is the form. Although maybe he considered himself one of these great figures?
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3
Michelangelo never considered himself an artist, he always thought of himself more as a sculptor. But, he managed to create an amazing exquisite fresco, before which the whole world reveres. This masterpiece is on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Michelangelo was commissioned to paint several biblical stories, one of which is the creation of Adam. In this picture, the sculptor in Michelangelo is just visible. Adam's human body is rendered with incredible fidelity, with vibrant colors and precise muscular form. So, one can agree with the author, after all, he is more of a sculptor.
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2"Mona Lisa", Leonardo da Vinci
Although it is the most studied painting, the Mona Lisa is still the most mysterious. Leonardo said that he never stopped working on it. Only his death is said to have completed the painting. "Mona Lisa" is the first Italian portrait in which the model is shown to the waist. Mona Lisa's skin seems to glow due to the use of several layers of transparent oils. As a scientist, Leonardo da Vinci applied all his knowledge to make the image of the Mona Lisa realistic. As for who exactly is depicted in the painting, it still remains a mystery.
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1
The painting depicts Venus, the goddess of love, floating on a shell in the wind, which is blown by Zephyr, the god of the west wind. On the shore, Ora, the goddess of the seasons, meets her, she is ready to dress the newborn deity. The model for Venus is Simonetta Cattaneo de Vespucci. Simonetta Cattaneo died at 22, and Botticelli wished to be buried next to her. He had an unrequited love for her. This painting is the most exquisite work of art ever created.
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Conclusion
It was an article TOP 25 most famous paintings in the world. Thank you for your attention!
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.
