When the great and terrible Salvador Dali was asked if it was difficult to paint, he replied: "It is either easy or impossible." It is impossible to imagine that the name of the artist may be unknown to someone. However, like the names of Raphael, da Vinci, Botticelli, Van Gogh, Picasso. In the end, Serov, Vasnetsov and Malevich ... But even if this happened, you are not an art critic, not an artist, and in general, a person far from the world of art. But their work is familiar to you!
At least once in a lifetime, each of us has seen pictures, without which it is difficult to imagine world culture, while their citation in mass culture is enormous. They look at us from advertisements and from the pages of books, turn into Internet memes, become art objects themselves.
Here they are - the most famous paintings of the world with names that you know for sure!
This bright face of the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant is familiar to every civilized person. Without exaggeration, the Mona Lisa is considered the most famous painting in the world.
"Mona Lisa", "La Gioconda" - a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
scream
The Scream is a painting by Edvard Munch.
The painting "The Scream", written by the Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch in 1893, has gained incredible popularity these days. The number of parodies, reimaginings, the use of a recognizable image in advertising, even in movies (and don't say you haven't heard of the horror movie Scream) is countless. Meanwhile, the author created his masterpiece in order to get rid of the painful feeling of loneliness and suffering. Against the background of a blood-red sky, a figure with a face distorted by a scream can, of course, be interpreted in different ways.
Of all his rich artistic heritage - and this is about 800 paintings, perhaps the most famous even among the inexperienced public, were the paintings "Sunflowers" and "Starry Night". But the latter is preferred for the reason that the village of Saint-Remy was written from memory.
Starlight Night
The fantastic "Starry Night" today is a fantastically popular and well-known painting.
Starry Night is a painting by Vincent van Gogh.
Another science fiction artist is, of course, Salvador Dali. His most popular painting is considered to be The Persistence of Memory.
The Persistence of Memory is a painting by Salvador Dali.
This picture is entirely a game of association. The endless flow of time is depicted here in a literal sense. It is interesting, but the fact that no one will really forget the painting “The Persistence of Memory” was first said by Gala Dali, the artist’s eternal muse. And her words were prophetic. Written in 1931, and in 2017, the picture remains more than famous. And who would have thought that melted cheese inspired Dali to pick up a brush.
Black square
The end of the artist's traditional objective thinking was predicted even earlier by Kazimir Malevich. You can not know this name, but not to know the "Black Square" is almost impossible. In the history of world art, it is difficult to find a painting with a louder glory. "Black Square" is the same Madonna, an icon, only for the futurists.
The Black Suprematist Square is the work of Kazimir Malevich.
Controversial. Ambiguous. Unique. Any epithets are applicable to this picture, except for one - unknown. By the way, foreign connoisseurs of art call the Black Suprematist Square the most famous Russian work of art. No more, no less.
But to a simple layman there is no nicer and more understandable picture of another Russian artist - Ivan Shishkin. The fame of the work "Morning in a Pine Forest" is phenomenal. However, like people's love: people far from art know this story under a different name - “Three Bears”, and they saw it not in an art gallery, but on candy wrappers.
"Morning in a pine forest" - a painting by Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky.
The canvas also has a secret! It turns out that the authorship is double. The painter Ivan Shishkin depicted the forest, and those same bears were painted by Konstantin Savitsky. The name of the second Russian artist was deleted at the personal request of the gallery owner, Pavel Tretyakov. But a masterpiece - it is completely nameless - remains a masterpiece.
And now - an oil painting, about which absolutely everyone started talking after 2016. "Girl with Peaches" by Valentin Serov and until last year was not only the most famous work of the Russian artist, but also one of the best portraits in the world.
"Girl with Peaches" - painting by Valentin Serov.
But in the year of the 150th anniversary of Serov, a sudden hype around the exhibition, kilometer-long queues, memes and even anecdotes associated with the painting and its author brought The Girl with Peaches to the top. By the way, the employees of the Tretyakov Gallery themselves helped in this, reviving the heroine of the portrait. The girl spoke and told the story of the creation of the work.
And finally, one of the most famous paintings is considered to be "Unknown" by Ivan Kramskoy. The mystery in this canvas is no less than popularity. Maybe that's why the stranger is called the Russian Mona Lisa?
"Unknown" - a painting by Ivan Kramskoy.
For more than 130 years, it has not been known who this girl is. And it doesn’t matter where she looks at us from: from a box of chocolates, from the Tretyakov Gallery itself, from a textbook on painting. This "Unknown" is the most famous.
The page contains the most famous paintings by Russian artists of the 19th century with titles and descriptions
The diverse painting of Russian artists since the beginning of the 19th century attracts with its originality and versatility in the domestic fine arts. The masters of painting of that time did not cease to amaze with their unique approach to the plot and reverent attitude to the feelings of people, to their native nature. In the 19th century, portrait compositions were often painted with an amazing combination of an emotional image and an epicly calm motive.
The paintings of Russian artists are magnificent in craftsmanship and truly beautiful in perception, strikingly accurately reflected the breath of their time, the unique character of the people and their desire for beauty.
The canvases of Russian painters, which are the most popular: Alexander Ivanov is a bright representative of the picturesque biblical direction, telling us in colors about the episodes of the life of Jesus Christ.
Karl Bryullov is a popular painter in his time, his direction is historical painting, portrait themes, romantic works.
Marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky, his paintings are magnificent and one might say simply unsurpassedly reflect the beauty of the sea with transparent rolling waves, sea sunsets and sailboats.
Distinctive versatility stands out the work of the famous Ilya Repin, who created genre and monumental works that reflect the life of the people.
Very picturesque and large-scale paintings by the artist Vasily Surikov, the description of Russian history is his direction, in which the artist emphasized the episodes of the life path of the Russian people in colors.
Each artist is unique, for example, the picturesque master of fairy tales and epics Viktor Vasnetsov, unique in his style, is always juicy and bright, romantic canvases, the heroes of which are the well-known heroes of folk tales.
Each artist is unique, for example, the picturesque master of fairy tales and epics Viktor Vasnetsov, unique in his style, is always juicy and bright, romantic canvases, the heroes of which are the well-known heroes of folk tales. Very picturesque and large-scale paintings by the artist Vasily Surikov, the description of Russian history is his direction, in which the artist emphasized the episodes of the life path of the Russian people in colors.
In Russian painting of the 19th century, such a trend as critical realism also appeared, emphasizing ridicule, satire and humor in the plots. Of course, this was a new trend, not every artist could afford it. In this direction, such artists as Pavel Fedotov and Vasily Perov were determined.
Landscape painters of that time also occupied their niche, among them Isaac Levitan, Alexei Savrasov, Arkhip Kuindzhi, Vasily Polenov, the young artist Fyodor Vasiliev, the picturesque master of the forest, forest glades with pines and birches with mushrooms Ivan Shishkin. All of them colorfully and romantically reflected the beauty of Russian nature, the variety of forms and images of which is associated with the colossal potential of the surrounding world.
According to Levitan, in every note of Russian nature there is a unique colorful palette, hence there is a huge expanse for creativity. Perhaps this is the riddle that the canvases created in the vast expanses of Russia are distinguished by some exquisite severity, but at the same time, they attract with discreet beauty, from which it is difficult to look away. Or not at all intricate and rather not catchy plot, Levitan's painting Dandelions, as it were, encourages the viewer to think and see the beauty in the simple.
The collections of Moscow museums and galleries are among the richest in the world. More than 150 years ago, Russian patrons and collectors began to collect the most famous paintings of the world, unique artistic creations, sparing neither money nor time to search for talents. And so that you do not get lost in the tens of thousands of presented paintings, we have selected for you the famous paintings of the world presented in museums and galleries in Moscow
State Tretyakov Gallery
"Bogatyrs", Viktor Vasnetsov, 1881-1898
For almost twenty years, Viktor Mikhailovich worked on one of the greatest works of art in Russia, a masterpiece that has become a symbol of the power of the Russian people. Vasnetsov considered this picture his creative duty, an obligation to his homeland. In the center of the picture are three main characters of Russian epics: Dobrynya Nikitich, Ilya Muromets and Alyosha Popovich. The prototype of Alyosha Popovich was the youngest son of Savva Mamontov, but Dobrynya Nikitich is a collective image of the artist himself, his father and grandfather.
Photo: wikimedia.org "Unknown", Ivan Kramskoy, 1883
A mystical picture shrouded in a halo of mystery. Many times she changed her owners, as women claimed that with a long stay near this portrait, they lost their youth and beauty. It is curious that even Pavel Tretyakov did not want to buy it for his collection, and the work appeared in the gallery only in 1925 as a result of the nationalization of private collections. Only in Soviet times, Kramskoy's "Unknown" was recognized as the ideal of beauty and spirituality. It is easy to recognize in the background the paintings of Nevsky Prospekt, or rather the Anichkov Bridge, along which the "unknown" gracefully passes in an elegant carriage. Who's that girl? Another mystery left by the artist. Neither in the letters nor in the diaries did Kramskoy leave any mention of her personality, and the versions differ: from the author's daughter to Anna Karenina Tolstoy.
Photo: dreamwidth.org "Morning in a pine forest", Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky, 1889
Few people know that in addition to Ivan Shishkin, another well-known Russian artist participated in the creation of this picture, whose signature, at the insistence of Pavel Tretyakov, was erased. Ivan Ivanovich, who had an exceptional talent as a painter, depicted the grandeur of the awakening forest, but the creation of playing bears belongs to the brush of his friend, Konstantin Savitsky. This picture has another name, folk - "Three Bears", which appeared thanks to the famous candy factory "Red October".
Photo: wikimedia.org Seated Demon, Mikhail Vrubel, 1890
The Tretyakov Gallery is a unique place for fans of Mikhail Vrubel's work, as it houses the most complete collection of his paintings. The theme of the demon, personifying the inner struggle of the greatness of the human spirit with doubts and suffering, has become the main thing in the artist's work and a phenomenal phenomenon in world painting.
"Seated Demon" is the most famous of these images of Vrubel. The picture was created with fairly large, sharp strokes of a palette knife, reminiscent of a mosaic from afar.
Photo: muzei-mira.com "Boyar Morozova", Vasily Surikov, 1884-1887
The gigantic epic historical canvas was painted based on the Tale of the Boyar Morozova, an associate of the adherents of the old faith. The author has been looking for a suitable face for a long time - bloodless, fanatical, from which he could write a portrait sketch of the main character. Surikov recalled that the key to the image of Morozova was given once by a crow with a broken wing, which was desperately beating against the snow.
Photo: gallery-allart.do.am
"Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan on November 16, 1581" or "Ivan the Terrible kills his son", Ilya Repin, 1883-1885
This picture does not leave any visitor of the gallery indifferent: it causes anxiety, inexplicable fear, attracts and repels at the same time, fascinates and gives you goosebumps. About his feeling of anxiety and excitement during the creation of the picture, Repin wrote: “I worked as if spellbound. It got scary for a few minutes. I turned away from this picture. Hiding her. But something drove me to her, and I worked again. Sometimes I would tremble, and then the feeling of a nightmare would dull ... ". The artist managed to finish the painting by the 300th anniversary of the death of Ivan the Terrible, but the masterpiece did not immediately appear before the public: for three months the painting was under a censorship ban. They say that in a mystical way, the picture brought trouble to its creator and the people who participated in its creation. After the completion of the painting, Repin lost his hand, and the artist's friend, who posed for the painting in the role of the murdered Ivan, went crazy.
Photo: artpoisk.info "Girl with Peaches", Valentin Serov, 1887
This painting is considered one of the most joyful, fresh and lyrical paintings of the late 19th century. Youth and a thirst for life are felt here in every stroke of the still very young (22 years old) Valentin Serov, in the light, barely perceptible smile of Verochka Mamontova, the daughter of a well-known businessman and philanthropist, as well as in a bright and comfortable room, the warmth of which spills over to its viewer.
Later, Serov became one of the best portrait painters, recognized almost all over the world, and immortalized many famous contemporaries, but The Girl with Peaches is still his most famous work.
Photo: allpainters.ru "Bathing the Red Horse", Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, 1912
Art critics call this picture visionary. They believe that the author symbolically predicted the “red” fate of Russia in the 20th century, depicting it in the form of a racing horse.
The work of Petrov-Vodkin is not just a picture, but a symbol, an insight, a manifesto. Contemporaries compare the strength of its impact with Kazimir Malevich's "Black Square", which you can also see in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Photo: wikiart.org "Black Square", Kazemir Malevich, 1915
This picture is called the icon of the futurists, which they put in place of the Madonna. According to the author, it took several months to create it, and it became part of a triptych, which also included the "Black Circle" and "Black Cross". As it turned out, Malevich painted the primary layer of the painting with different colors, and if you look closely, you will see that the corners of the square can hardly be called straight. In the history of world art, it is difficult to find a painting with louder fame than Kazimir Malevich's Black Square. He is copied, imitated, but his masterpiece is unique.
Photo: wikimedia.org Gallery of European and American Art of the 19th–20th Centuries. State Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin
"Portrait of Jeanne Samary", Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1877
It is paradoxical that this painting was originally planned by the artist only as a preparatory study for the formal portrait of the French actress Jeanne Samary, which can be seen in the Hermitage. But in the end, art critics unanimously agreed that this is the best of all Renoir's portraits of the actress. The artist so skillfully combined the tones and halftones of Samari's dress that as a result the picture began to play with an unusual optical effect: when viewed from a certain angle, Jeanne's green dress turns blue.
Photo: art-shmart.livejournal.com
Boulevard des Capucines in Paris, Claude Monet, 1873
This is one of the most recognizable works of Claude Monet - the pride and heritage of the Pushkin Museum. From a close distance, only small strokes are visible in the picture, but it is worth taking just a few steps back, as the picture comes to life: Paris breathes fresh air, the rays of the sun illuminate the seething crowd, which fussily moves along the boulevard, and it seems you can even hear the city buzz, which heard far outside the picture. This is the skill of the great impressionist Monet: for a moment you forget about the plane of the canvas and dissolve in the illusion skillfully created by the artist.
Photo: nb12.ru Prisoner's Walk, Van Gogh, 1890
There is something symbolic in the fact that Van Gogh painted Prisoner's Walk, one of his most poignant creations, in the hospital, where he first ended up due to the onset of mental illness. Moreover, if you look closely, you can clearly see that the central character of the picture is endowed with features by artists. Despite the use of pure shades of blue, green and purple colors, the color of the canvas seems gloomy, and the prisoners moving in a circle seem to say that there is no way out of the impasse where life is like a vicious circle.
Photo: description-kartin.com The King's Wife, Paul Gauguin, 1896
This work of the artist is considered by many art critics to be a unique pearl among the famous nude maidens of European art. It was written by Gauguin during his second stay in Tahiti. By the way, the painting depicts the wife not of the king, but of Gauguin himself - 13-year-old Tekhura. The exotic and picturesque landscape of the picture cannot but arouse admiration - an abundance of colors and greenery, colored trees and the coast turning blue in the distance.
Photo: stsvv.livejournal.com
Blue Dancers, Edgar Degas, 1897
The works of the French impressionist Edgar Degas made an invaluable contribution to the history of world and French fine arts. The painting "Blue Dancers" is recognized as one of Degas' best works on the theme of ballet, to which he dedicated many of his most outstanding paintings. The picture is made in pastel, which the artist especially loved for the elegant combination of color and lines. "Blue Dancers" refers to the late period of the artist's work, when his eyesight weakened, and he began to work with large color spots.
Photo: nearyou.ru "Girl on a ball", Pablo Picasso, 1905
One of the most famous and significant works of the “pink period” by Pablo Picasso appeared in Russia thanks to the philanthropist and collector Ivan Morozov, who acquired it in 1913 for his personal collection. The blue color, in which almost all the works of the previous difficult period of the artist were painted, is still present in the work, but noticeably weakens, giving way to a lighter and more joyful pink. Picasso's paintings are easily recognizable: they clearly show the soul of the author and his extraordinary perception of the world around him. And as the artist himself said: “I could draw like Raphael, but it will take me all my life to learn how to draw like a child draws.”
Photo: dawn.com Address: Lavrushinsky lane, 10
Permanent exhibition "Art of the 20th century" and exhibition halls
Address: Krymsky Val, 10
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Gallery of European and American Art of the 19th–20th Centuries.
Address: Moscow, st. Volkhonka, 14
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Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday - from 11:00 to 20:00
Thursday - from 11:00 to 21:00
Monday - day off
Entrance ticket price:
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Reduced ticket - 150 rubles ($ 2.5), on Fridays from 17:00 - 200 rubles ($ 3)
Children under 16 free of charge
) 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
Painting by Laurent Parcelier 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 forms, 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 comes from 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
No. 20. $75,100,000. "Royal Red and Blue", Mark Rothko, sold in 2012.
The majestic canvas was one of eight works selected by the artist himself for his landmark solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago.
No. 19. $76,700,000. The Massacre of the Innocents by Peter Paul Rubens, created in 1610.
The painting was purchased by Kenneth Thompson at Sotheby's in London in July 2002. A bright and dramatic work by Rubens can compete for the title of "most unexpected success". Christie valued this painting at only 5 million euros.
No. 18. $78,100,000. Ball at the Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, painted 1876.
The work was sold in 1990, at that time it was listed as the second most expensive painting in the world ever sold. The masterpiece was owned by Ryoei Saito, Chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing Co. He wanted the canvas to be cremated with him after his death, but the company ran into financial difficulties due to loan obligations, so the painting had to be used as collateral.
No. 17. 80 million dollars. "Turquoise Marilyn" by Andy Warhol, painted 1964, sold 2007
Acquired by Mr. Steve Cohen. The price was not confirmed, but this figure is considered to be true.
No. 16. 80 million dollars. "False Start", Jasper Johns, written 1959
The painting was owned by David Geffen, who sold it to Citadel investment group CEO Kenneth S. Griffin. It is recognized as the most expensive painting that was sold during the life of the artist, cult master Jasper Johns.
No. 15. $82,500,000. "Portrait of Doctor Gachet", Vincent van Gogh, 1890.
Japanese businessman Ryoei Saito bought the painting in 1990 at an auction. At that time, it was the most expensive painting in the world. In response to public outcry over Saito's wish to have the artwork cremated with him after his death, the businessman explained that he was thus expressing his selfless affection for the painting.
No. 14. $86,300,000. Triptych, Francis Bacon, 1976.
This three-part masterpiece by Bacon broke his previous record for sales of $52.68 million. The painting was purchased by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
No. 13. $87,900,000. "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II", Gustav Klimt, 1912.
The only model depicted twice by Klimt and sold a few months after the first version. This is a portrait of Bloch-Bauer, one of four paintings that fetched a total of $192 million in 2006. The buyer is unknown.
No. 12. $95,200,000. Dora Maar with a cat, Pablo Picasso, 1941
Another painting by Picasso, which went under the hammer at a fabulous price. In 2006, it was acquired by a mysterious Russian anonymous, who at the same time bought works by Monet and Chagall worth $100 million.
No. 11. $104,200,000. "Boy with a pipe", Pablo Picasso, 1905.
This is the first painting to break the $100 million barrier in 2004. Oddly enough, the name of the person who showed such a keen interest in Picasso's portrait was never made public.
No. 10. $105,400,000. Silver Car Crash (Double Crash), Andy Warhol, 1932
This is the most expensive work of the famous legend of pop art, Andy Warhol. The painting became a star of modern art, going under the hammer at Sotheby's.
No. 9. $106,500,000. Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, Pablo Picasso, 1932
This sensual and colorful masterpiece is the most expensive Picasso ever sold at auction. The painting was in the collection of Mrs. Sidney F. Brody and has not been shown to the public since 1961.
No. 8. $110 million "Flag", Jasper Johns, 1958
The Flag is Jasper Johns most famous work. The artist painted his first American flag in 1954-55.
No. 7. $119,900,000. "The Scream", Edvard Munch, 1895
This is the most unique and most colorful work of the four versions of Edvard Munch's masterpiece The Scream. Only one of them remains in private hands.
No. 6. $135,000,000. "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I", Gustav Klimt.
Maria Altmann sued for the right to own the painting, as Adele Bloch-Bauer bequeathed it to the Austrian State Gallery, and her husband later canceled the donation amid the events of World War II. Having entered into legal rights, Maria Altman sold the portrait to Ronald Lauder, who exhibited it in his gallery in New York.
No. 5. $137,500,000. "Woman III", Willem de Kooning.
Another painting sold by Geffen in 2006, but this time the buyer was billionaire Steven A. Cohen. This strange abstraction is part of a series of six Kooning masterpieces painted between 1951 and 1953.
No. 4. $140,000,000. "No. 5, 1948", Jackson Pollock.
According to The New York Times, film producer and collector David Geffen sold the painting to David Martinez, managing partner of FinTech Advisory, although the latter has not confirmed the information. The truth is shrouded in mystery.
