Famous artists of the world and their paintings. The most famous paintings of all time

There are works of art that seem to hit the viewer on the head, dumbfounded and amazing. Others drag you into reflection and in search of semantic layers, secret symbolism. Some paintings are covered with secrets and mystical mysteries, while others surprise with an exorbitant price.

We carefully reviewed all the major achievements in world painting and selected two dozen of the strangest paintings from them. Salvador Dali, whose works completely fall under the format of this material and are the first to come to mind, were not included in this collection intentionally.

It is clear that “strangeness” is a rather subjective concept and everyone has their own amazing pictures out of line with other works of art. We will be glad if you share them in the comments and tell us a little about them.

"Scream"

Edvard Munch. 1893, cardboard, oil, tempera, pastel.
National Gallery, Oslo.

The Scream is considered a landmark expressionist event and one of the most famous paintings in the world.

There are two interpretations of what is depicted: it is the hero himself who is seized with horror and silently screams, pressing his hands to his ears; or the hero closes his ears from the cry of the world and nature sounding around him. Munch wrote four versions of The Scream, and there is a version that this picture is the fruit of a manic-depressive psychosis from which the artist suffered. After a course of treatment at the clinic, Munch did not return to work on the canvas.

“I was walking along the path with two friends. The sun was setting - suddenly the sky turned blood red, I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned against the fence - I looked at the blood and flames over the bluish-black fjord and the city. My friends went on, and I stood, trembling with excitement, feeling the endless cry piercing nature, ”Edward Munch said about the history of the painting.

“Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?"

Paul Gauguin. 1897-1898, oil on canvas.
Museum of Fine Arts, 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; 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 indulged in her thoughts”, at her feet there is a “strange White bird...represents the futility of words."

A deeply philosophical picture of the post-impressionist Paul Gauguin was written by him in Tahiti, where he fled from Paris. At the end of the work, he even wanted to commit suicide: "I believe that this canvas is superior to all my previous ones and that I will never create something better or even similar." He lived another five years, and so it happened.

"Guernica"

Pablo Picasso. 1937, oil on canvas.
Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid.

Guernica presents scenes of death, violence, atrocities, suffering and helplessness, without specifying their immediate causes, but they are obvious. It is said that in 1940 Pablo Picasso was summoned to the Gestapo in Paris. The conversation immediately turned to the picture. "Did you do that?" - "No, you did it."

The huge fresco "Guernica", painted by Picasso in 1937, tells about the raid of the Luftwaffe volunteer unit on the city of Guernica, as a result of which the six thousandth city was completely destroyed. The picture was painted in just a month - the first days of work on the picture, Picasso worked for 10-12 hours, and already in the first sketches one could see main idea. This is one of the best illustrations nightmare of fascism, and human cruelty and grief.

"Portrait of the Arnolfinis"

Jan van Eyck. 1434, oil on wood.
London National Gallery, London.

The famous painting is completely filled with symbols, allegories and various references - up to the signature "Jan van Eyck was here", which turned the painting not just into a work of art, but into a historical document confirming the reality of the event, which was attended by the artist.

The portrait, presumably of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife, is one of the most complex works of the Western school of painting of the Northern Renaissance.

In Russia, in the past few years, the picture has gained great popularity due to the portrait resemblance of Arnolfini to Vladimir Putin.

"Demon Seated"

Mikhail Vrubel. 1890, oil on canvas.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

"Hands Resist Him"

Bill Stoneham. 1972.

This work, of course, cannot be ranked among the masterpieces of world art, but the fact that it is strange is a fact.

Around the picture with a boy, a doll and palms pressed against the glass, there are legends. From "because of this picture they die" to "the children in it are alive." The picture looks really creepy, which gives rise to a lot of fears and conjectures in people with a weak psyche.

The artist, on the other hand, assured that the picture depicts himself at the age of five, that the door is a representation of the dividing line between the real world and the world of dreams, and the doll is a guide that can lead the boy through this world. The hands represent alternative lives or possibilities.

The painting gained notoriety in February 2000 when it was listed for sale on eBay with a backstory that said the painting was "haunted". "Hands Resist Him" ​​was bought for $1,025 by Kim Smith, who was then inundated with letters from creepy stories and demands to burn the painting.

Quote message The most famous and significant paintings of the world for the history of art. | 33 masterpieces of world painting.

Under the paintings with the artists they belong to, there are links to posts.

The immortal paintings of great artists are admired by millions of people. Art, classical and modern, is one of the most important sources of inspiration, taste and cultural education of any person, and even more creative.
There are definitely more world-famous paintings than 33. There are several hundred of them, and all of them would not fit in one review. Therefore, for the convenience of viewing, we have selected several paintings that are most significant for world culture and often copied in advertising. Each work is accompanied interesting fact, explanation artistic sense or history of its creation.

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 was discovered 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 work, the fresco has been destroyed more than once: 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. famous fresco restored at least five times, with the last restoration taking 21 years. Today, to view a 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 when he saw processed cheese. Returning from the cinema, where she went that evening, Gala quite correctly predicted that no one, having seen The Persistence of Memory once, would forget it.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder The Tower of Babel 1563
Stored at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

According to Brueghel, in the failure that befell the construction Tower of Babel, are not guilty of sudden arising according to biblical story language barriers; and mistakes made during the construction process. At first glance, the huge structure 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 do 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 chested' went to the enemy.

Claude Monet Impression. Rising Sun" 1872
Stored at the Musée Marmottan in Paris.

The title of the piece is "Impression, soleil levant" with light hand journalist L. Leroy became a name 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 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 by novel of the same name Tracey Chevalier was filmed Feature Film"Girl with a Pearl Earring", in which the history of the creation of the canvas is hypothetically restored in the context of biography and family life Vermeer.

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) “overlaid” 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". Demon - the image of power human spirit, internal struggle, doubt. 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. Main character pictures - 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 drinking, eating, talking, and smoking crowd, is a bartender absorbed in her own thoughts, watching a trapeze acrobat, who 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 secular 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.

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: “I will not live. "Young Bartholomew" will live. Now, if in thirty, fifty years after my death he will still say something to people, then he is alive, then I am also alive.

Pieter Brueghel 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 kind of 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 picture shows famous eruption 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 this moment the painting is in the collection State Museum 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. Modern name painting comes from the name of its owner - Count Litt, the owner of the 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 pine forest"- 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 by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" according to the plot fairy tale of the same name 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 as Vertumn" 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.

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, the 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 ( West wind) in the arms of his wife Chlorida blows on the 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 to the picture protective layer from egg yolk.

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). 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, because of which he often depicted her in a variety of scenes. although he painted animals, he did not consider himself an animal painter, so bears on his famous painting“Morning in a Pine Forest” was 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. AT Ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece on the shields of victorious warriors often depicted scenes of heroic battles in order to demonstrate their triumph over the enemy.

In the Middle Ages, due to the dominance of church dogma, 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 received mass distribution 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,. history painting dominated y, folklore - y.

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. AT 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. AT 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 “revived” 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, not only honed artistic skill, 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. AT ancient world paid great attention physical development because 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 them perfectly. developed bodies and strived 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 to expose female body was not accepted.

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 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 era, sensuality became a priority, and in XIX-XX centuries paintings or sculptures with naked bodies (especially male) 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 behind different activities, and y are 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 discovered in rock art Neolithic era 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, came to the fore harmonious relationship man and nature.

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 directions. 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 poetic picture, amazed the viewer with his wondrous light in landscapes, but could endlessly admire 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 get past 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 works in best traditions classical russian school realistic portrait painting. 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 pictures high definition and the heyday of hyperrealism creativity Philip Barlow(Philip Barlow) 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 wonderful world in which there is neither sadness nor despondency. You will not find gloomy and rainy pictures in him. On his canvases there is a lot of light, air and bright colors, 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 American artist Jeremy Mann paints dynamic portraits of the 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 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 the scenes he saw in Everyday life 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

In the 17th century, the division of genres of painting into "high" and "low" was introduced. The first included historical, battle and mythological genres. The second included mundane genres of painting from everyday life, for example, household genre, still life, animalistics, portrait, nude, landscape.

historical genre

The historical genre in painting depicts not a specific object or person, but a certain moment or event that took place in the history of past eras. It is included in the main painting genres in art. Portrait, battle, everyday and mythological genres are often closely intertwined with the historical.

"Conquest of Siberia by Yermak" (1891-1895)
Vasily Surikov

Artists Nicolas Poussin, Tintoretto, Eugene Delacroix, Peter Rubens, Vasily Ivanovich Surikov, Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev and many others painted their paintings in the historical genre.

mythological genre

Legends, ancient legends and myths, folklore- the image of these plots, heroes and events has found its place in the mythological genre of painting. Perhaps, it can be distinguished in the painting of any nation, because the history of each ethnic group is full of legends and traditions. For example, such a plot of Greek mythology as secret romance the god of war Ares and the goddess of beauty Aphrodite are depicted in the painting "Parnassus" Italian artist named Andrea Mantegna.

"Parnassus" (1497)
Andrea Mantegna

Mythology in painting was finally formed in the Renaissance. Representatives of this genre, in addition to Andrea Mantegna, are Rafael Santi, Giorgione, Lucas Cranach, Sandro Botticelli, Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov and others.

Battle genre

Battle painting describes scenes from military life. Most often, various military campaigns are illustrated, as well as sea and land battles. And since these fights are often taken from real history, then the battle and historical genres find their intersection point here.

Fragment of the panorama "Battle of Borodino" (1912)
Franz Roubaud

Battle painting took shape during the Italian Renaissance in the work of artists Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, and then Theodore Gericault, Francisco Goya, Franz Alekseevich Roubaud, Mitrofan Borisovich Grekov and many other painters.

household genre

Scenes from everyday, social or privacy ordinary people whether urban or peasant life, depicts the everyday genre in painting. Like many others painting genres, everyday paintings are rarely found in their own form, becoming part of the portrait or landscape genre.

"Seller of musical instruments" (1652)
Karel Fabricius

The origin of everyday painting took place in the 10th century in the East, and it passed to Europe and Russia only in XVII-XVIII centuries. Jan Vermeer, Karel Fabricius and Gabriel Metsu, Mikhail Shibanov and Ivan Alekseevich Ermenev are the most famous artists household paintings during that period.

Animal genre

main objects animal genre are animals and birds, both wild and domestic, and in general all representatives of the animal world. Initially, animalistics was part of the genres of Chinese painting, since it first appeared in China in the 8th century. In Europe, animalism was formed only in the Renaissance - animals at that time were depicted as the embodiment of the vices and virtues of man.

"Horses in the Meadow" (1649)
Paulus Potter

Antonio Pisanello, Paulus Potter, Albrecht Dürer, Frans Snyders, Albert Cuyp are the main representatives of animalistics in fine arts.

Still life

In the still life genre, objects that surround a person in life are depicted. These are inanimate objects grouped together. Such objects may belong to the same genus (for example, only fruits are depicted in the picture), or they may be heterogeneous (fruits, dishes, musical instruments, flowers, etc.).

"Flowers in a Basket, Butterfly and Dragonfly" (1614)
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder

Still life as an independent genre took shape in the 17th century. Flemish and dutch school still life. Representatives of a variety of styles painted their paintings in this genre, from realism to cubism. One of the most famous still lifes painted by the painters Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, Albertus Jonah Brandt, Paul Cezanne, Vincent van Gogh, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Willem Claes Heda.

Portrait

Portrait - a genre of painting, which is one of the most common in the visual arts. The purpose of a portrait in painting is to portray a person, but not just his appearance, but also to convey the inner feelings and mood of the person being portrayed.

Portraits are single, pair, group, as well as a self-portrait, which is sometimes distinguished a separate genre. And most famous portrait of all time, perhaps, is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci called "Portrait of Mrs. Lisa del Giocondo", known to everyone as "Mona Lisa".

"Mona Lisa" (1503-1506)
Leonardo da Vinci

The first portraits appeared millennia ago in ancient Egypt - they were images of the pharaohs. Since then, most artists of all time have dabbled in this genre in one way or another. Portrait and historical genres of painting can also intersect: the image of the great historical personality will be considered a work historical genre, although at the same time it will convey the appearance and character of this person as a portrait.

nude

The purpose of the nude genre is to depict the naked body of a person. The Renaissance period is considered the moment of the emergence and development of this type of painting, and the main object of painting then most often became the female body, which embodied the beauty of the era.

"Country Concert" (1510)
Titian

Titian, Amedeo Modigliani, Antonio da Correggio, Giorgione, Pablo Picasso are the most famous artists who painted pictures in the nude genre.

Landscape

The main theme of the landscape genre is nature, environment city, countryside or wilderness. The first landscapes appeared in ancient times when painting palaces and temples, creating miniatures and icons. As independent genre the landscape takes shape already in the 16th century and has since become one of the most popular painting genres.

It is present in the work of many painters, starting with Peter Rubens, Alexei Kondratievich Savrasov, Edouard Manet, continuing with Isaac Ilyich Levitan, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque and ending with many contemporary artists of the XXI century.

« gold autumn» (1895)
Isaac Levitan

Among landscape painting genres such as sea and urban landscapes can be distinguished.

Veduta

Veduta is a landscape, the purpose of which is to depict the appearance of an urban area and convey its beauty and color. Later, with the development of industry, the urban landscape turns into an industrial landscape.

"Saint Mark's Square" (1730)
Canaletto

You can appreciate urban landscapes by getting acquainted with the works of Canaletto, Pieter Brueghel, Fyodor Yakovlevich Alekseev, Sylvester Feodosievich Shchedrin.

Marina

Seascape, or marina depicts nature sea ​​element, her greatness. Perhaps the most famous marine painter in the world is Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, whose painting The Ninth Wave can be called a masterpiece of Russian painting. The heyday of the marina occurred simultaneously with the development of the landscape as such.

"Sailboat in a Storm" (1886)
James Buttersworth

With their seascapes also known are Katsushika Hokusai, James Edward Buttersworth, Alexey Petrovich Bogolyubov, Lev Feliksovich Lagorio and Rafael Montleon Torres.

If you want to learn even more about how the genres of painting in art arose and developed, watch the following video:

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