The most famous paintings of all time. The most famous paintings in the world "Sistine Madonna" by Rafael Santi

Thursday, December 08, 2016 11:56 am + to quote pad

British newspaper The Times ranked Top 200 Artists who lived from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day.

As a result, according to British readers, first place occupied by the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.

Second place
given to post-impressionist Paul Cezanne, the third - the founder of the Austrian Art Nouveau Gustav Klimt. The last line is occupied by a contemporary Japanese artist Hiroshi Sujimoto.

French artists appear in the top ten Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Marcel Duchamp and American artist Jackson Pollock.
The top ten is closed by the legend of pop art Andy Warhole, representative of abstractionism Willem de Kooning and famous modernist Piet Mondrian.
It is impossible not to notice the overestimation of the rating of some artists and ignoring others, no less talented. The editors of The Times, summing up the results of the survey, are perplexed: “What does Martin Kippenberger do in the top 20? Why is he rated higher than Rothko, Schiele and Klee? Is Munch (46th) worse than Frida Kahlo? Most likely, this is due to the desire of women to place the fair sex as high as possible in the ranking.

From Russian artists appear in the ranking Basil Kandinsky(15th), creator of the Black Square " Casimir Malevich(17th). 95th marked Ukrainian-American artist Alexander Archipenko. 135th - one of the founders of constructivism Alexander Rodchenko. Also included in the list Marc Chagall-71st, and Vladimir Tatlin- 145th.

Here 20 best artists of the XX century, according to British art lovers

Twenty best artists of the XX and the beginning of the XXI century

1. Pablo Picasso

2. Paul Cezanne

3. Gustav Klimt

4. Claude Monet

5. Marcel Duchamp

6. Henri Matisse

7. Jackson Pollock

8. Andy Warhol

9. Willem de Kooning

10. Piet Mondrian

11. Paul Gauguin

12. Francis Bacon

13. Robert Rauschenberg

14. Georges Braque

15. Wassily Kandinsky

16. Constantin Brancusi

17. Kazimir Malevich

18. Jasper Johns

19. Frida Kahlo

20. Martin Kippenberger
………………
Yes, if such a survey were conducted in our country, the list would be completely different. As well as the lists of the best literary works - in each country they differ significantly.
But so far we have only this list, in which we do not know many artists.
Therefore - here is a brief story about the first twenty artists.
A complete list 200 best artists of the 20th and early 21st centuries- at the end of the post.
...................
1.Picasso Pablo- Spanish artist, graphic artist

8. Andy Warhol(real name - Andrew Warhola, Rusyn. Andriy Vargola; 1928-1987) is an American artist and producer, a notable person in the history of pop art and modern art in general. Founder of the "homo universale" ideology.
Warhol created several paintings that became a sensation in the art world. In 1960, he created designs for cans of Coca-Cola, which brought him fame as an artist with an extraordinary vision of art. And in 1960-1962, a cycle of works appeared depicting cans of Campbell's soup.


Warhol one of the first to use screen printing and silk-screen printing as a method for creating paintings.
Warhol created a number of paintings in which he depicted the idols of modern society. Among the stars that Andy painted: recurring Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Lenin and others. These drawings in bright colors became Warhol's trademark. recreating the atmosphere of America in the 60s.


According to critics, these paintings reflected the vulgarity of the culture of mass consumption, the mentality of Western civilization. Warhol is considered among the representatives of pop art and conceptual art, such as Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein. Currently, the prices for his paintings reach tens of millions of dollars. A whole subculture has gathered around the figure of Warhol.


In 2015, the painting was sold to the Qatari Museum Authority for $300 million. 287\237\225

12. Francis Bacon-(1909-1992) - English artist- expressionist. Bacon's painting is always expressive, it is a kind of cry that conveys the tragedy of existence. The main theme of his work is the human body - distorted, elongated, enclosed in geometric shapes. Several works are included in the list of the most expensive paintings.

On May 14, 2008, Francis Bacon's 1976 Landmark of the Canonical 20th Century triptych was sold at Sotheby's for $86.3 million. Sold by the Muy family, owners of Château Pétrus wine production, to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. And the painter received the title of the most expensive post-war artist and took third place in the top ten most expensive artists in the world in general, second only to Picasso and Klimt. 180\122\96

13.Robert Rauschenberg(1925, Port Arthur -2008, Captiva Island, Florida) is an American artist. A representative of abstract expressionism, and then conceptual art and pop art, in his works he gravitated towards the technique of collage and readymade, used garbage.
Like other representatives of pop art, he tried to express his vision of the world in unusual, shocking forms. For this, canvases, collages, installations were used.
In the early 50s, Rauschenberg went through three stages of creating paintings:
"White painting" - black numbers and some symbols are depicted on a white background.
"Black Painting" - scraps of newspapers were pasted onto the canvas, and all this was covered with black enamel.
"Red Painting" - abstract canvases in red tones, partly with stickers from newspapers, nails, photographs, etc.
In 1953, Rauschenberg erased a drawing by Willem de Kooning and exhibited it under the title "Erased De Kooning Drawing", raising the question of the nature of art.

Since the mid-50s, Rauschenberg has been creating spatial objects that he calls "combined paintings", for example:
"Odalisque" (satin pillow, stuffed chicken, photographs and reproductions)
"Bed" - a bed spattered with paint and placed vertically ...


In the late 50s, he mastered the frottage technique (rubbing introduced into art by Max Ernst) to transfer magazine photographs to paper. Rauschenberg used it to create a graphic cycle of 34 illustrations for Dante's Inferno in the pop art style. In 1962, he mastered the technique of silk-screen printing and created a number of large works in it. One of the paintings in this series way to heaven» ( sky way, 1964). On it, pop cultural symbols (for example, American astronauts) coexist with images of Rubens.

Rauschenberg is the owner of many awards, including: the main prize at the Venice Biennale, the Grammy, the US National Medal, the Imperial Prize of Japan and others.
In the 60s and 70s, Rauschenberg was involved in the field of performance, happenings and other theatrical actions.

1 Pablo Picasso 21587
2 Paul Cezanne 21098
3 Gustav Klimt 20823
4 Claude Monet 20684
5 Marcel Duchamp 20647
6 Henry Matisse 17096
7 Jackson Pollock 17051
8 Andy Warhol 17047
9 Willem de Kooning 17042
10 Piet Mondrian 17028
11 Paul Gauguin 17027
12 Francis Bacon 17018
13 Robert Rauschenberg 16956
14 Georges Braque 16788
15 Wassily Kandinsky 16055
16 Constantin Brancusi 14224
17 Kazimir Malevich 13609
18 Jasper Johns 12988
19 Frida Kahlo 12940
20 Martin Kippenberger 12784
21 Paul Klee
22 Egon Schiele
23 Donald Judd
24 Bruce Nauman
25 Alberto Giacometti
26 Salvador Dali
27 Auguste Rodin
28 Mark Rothko
29 Edward Hopper
30 Lucian Freud
31 Richard Serra
32 René Magritte
33 David Hockney
34 Philip Gaston
35 Gary Cartier-Bresson 8779
36 Pierre Bonnard
37 Jean-Michel Basquiat
38 Max Ernst
39 Diane Arbus
40 Georgia O'Keefe
41 Cy Twombly
42 Max Beckmann
43 Barnet Newman
44 Giorgio de Chirico
45 Roy Lichtenstein 7441
46 Edvard Munch
47 Pierre August Renoir
48 Men Ray
49 Henry Moore
50 Cindy Sherman
51 Jeff Koons
52 Tracey Emin
53 Damien Hirst
54 Yves Klein
55 Henry Russo
56 Chaim Soutine
57 Archil Gorky
58 Amadeo Modigliani
59 Umberto Boccioni
60 Jean Dubuffet
61 Eva Hesse
62 Edward Villard
63 Carl Andre
64 Juan Gris
65 Lucio Fontana
66 Franz Kline
67 David Smith
68 Joseph Beuys
69 Alexander Calder
70 Louise Bourgeois
71 Marc Chagall
72 Gerhard Richter
73 Balthus
74 Joan Miro
75 Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
76 Frank Stella
77 Georg Baselitz
78 Francis Picabia
79 Jenny Saville
80 Dan Flavin
81 Alfred Stiglitz
82 Anselm Kiefer
83 Matthew Burney
84 Georges Gros
85 Bernd and Hilla Becher
86 Sigmar Polke
87 Bryce Marden
88 Maurizio Catellan
89 Saul Levitt
90 Chuck Close 2915
91 Edward Weston
92 Joseph Cornell
93 Karel Appel
94 Bridget Riley
95 Alexander Archipenko
96 Anthony Caro
97 Richard Hamilton
98 Clifford Still
99 Luc Tuymans
100 Oldenburg class
101 Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi
102 Frank Auerbach
103 Dinos and Jake Chapman
104 Marlene Dumas
105 Antona Tapies
106 Giorgio Morandi
107 Walker Evans
108 Nan Goldin
109 Robert Frank
110 Georges Rouault
111 Arp Hans
112 August Sender
113 James Rosenquist
114 Andreas Gursky
115 Eugene Atget
116 Jeff Wall
117 Ellsworth Kelly
118 Bill Brandt
119 Christo and Jean-Claude
120 Howard Hodgkin
121 Joseph Albers
122 Piero Manzoni
123 Agnes Martin
124 Anish Kapoor
125 L. S. Lowry
126 Robert Motherwell
127 Robert Delaunay
128 Stuart Davis
129 Ed Ruscha
130 Gilbert and George 2729
131 Stanley Spencer
132 James Ensor
133 Fernard Ledger
134 Brassai (Gyula Halas)
135 Alexander Rodchenko
136 Robert Ryman
137 Ed Reindhard
138 Hans Belmer
139 Isa Genzken
140 Kees van Dongen
141 Weegee
142 Paula Rego
143 Thomas Hart Benton
144 Hans Hoffman
145 Vladimir Tatlin
146 Odilon Redon
147 George Segal
148 Jörg Imendorff
149 Robert Smithson
150 Peter Doig 2324
151 Ed and Nancy Kienholz
152 Richard Prince
153 Ansel Adams
154 Naum Gabo 2256
155 Diego Rivera 2239
156 Barbara Hepworth 2237
157 Nicola de Stael 2237
158 Walter de Maria 2229
159 Felix Gonzalez-Torres 2228
160 Giacomo Balla 2225
161 Ben Nicholson 2221
162 Anthony Gormley 2218
163 Lionel Feininger 2216
164 Emil Nolde 2213
165 Mark Wallinger 2211
166 Hermann Nietzsch 2209
167 Paul Signac 2209
168 Jean Tigli 2209
169 Kurt Schwitters 2209
170 Grayson Perry 2208
171 Julian Schnabel 2208
172 Raymond Duchamp-Villon 2208
173 Robert Gobert 2208
174 Duane Hanson 2208
175 Richard Diebenkorn 2207
176 Apex Katz 2207
177 Alighiero Boetti 2206
178 Godier-Brzeska Henri 2206
179 Laszlo Moholy-Nagy 2205
180 Jacques-Henri Lartigue 2205
181 Robert Morris 2205
182 Sarah Lucas 2204
183 Yannis Kounellis 2204
184 Chris Barden 2204
185 Otto Dix 2203
186 David Bomberg 2203
187 Fischli & Weiss 2203
188 Augustus John 2203
189 Marsden Hartley 2203
190 Takashi Murakami 2203ratings

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The mysterious world of art may seem confusing to an inexperienced person, but there are masterpieces that everyone should know. Talent, inspiration and painstaking work on every stroke give rise to works that are admired centuries later.

It is impossible to collect all the outstanding creations in one selection, but we have tried to select the most famous paintings that collect gigantic queues in front of museums around the world.

The most famous paintings by Russian artists

"Morning in a pine forest", Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky

Year of creation: 1889
Museum


Shishkin was an excellent landscape painter, but he rarely had to draw animals, so Savitsky, an excellent animal painter, painted the figures of the cubs. At the end of the work, Tretyakov ordered Savitsky's signature to be erased, believing that Shishkin had done much more extensive work.

"Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan on November 16, 1581" by Ilya Repin

Years of creation: 1883–1885
Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow


To create a masterpiece, better known as "Ivan the Terrible kills his son", Repin was inspired by the symphony "Antar" by Rimsky-Korsakov, namely, its second movement called "The Sweetness of Revenge". Under the influence of the sounds of music, the artist depicted a bloody scene of murder and subsequent repentance, observed in the eyes of the sovereign.

Seated Demon, Mikhail Vrubel

Year of creation: 1890
Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow


The painting was one of thirty illustrations drawn by Vrubel for the anniversary edition of the works of M.Yu. Lermontov. The "seated demon" personifies the doubts inherent in the human spirit, the subtle, elusive "mood of the soul." According to experts, the artist was to some extent obsessed with the image of a demon: this painting was followed by "Demon flying" and "Demon defeated".

"Boyar Morozova", Vasily Surikov

Years of creation: 1884–1887
Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow


The plot of the Old Believer life "The Tale of the Boyar Morozova" formed the basis of the picture. The understanding of the key image came to the artist when he saw a crow spreading its black wings like a spot on a snowy canvas. Later, Surikov searched for a prototype for the noblewoman’s face for a long time, but could not find anything suitable, until one day he met an Old Believer woman with a pale, frantic face in the cemetery. The portrait sketch was completed in two hours.

"Bogatyrs", Viktor Vasnetsov

Years of creation: 1881–1898
Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow


The future epic masterpiece was born as a small pencil sketch in 1881; for further work on the canvas, Vasnetsov painstakingly collected information about the heroes from myths, legends and traditions for many years, and also studied authentic ancient Russian ammunition in museums.

Analysis of Vasnetsov's painting "Three Heroes"

"Bathing the Red Horse", Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin

Year of creation: 1912
Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow


Initially, the painting was conceived as an everyday sketch from the life of a Russian village, but during the work the artist’s canvas acquired a huge number of symbols. By the red horse, Petrov-Vodkin meant "The Fate of Russia"; after the country's entry into the First World War, he exclaimed: "So that's why I painted this picture!". However, after the revolution, pro-Soviet art critics interpreted the key figure of the canvas as a "harbinger of revolutionary fires."

"Trinity", Andrey Rublev

Year of creation: 1411
Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow


The icon that laid the foundation for the tradition of Russian icon painting of the 15th-16th centuries. The canvas depicting the Old Testament trinity of angels who appeared to Abraham is a symbol of the unity of the Holy Trinity.

The Ninth Wave, Ivan Aivazovsky

Year of creation: 1850
Museum


A pearl in the "cartography" of the legendary domestic marine painter, who can be without hesitation classified as one of the most famous artists in the world. We can see how miraculously surviving sailors after the storm cling to the mast in anticipation of a meeting with the "ninth wave", the mythical apogee of all storms. But the warm shades that dominate the canvas give hope for the salvation of the victims.

"The Last Day of Pompeii", Karl Bryullov

Years of creation: 1830–1833
Museum: Russian Museum, St. Petersburg


Completed in 1833, Bryullov's painting was originally exhibited in the largest cities of Italy, where it caused a real sensation - the painter was compared with Michelangelo, Titian, Raphael ... At home, the masterpiece was met with no less enthusiasm, securing Bryullov's nickname "Charles the Great". The canvas is truly great: its dimensions are 4.6 by 6.5 meters, which makes it one of the largest paintings among the creations of Russian artists.

The most famous paintings by Leonardo da Vinci

"Mona Lisa"

Years of creation: 1503–1505
Museum: Louvre, Paris


A masterpiece of Florentine genius that needs no introduction. It is noteworthy that the painting received cult status after the incident with the abduction from the Louvre in 1911. Two years later, the kidnapper, who turned out to be a museum employee, tried to sell the painting to the Uffizi Gallery. The events of the high-profile case were covered in detail in the world press, after which hundreds of thousands of reproductions went on sale, and the mysterious Mona Lisa became an object of worship.

Years of creation: 1495–1498
Museum: Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan


Five centuries later, a fresco with a classical story on the wall of the refectory of a Dominican monastery in Milan is recognized as one of the most mysterious paintings in history. As conceived by Da Vinci, the picture depicts the moment of the Easter meal, when Christ notifies the disciples of the imminent betrayal. The sheer quantity of hidden symbols has given rise to an equally vast array of studies, allusions, borrowings, and parodies.

"Madonna Litta"

Year of creation: 1491
Museum: Hermitage, St. Petersburg


The painting, also known as the Madonna and Child, was kept in the collection of the Dukes of Litta for a long time, and in 1864 it was bought by the St. Petersburg Hermitage. Many experts agree that the figure of the baby was not painted personally by da Vinci, but by one of his students - a pose that is too uncharacteristic for a painter.

The most famous paintings of Salvador Dali

Year of creation: 1931
Museum: Museum of Modern Art, New York


Paradoxically, the most famous work of the surrealist genius was born from the thought of Camembert cheese. One evening, after a friendly dinner that ended with appetizers with cheese, the artist immersed himself in thoughts about the “spreading pulp”, and his imagination painted a picture like a melting clock with an olive branch in the foreground.

Year of creation: 1955
Museum: National Gallery of Art, Washington


A traditional plot that received a surreal canvas using arithmetic principles studied by Leonardo da Vinci. The artist put the original magic of the number "12" at the forefront, moving away from the hermeneutical method of interpreting the biblical story.

The most famous paintings by Pablo Picasso

Year of creation: 1905
Museum: Pushkin Museum, Moscow


The painting became the first signs of the so-called "pink" period in the work of Picasso. A rough texture and a simplified style are combined with a sensitive play of lines and colors, a contrast between the massive figure of an athlete and a fragile gymnast. The canvas was sold along with 29 other works for 2 thousand francs (in total) to the Parisian collector Vollard, changed several collections, and in 1913 it was acquired by the Russian philanthropist Ivan Morozov, already for 13 thousand francs.

Year of creation: 1937
Museum: Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid


Guernica is the name of a city in the Basque country that was bombed by the Germans in April 1937. Picasso had never been to Guernica, but was stunned by the scale of the catastrophe, like a "blow of a bull's horn." The artist conveyed the horrors of war in an abstract form and showed the real face of fascism, veiling it with bizarre geometric shapes.

The most famous paintings of the Renaissance

"Sistine Madonna", Raphael Santi

Years of creation: 1512–1513
Museum: Old Masters Gallery, Dresden


If you look closely at the background, which at first glance consists of clouds, you will notice that in fact Raphael depicted the heads of angels there. The two angels located at the bottom of the picture are known almost more than the masterpiece itself, due to the wide circulation in mass art.

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli

Year of creation: 1486
Museum: Uffizi Gallery, Florence


The painting is based on the ancient Greek myth about the birth of Aphrodite from sea foam. Unlike many masterpieces of the Renaissance, the canvas has survived to this day in excellent condition thanks to the protective layer of egg yolk with which Botticelli prudently covered the work.

The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo Buonarotti

Year of creation: 1511
Museum: Sistine Chapel, Vatican


One of the nine frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, illustrating the chapter from Genesis: "And God created man in his own image." It was Michelangelo who first portrayed God as a wise-haired old man, after which this image became archetypal. Modern scientists believe that the contours of the figure of God and angels represent the human brain.

"Night Watch", Rembrandt

Year of creation: 1642
Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam


The full title of the painting is "Speech of the Rifle Company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenbürg." The painting received its modern name in the 19th century, when it was found by art historians, who, because of the layer of dirt covering the work, decided that the action in the painting takes place under the cover of night darkness.

The Garden of Earthly Delights Hieronymus Bosch

Years of creation: 1500–1510
Museum: Prado Museum, Madrid


Perhaps the most famous Bosch triptych, named after the central part of the composition: the figures depicted on it selflessly indulge in the sin of voluptuousness. In contrast to the full of small, "bustling" details of the middle part, depicting a true paradise, the left wing of the picture conveys an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, and the right wing, full of diabolical mechanisms, on the contrary, recalls hellish torments.

The most famous paintings of the XX century

"Black Square", Kazimir Malevich

Year of creation: 1915
Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow


Malevich wrote Black Square for several months; the legend says that a painting is hidden under a layer of black paint - the artist did not have time to finish the work on time and, in a fit of anger, smeared over the image. There are at least seven copies of the "Black Square" made by Malevich, as well as a kind of "continuation" of the Suprematist squares - "Red Square" (1915) and "White Square" (1918).

"Scream", Edvard Munch

Year of creation: 1893
Museum: National Gallery, Oslo


Due to the inexplicable mystical effect on the viewer, the painting was stolen in 1994 and 2004. There is an opinion that the picture created at the turn of the 20th century anticipated numerous catastrophes of the coming century. The deep symbolism of The Scream has inspired many artists, including Andy Warhol, directors, musicians, and even animators.

Walk, Marc Chagall

Year of creation: 1918
Museum: Russian Museum, St. Petersburg


If you were also tormented by the question: “Why do people in the painting by Marc Chagall soar in the air?”, Here is the answer from the artist himself - the power that can give a person the opportunity to fly is nothing more than love. It is believed that the man and woman on the canvas are Marc Chagall and his wife.

No. 5, 1948, Jackson Pollock

Year of creation: 1948
Museum: Private collection, New York


This painting still causes a lot of controversy. Some art historians believe that the hype around the painting, painted in the proprietary spatter technique, was artificially created. The canvas was not sold until all the other works of the artist were bought, respectively, the price for a non-objective masterpiece skyrocketed. Number Five was sold for $140 million, making it the most expensive painting in history.

Diptych Marilyn, Andy Warhol

Year of creation: 1962
Museum: Tate Gallery, London


A week after the death of Marilyn Monroe, the scandalous artist began work on the canvas. 50 stencil portraits of the actress were applied to the canvas, stylized in the pop art genre based on a 1953 photograph.
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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.

“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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25

The 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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23

The 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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22

Sleeping 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!

Magnificent works of art by the hands of great masters can surprise even people for whom art means little. That is why world-famous museums are among the most popular attractions, attracting millions of visitors a year.

To stand out from the huge number of paintings written throughout the history of art, the artist needs not only talent, but also the ability to express a unique plot in an unusual and very relevant way for his time.

The paintings presented below speak loudly not only about the talent of their authors, but also about the numerous cultural trends that have appeared and disappeared, and about the most important historical events that have always been reflected in art.

"Birth of Venus"

This painting, painted by the great Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, depicts the moment when the beautiful Venus appears from the sea foam. One of the most compelling aspects of the painting is the modest pose of the goddess and her simple yet beautiful face.

"Dogs play poker"

Painted by Cassius Coolidge in 1903, this series of 16 paintings depicts dogs gathered around a coffee or gambling table playing poker. Many critics recognize these paintings as the canonical depiction of Americans of the era.

Portrait of Madame Recamier

Painted by Jacques-Louis David, this portrait depicts a glitzy socialite in a contrastingly minimalist and simple setting, dressed in a simple sleeveless white dress. This is a vivid example of neoclassicism in portrait art.

№5

This famous painting by Jackson Pollock is his most iconic work, vividly depicting all the chaos that raged in the soul and mind of Pollock. This is one of the most expensive works ever sold by an American artist.

"Son of Man"

"The Son of Man" by Rene Magritte is a kind of self-portrait depicting the artist himself in a black suit, but with an apple instead of a face.

"Number 1" ("Royal Red and Blue")

This rather recent piece by Mark Rothko is nothing more than brushstrokes of three different shades on a handmade canvas. The painting is currently on display at the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Massacre of the Innocent"

Based on the biblical story of the massacre of innocent babies in Bethlehem, Peter Paul Rubens created this macabre and brutal painting that touches the emotions of all who look at it.

"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte"

Created by Georges Seurat, this unique and very popular painting depicts the relaxed atmosphere of a weekend in a big city. Such painting is an excellent example of pointillism, which combines many dots into one whole.

"Dance"

"Dance" by Henri Matisse is an example of a style called Fauvism, which is characterized by bright, almost unnatural colors and shapes and high dynamics.

"American Gothic"

"American Gothic" is a work of art that perfectly symbolizes the image of Americans during the Great Depression. In this painting, Grant Wood depicted a stern, apparently religious couple standing in front of a simple house with gothic windows.

"Flower Loader"

This painting by the most popular Mexican painter of the 20th century, Diego Rivera, depicts a man who can hardly bear a basket overloaded with bright tropical flowers on his back.

"Whistler's Mother"

Also known as Arrangement in Gray and Black. The Artist's Mother, this is one of the most famous paintings by American artist James Whistler. In this painting, Whistler depicted his mother sitting in a chair against a gray wall. The painting uses only black and gray shades.

"The Persistence of Memory"

This is a cult work of no less cult Salvador Dali, the world-famous Spanish surrealist who brought this movement to the forefront of art.

Portrait of Dora Maar

Pablo Picasso is one of the most popular and influential Spanish painters. He is the founder of the sensational style at the time, called cubism, which seeks to break up any object and convey it with clear geometric shapes. This painting is the first portrait in the cubist style.

"Portrait of an Artist Without a Beard"

This painting by Van Gogh is a self-portrait, and unique, because it depicts the painter without the usual beard. In addition, this is one of the few Van Gogh paintings that have been sold to private collections.

"Night Cafe Terrace"

Painted by Vincent van Gogh, this painting depicts a familiar sight in a whole new way, using amazingly vibrant colors and unusual shapes.

"Composition VIII"

Wassily Kandinsky is recognized as the founder of abstract art - a style that uses forms and symbols instead of familiar objects and people. "Composition VIII" is one of the first paintings by the artist, made exclusively in this style.

"Kiss"

One of the first works of art in the Art Nouveau style, this painting is almost entirely done in gold tones. The painting by Gustav Klimt is one of the most striking works of style.

"Ball at the Moulin de la Galette"

The painting by Pierre Auguste Renoir is a vivid and dynamic depiction of city life. In addition, it is one of the most expensive paintings in the world.

"Olympia"

In Olympia, Édouard Manet created a real controversy, almost a scandal, since a naked woman with a gaze is clearly a mistress, not veiled by the myths of the classical period. This is one of the early works in the style of realism.

"Third May 1808 in Madrid"

In this work, Francisco Goya depicted Napoleon's attack on the Spaniards. This is one of the first Spanish paintings to portray the war in a negative light.

"Las Meninas"

The most famous painting by Diego Velasquez depicts the five-year-old Infanta Margherita in front of a portrait of her parents painted by Velasquez.

"Portrait of the Arnolfinis"

This painting is one of the oldest works of painting. It was painted by Jan van Eyck and depicts Italian businessman Giovanni Arnolfini and his pregnant wife in their home in Bruges.

"Scream"

A painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch depicts a man's face distorted by fear against a blood-red sky. The landscape in the background adds a dark charm to this painting. In addition, The Scream is one of the first expressionist paintings where realism is kept to a minimum to allow more freedom for emotion.

"Waters"

Water Lilies, by Claude Monet, is part of a series of 250 paintings depicting elements of the artist's own garden. These paintings are exhibited in various art museums around the world.

"Starlight Night"

Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is one of the most famous images in contemporary culture. It is currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

"Fall of Icarus"

This painting, painted by the Dutch artist Pieter Brueghel, shows a person's indifference to the suffering of their fellow men. A strong social theme is shown here in a rather simple way, using the image of Icarus drowning under water and people ignoring his suffering.

"The Creation of Adam"

The Creation of Adam is one of several magnificent frescoes by Michelangelo adorning the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace. It depicts the creation of Adam. In addition to depicting ideal human forms, the fresco is one of the first attempts to depict God in the history of art.

"The Last Supper"

This fresco by the great Leonardo depicts the last supper of Jesus before his betrayal, arrest and death. In addition to composition, form and color, the discussion of this fresco is replete with theories about hidden symbols and the presence of Mary Magdalene next to Jesus.

"Guernica"

Picasso's "Guernica" depicts the explosion of the Spanish city of the same name during the Spanish Civil War. This is a black-and-white picture, negatively depicting fascism, Nazism and their ideas.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring"

This painting by Johannes Vermeer is often referred to as the Dutch Mona Lisa, not only because of its extraordinary popularity, but also because the expression on the girl's face is difficult to capture and explain.

"Beheading of John the Baptist"

The painting by Caravaggio very realistically depicts the moment of the murder of John the Baptist in prison. The semi-darkness of the painting and the facial expressions of its characters make it a true classic masterpiece.

"The night Watch"

The Night Watch is one of Rembrandt's most famous paintings. It depicts a group portrait of a rifle company led by its officers. A unique aspect of the painting is the semi-darkness, which gives the impression of a night scene.

"School of Athens"

Painted by Raphael in his early Roman period, this fresco depicts famous Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Socrates, Pythagoras and others. Many philosophers are depicted as contemporaries of Raphael, for example, Plato - Leonardo da Vinci, Heraclitus - Michelangelo, Euclid - Bramante.

"Mona Lisa"

Probably the most famous painting in the world is Leonardo da Vinci's Gioconda, better known as the Mona Lisa. This canvas is a portrait of Mrs. Gherardini, who attracts attention with a mysterious expression on her face.