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10 Most Popular Artists of All Time
With a career spanning seventy years, two World Wars, and incorporating the traditions of neoclassicism, surrealism, and cubism (of which he was a founder), Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) remains one of the most famous and versatile artists of the twentieth century. His massive body of work encompasses prints, paintings, drawings, and sculptures. His most famous works include Les Demoiselles d’avignon, his first cubist painting, an
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Pablo Picasso Biography and Artworks-The Art History Archive
As an artist, Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) accomplished more in ten years than most painters do in a lifetime. From early experiments in Dutch realism and French impressionism, Van Gogh developed his own unique style of expressive brushstrokes and vivid–almost explosive–colors, producing some 840 paintings and one thousand drawings between 1880 and 1890. Although productive, Van Gogh’s career was plagued by financial worry and declining mental health, culminating in his suicide at age thirty-seven.
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Van Gogh Museum: Official Site
From humble beginnings as the illegitimate son of a notary, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) grew to become one of the most universally gifted human beings in history. In addition to his seventeen surviving paintings (each a supreme example of Renaissance art), da Vinci also applied his genius as a draftsman, sculptor, musician, philosopher, inventor, scientist, and military engineer–even designing rudimentary tanks and flying machines five hundred years before the Industrial Revolution.
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Gelb, Michael J. How to think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Everyday.
Together with Manet and Renoir, Claude Monet (1840-1926) emerged in the late nineteenth century as one of the founding fathers of Impressionism–at the time, a completely new style of painting that emphasized visible brush strokes, the primacy of light and color over line, and composing in the open air. His first success as a painter came in 1874 when his Impression: Sunrise (from which the term impressionism derives) shocked
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Guggenheim Museum
The pioneering figure of Pop Art, Andy Warhol (1928-1987) entered
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Once heard to say “I am surrealism,” Salvador Dali (1904-1989) began his career as a student of the renaissance masters. By 1926, he had turned classical technique toward photorealistic depictions of intricate, often nightmarish dreamscapes–vast plains occupied by distorted figures, insects, and double images (his most famous work, The Persistance of Memory, features melting clocks). In addition to paintings, Dali produced sculpture, illustrations, writings, and films–even collaborating on projects with Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney.
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Although skilled as a draftsman, sculptor, and printmaker, Henri Matisse (1869-1954) is remembered principally as a painter and the founder of fauvism. Although he studied the works of the old masters, he was inspired by contemporaries Van Gogh and Gaugin to create brightly-colored works that his critics mocked as bestial (fauvism comes from fauve, the French word for “wild beast”). Matisse’s most famous work, The Dance, showcases his strikingly use of color and shape.
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Metropolitan Museum of Art
(Wassily Kandinsky) Originally trained as a lawyer, Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) began to study painting at thirty. His early works incorporated pointillist and fauvist techniques, but by 1911, his artistic style shifted to abstract representations of internal feelings and music (rather than external visual objects). Abstract expressionism–as his style would later be called–shocked the art world of Kandinsky’s time, even contributing to his expulsion, first from his native Russia (under Soviet rule) and, later, Nazi Germany.
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Originally trained in imitative realism at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Student’s League of New York, Georgia O’Keefe (1887-1986) developed a unique artistic language that pursued emotional expression through stylized representation. In 1916, her work attracted the attention of photographer Alfred Stieglitz, who offered O’Keefe support throughout her career and their subsequent marriage. In 1929, they moved to
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A monumental figure of Holland’s Golden Age, Rembrandt Van Rijn (1606-1669) began his career as a court portraitist, quickly gaining a reputation for his ability to capture human mood and gesture. Although his portraits are among the most celebrated in Western culture, much of his work consists of biblical and mythological scenes composed with a striking approach to color, light, contour, and arrangement. His masterpiece, The Nightwatch, showcases Rembrandt’s his unique artistic language.
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13 Best Art History Websites!
There is absolutely a ton of quality online material for art students, educators and enthusiasts. The following websites exude the very best in art history content:
1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Art History
http://www.metmuseum.org/home.asp
Check out the official Website of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Navigate from the homepage, to take a virtual reality tour, shop for souvenirs and books, make a charitable donation, or plan a visit. If you want to check out the Met’s permanent collection, you can browse art and artifacts by curatorial department, or search the database for individual pieces.
2. Artcyclopedia: The guide to museum quality art history information
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/
One of the most comprehensive guides to art online, Artcyclopedia provides some 95,000 links to 180,000 world masterpieces. Browse over 8,200 artists by name, movement, medium, or nationality; search on titles of works or search by world region to connect with the world’s most famous museums–from the Louvre to the Rijksmuseum. Regular posts provide you with art world news and articles on famous artists and artistic movements.
3. World Art Treasures (Historical art)
http://www.bergerfoundation.ch/index.html
An educational site built in memory of art historian/collector Jacques-Edouard Berger (1945-1993), The Berger Foundation World Art Treasures site offers access to slides from Berger’s personal collection. Browse slides by region, artist, or historical period (artifacts from ancient Egypt, China, Myanmar/Burma, Cambodia, and Japan are well-represented in Berger’s collection). Other highlights include historical notes and timelines, as well as lectures and essays by Berger and colleagues.
4. The Getty Museum: Art History
http://www.getty.edu/
One of the largest supporters of the arts worldwide, the J. Paul Getty Trust maintains a Website with information on the Getty Museum and Research Institute (both in Los Angeles). You can check out events calendars, subscribe to the Getty’s e-newsletter, or take advantage of other online resources. Browse artists by name, medium, or theme–or check out the Getty’s collection overview. You can also order museum publications, apply for grants, or volunteer at the Getty.
5. Voice of the Shuttle: Art & Art History
http://vos.ucsb.edu/browse.asp?id=3404
Launched in 1994 to serve humanities research online, Voice of the Shuttle (VoS) is an evolving online database with links to art history resources around the world. Link to famous art museums, galleries, research institutes, and auction houses. You can also link to the homepages of contemporary art journals, and world-renowned university art departments.
6. About.com: Art History
http://arthistory.about.com/?once=true&
From the site that has it all, a category for Art History! At About.com’s Art History site, you’ll find short artist bios as well as more extensive guides to figures of the art world–from artists and their patrons to famous models and forgers). You can also check out online overviews and timelines of artistic movements, user articles on art and culture, and extensive links to shopping for art online.
7. Smithsonian American Art Museum: Art History
http://www.americanart.si.edu/index3.cfm
Here you’ll find the website of the Smithsonian American Art Museum–the first federal museum dedicated to American art. Plan your visit online, or check out what’s new at the SAAM. Browse by category or search by artist name, work title, keyword, or accession number. You can also check out a full program calendar of traveling exhibitions, guest lecturers, and special performances or shop SAAM online for books, postcards, and souvenirs.
8. Library of Congress: Art History
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html
Organized by the Library of Congress, American Memory is a multimedia website providing free online access to more than 9 million digitized photographs, manuscripts, recordings, books, pamphlets, and other cultural treasures from the Library of Congress and other institutional collections. Browse 100 collections by subject, creator, time period, or geographic location–or search across multiple collections. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Use American Memory’s Ask a Librarian feature to chat with librarians online.
9. Art History Network
http://www.arthistory.net/index.html
Arthistory.net brings together numerous art history resources from the World Wide Web. Here you can link to the homepages of art schools and galleries in Seattle, San Francisco, Savannah, Atlanta, and Chicago, or browse galleries by state. You can also link to articles on art history by historical period, cultural movement, or world region.
10. Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids: Art History
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/new_pyramid/pyramids/html/el_pyramid_intro.htm
An offshoot of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s main site, Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids provides online access to images and descriptions of forty-one artifacts from the Met’s Egyptian exhibit. Drawn from over thirty museums in Egypt, Europe, and North America, the artifacts showcase the art history of Egypt’s Old Kingdom (roughly 2650-2150 B.C.)–from 3D models of pyramid complexes, to images of royal statues, sculpture, and jewelry.
11. Legacy of Genghis Khan: Art History
http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={36C74128-EEF8-11D5-9414-00902786BF44}
An excellent online resource from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Legacy of Genghis Khan traces the artistic influence of the Yuan dynasty on the art and culture of Iran’s medieval Ilkhanid rulers from 1256 to1353. Check out images and descriptions of illuminated manuscripts and decorative arts of the period–from textiles and metalwork to woodwork and ceramics. You can also hear audio descriptions and read the exhibition’s introductory essay for a historical overview.
12. The Glory of Byzantium: Art History
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Byzantium/byzhome.html
The Byzantine Empire lasted for more than 1,000 years and produced a flourishing artistic culture. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s online survey of Byzantium explores art from the two golden ages of Byzantium (324-740 and 843-1261) as well as the late period. You can browse artwork arranged by theme or period, read historical notes and descriptions, and even arrange classroom activities.
13. Cleopatra: Art History of the Ancient World
http://www.artic.edu/cleo/index.html
Named for Egypt’s last and most famous queen, Cleopatra is a multimedia guide to the Ancient Art Collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Here you can view art and artifacts from ancient Greece, Egypt, and Italy. Browse artifacts on a timeline or by geographic region. Images of artifacts include short descriptions and audio-visual commentary on ancient art, culture, and life.
14 Art Terminology Terms You Must Know
Are you interested in going to art school? Here are some terms that any budding artist should be familiar with:
Art Nouveau - A painting, decorative design, and architectural style developed in England in the 1880s. The style is distinguished by the use of graceful lines, interlaced patterns, flowers, plants and other nature inspired themes.
Classical Style - The term “classical” is often applied to all the art of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as to any art based on logical, balanced principles and deliberate composition.
Cubism - An art style developed in 1908 by Picasso and Braque whereby the artist breaks down the natural forms of the subjects into geometric shapes creating a new kind of illustrative space.
Dadaism - An art style founded by Hans Arp in Zurich after WW1. This style challenged the established canons of art, thoughts and morality.
Expressionism - An art movement of the early 20th century in which traditional obedience to realism and proportion was replaced by the artist’s emotional connection to the subject. These paintings are often abstract, the subject matter distorted in color and form to highlight the artist’s emotion.
Impressionism - An art movement founded in France in the last third of the 19th century. This style of painting is characterized by short brush strokes of bright colors used to recreate visual impressions of the subject at a particular point in time.
Medieval Art - The art of the Middle Ages ca. 500 A.D. through the 14th century. The art produced immediately prior to the Renaissance.
Pop Art - A style of art that is inspired from commercial art and items of mass culture such as brand name packaging, and popular foods.
Post Impressionism - A term applied to the work of several artists - French or living in France - from about 1885 to 1900. Post Impressionists were united in rejecting the relative absence of form characteristic of Impressionism and stressed more formal qualities of the subject matter.
Realism - An art style of the mid 19th century, which promoted the idea that everyday people and events are worthy subjects for important art.
Rococo - A style of art, architecture and furnishings popular in Europe in the first three quarters of the 18th century that emphasized ornate but small-scale decoration, curvilinear forms, and pastel colors.
Romanesque - A style of architecture and art dominant in Europe from the 9th to the 12th century. Romanesque architecture, based on ancient Roman models, emphasizes the round arch and barrel vault.
Neoclassicism - “New” classicism - a style in 19th century Western art. Neoclassical paintings have sharp outlines, reserved emotions, deliberate composition, and cool colors.
Neo-Expressionism - “New” expressionism - a term originally applied to works done primarily by German and Italian artists in the post-WWII era. Neo- Expressionist works depict intense emotions and symbolism, sometimes using unconventional media and intense colors.
Top 5 Digital Arts Schools
ConceptArt Atelier, San Francisco
While other institutions provide a background in general classical and digital arts skills, concept artist, this school – created by acclaimed design studio Massive Black and ConceptArt.org – is different. This school has a professional level two-year program. But be aware that competition for enrollment here is extremely tough. This is the ultimate program for those who want to pursue a concept design career in games, film or other entertainment fields.
Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarasota
This school is one of the country’s finest arts institutions. Of the arts and design courses offered, three are particularly relevant to concept art: Illustration, Computer Animation and Game Art and Design. First year students follow a core curriculum of drawing, color and design, before specializing in their second year.
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena
This is one of the world’s leading graphic and industrial design colleges. The Art Center is renowned for a range of programs geared towards preparing students for a career in the commercial arts field. Illustration is the key course of interest, but the project design program is also popular.
School Of Visual Arts, New York
Originally known as the Cartoonists’ and Illustrators’ school, the School of Visual Arts is located in Manhattan. Eleven undergraduate and nine graduate level programs are offered. Courses like those looking to be a concept artist.
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence
Founded in 1877, The Rhode Island School of Design is home to the best Master of Fine Arts course in the US. They have a large illustration department with capacity for 240 students. Students studying Illustration can choose from a range of electives, including narrative storytelling, comics and editorial illustration.
Academy Of Art University, San Francisco
“Built by artists, for artists” is the motto of this private school of art and design. The university has top illustration course suitable for prospective concept designers as well as a range of industrial and product design programs.
The Juilliard School of Music
The Juilliard School is one of the world’s premier performing arts conservatories, in New York City, and trains students in dance, drama, and music. The school instructs about 800 undergraduates and graduate students every year.
The Juilliard School was founded in 1905 as the Institute of Musical Art. The purpose was to establish a music academy in America to rival European conservatories, and its original founder was Dr. Frank Damrosch, the godson of Franz Liszt. In 1919, Augustus D. Juilliard, a wealthy textile merchant, died and left the largest single bequest for the advancement of music at that time. 1924 the Institute of Musical Art was changed to The Juilliard School of Music.
The Juilliard School is a conservatory offering pre-professional training in its programs for music, dance and drama, with a highly competitive applicant pool. Only about 8 percent of applicants are accepted; therefore, only those students who are best qualified to fill our limited spaces will be admitted.
Juilliard’s central mission is to educate talented performing musicians, dancers and actors so that they may achieve the highest artistic standards, as well as become leaders in their professions. This exceptional school takes pride in providing students with the educational, professional, social and emotional foundation necessary for them to embark on successful careers and productive lives as artists, leaders and citizens.
