Unknown artists of the world. The most famous artists in the world

The names and works of these artists will be known for centuries.

10 Leonardo da Vinci (1492 - 1619)

Leonardo di Ser Piero da Vinci went down in history as an outstanding architect, inventor, researcher, philosopher, mathematician, writer, musician, and, of course, artist. His masterpieces "Mona Lisa" and " Last Supper" are known all over the world. His achievements in other sciences are also noted - in geology, astronomy and anatomy.

9 Raphael Santi (1483 – 1520)

Italian Raphael Santi, representative of the Renaissance (late XV - beginning of XVI centuries), was one of the greatest painters and architects. One of his famous works– The “School of Athens” is now located in the Vatican, in the Apostolic Palace. The name of Raphael stands next to the names of the great artists of the era, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

8 Diego Velazquez (1599 – 1660)

Diego de Silva y Velazquez is famous for his portraits. The Spanish painter became popular thanks to a large number works depicting the royal family, historical events and famous European personalities, which deserved to be considered one of the symbols of the golden age of painting. Velázquez worked on his paintings at the court of King Philip IV, painting his most famous painting, Las Meninas, depicting his family.

7 Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973)

Diego Velaquez's compatriot Picasso contributed invaluable contribution V art twentieth century. He laid the foundation for a completely new direction in painting - cubism. His painting and sculpture have given him the title of the best and “most expensive” artist of the last century. The number of his works cannot be counted - it is measured in tens of thousands.

6 Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890)

Ranked sixth in the ranking famous painter Vincent Willem Van Gogh from the Netherlands. Unfortunately, he gained his fame as one of the most prominent post-impressionists after his death. His works have a unique, recognizable style. Van Gogh's paintings: landscapes, portraits and self-portraits are incredibly highly valued. During his life, Vincent Van Gogn wrote more than 2,100 works, among which his series of works “Sunflowers” ​​are especially notable.

5 Michelangelo (1475 – 1564)

The Italian Michelangelo Buonarroti became brilliantly famous for his works in sculpture, painting, and architecture. He is also a famous philosopher and poet who had a huge influence on the entire culture of mankind. Michelangelo's creations - the Pieta and David sculptures - are among the most famous in the world. But undoubtedly his frescoes on the ceiling became more famous. Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo also designed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, leaving his mark on the architecture.

4 Masaccio (1401 – 1428)

The outstanding mystery artist Masaccio, about whose biography we know very little, contributed invaluable contribution into the fine arts, inspiring many artists. The life of this artist ended very quickly, but even during this period of time Masaccio left a great cultural heritage. His fresco of the Trinity in Italy, in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, is one of four surviving ones that have become world famous. There is an opinion that the rest of his works by Masaccio could not survive intact and were destroyed.

3 Peter Paul Rubens (1577 – 1640)

“Bronze” in our rating rightfully goes to Peter Paul Rubens, an artist from the Southern Netherlands who worked in the Baroque era and became famous for his special style. Rubens brilliantly conveyed colors on canvas, his paintings fascinated with their liveliness. Everyone, looking at his paintings, could find something of their own - in landscapes, portraits. Rubens also wrote historical paintings, telling about myths or religious stories. Carefully painted over the course of four years, the triptych “The Descent from the Cross” has won the attention of the whole world. Rubens's special style of painting made him famous all over the world.

2 Caravaggio (1571 -1610)

Another one got second place in the rating Italian artist, who worked in the early Baroque era Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, who founded European realism. He loved to depict on canvas ordinary people from the streets, carefully concentrating on important details: the play of light and shadow, colors and contrast. He depicted them in religious, holy images. As Caravaggio himself mentioned, he was proud of his work “The Lute Player,” written at the very end of the 16th century. Also mentioned are his paintings “The Conversion of Saul”, “Matthew the Evangelist”, “Bacchus” and others.

1 Rembrandt (1606-1669)

The world-famous Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn takes honorable first place. The artist loved to experiment with chiaroscuro in his works. His works number about three thousand different paintings, drawings and etchings. IN this moment the Rijksmuseum of the city of Amsterdam houses the most famous work Rembrandt’s painting “The Night Watch,” completed in the mid-seventeenth century and having a gigantic size of four meters.

Magnificent works of art by the hands of great masters can surprise even people for whom art means little. This 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 just talent, but also the ability to express a unique plot in an unusual and very relevant way for his time.

The paintings below loudly proclaim not only the talent of their authors, but also the numerous cultural trends that have come and gone, and the most important historical events which have always been reflected in art.

"Birth of Venus"

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

"Dogs Play Poker"

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

Portrait of Madame Recamier

This portrait, painted Jacques-Louis David, depicts a glittering socialite diva in a contrastingly minimalist and simple setting, dressed in simple White dress without sleeves. This - shining example neoclassicism in portrait art.

№5

This famous painting, painted by Jackson Pollock, is his most iconic work, which vividly depicts the chaos that raged in Pollock's soul and mind. This is one of the most expensive work ever sold by an American artist.

"Son of Man"

"Son of Man", written 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")

It's pretty fresh work, painted by Mark Rothko, is nothing more than the strokes of three different shades on canvas self made. The painting is currently on display at the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Massacre of the Innocents"

Based on the biblical story of the murder of innocent babies in Bethlehem, Peter Paul Rubens created this eerie and cruel painting that touches the emotions of everyone who looks at it.

"Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte"

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

"Dance"

"The 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 Great Depression. In this painting, Grant Wood depicted a strict, probably religious couple standing in front of simple house with Gothic style windows.

"Flower Loader"

This painting by the most popular Mexican painter of the 20th century, Diego Rivera, depicts a man struggling to carry 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 American artist James Whistler. In this painting, Whistler depicted his mother sitting on a chair against a gray wall. The painting uses only black and gray shades.

"The Persistence of Memory"

This is an iconic work by the no less iconic 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 a style that was sensational in his time, called cubism, which seeks to fragment any object and convey it with clear geometric forms. 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 a unique one, since it depicts the artist without the usual beard. In addition, this is one of the few paintings by Van Gogh that were sold to private collections.

"Night cafe terrace"

Painted by Vincent van Gogh, this painting depicts a familiar sight in a completely new way, using amazing bright colors and unusual shapes.

"Composition VIII"

Wassily Kandinsky is recognized as the founder of abstract art, a style that uses shapes and symbols instead of familiar objects and people. "Composition VIII" is one of the artist's first paintings 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 the style.

"Ball at the Moulin de la Galette"

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

"Olympia"

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

"Third of May 1808 in Madrid"

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

"Las Meninas"

Diego Velázquez's most famous painting depicts the five-year-old Infanta Margarita against the background of Velázquez's portrait of her parents.

"Portrait of the Arnolfini couple"

This picture is one of oldest works 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 with fear against a blood-red sky. The landscape in the background adds to the dark charm of this painting. In addition, "The Scream" is one of the first paintings made in the style of expressionism, where realism is minimized to allow more freedom for emotions.

"Water lilies"

"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 peace.

"Starlight Night"

Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is one of the most famous images in modern culture. It is currently on display at the Museum contemporary art in NYC.

"The Fall of Icarus"

This painting, painted Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel, shows man's indifference to the suffering of his neighbors. Strong social theme shown here quite in a simple way, using the image of Icarus drowning underwater and people ignoring his suffering.

"The Creation of Adam"

The Creation of Adam is one of several magnificent frescoes by Michelangelo that decorate 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 in art history to depict God.

"Last Supper"

This fresco by the great Leonardo depicts the last supper of Jesus before his betrayal, arrest and death. In addition to the composition, shapes and colors, discussions of this fresco are 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 - black and white painting, negatively depicting fascism, Nazism and their ideas.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring"

This painting by Johannes Vermeer is often called 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"

Caravaggio's painting 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 classical 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 "La Gioconda" by Leonardo da Vinci, better known as the "Mona Lisa". This canvas is a portrait of Mrs. Gherardini, attracting attention with a mysterious expression on her face.

Today we will find out the list best artists a world that every self-respecting person should know. Prepare to be surprised and delighted by how many wonderful and talented people who create a real tale around themselves! We will list the most prominent artists and take a very brief look at some of them. Forward!

Great Artists of the World

Let's start by getting to know the ten most outstanding artists:

• Henri Matisse.
• Vincent Van Gogh.
• Pablo Picasso.
• Ivan Aivazovsky.
• Isaac Levitan.
• Jackson Pollock.
• Nikas Safronov.
• Claude Monet.
• Francis Bacon.
• Andy Warhole.

The first is Henri Matisse, who discovered his talent completely by accident. His story is not like many typical stories, but is something very special. He began drawing at a conscious age. This happened after he, as a 20-year-old young man, had his appendix removed. A caring mother, in order to brighten up her son’s everyday life, decided to give him paints. That's when it all started. Henri became so interested in art that he decided to master professional skills.

The second famous artist is Claude Monet, who also had entertaining story, which will be discussed below. In no case should we forget about the genius of Pablo Picasso, who is known all over the world. The whimsical paintings of Vincent Van Gogh are also loved by many. We must also not forget about domestic artists - Ivan Aivazovsky deserves an honorable place on our list.

We will consider the listed creators below in more detail. In the meantime, we need to get to know the remaining top five! The great artists of the world, a list of which is simply impossible without the following geniuses, will begin with the name of Isaac Levitan. He is rightly called the discoverer of the beauty of Russian nature, which he depicted divinely. It was his works that showed the whole world that Russia is a real pearl. Jackson Pollock completely revolutionized the public's views on the world of art. Do you want to know what his secret was? The fact is that his works bore little resemblance to paintings! They looked more like paper stained with paint due to careless movement. And only the most observant viewer could see the whole world in Pollock’s paintings.

Our top also includes contemporary artist Nikas Safronov, who is famous for painting many portraits famous personalities. We cannot forget about the iconic pop art figure Andy Warhol, who drew his inspiration from everyday things and created masterpieces. And the list is completed by the expressionist artist Francis Bacon, who wrote human body. It is impossible to take your eyes off his works, it is impossible to remain indifferent.

Ivan Aivazovsky

The great artists of the world, the list of which is above, are associated by many with the name of Ivan Aivazovsky. Interestingly, he was of Armenian origin, and his real name was Hovhannes. Creativity has been everything for Ivan since childhood. Even then he showed great interest and ability. In addition to drawing, he played the violin excellently. Marine motifs are very noticeable in his work, and for good reason, because he was a famous lover and connoisseur of the sea. He depicted calm and violent seas, shipwrecks, calms, breezes, etc. Just look at his paintings. Ice Mountains", "Black Sea" and "Wave".

Vincent Van Gogh

The great artists of the world and their paintings are a real treasure for all humanity. What a joy that anyone can admire the creations of the greats! Our next hero is Vincent Van Gogh, an artist from the Netherlands. He created a huge number of paintings that can be enjoyed forever. His works are full of secrets, riddles and parallels. He began painting as an adult. In his youth, he was rather reserved and modest, often silent and flighty in his thoughts. When he went to work, a thirst for drawing awoke in him. It so happened that every day he could watch best works art. This pastime left an imprint on his future work. After a painful failure in love, he decided to test himself, and it turned out that he was really great at drawing! After some hesitation, he left his previous place of work to devote himself entirely to his favorite business.

Pablo Picasso

As has already been said earlier, the great artists of the world and their paintings are a gift that people should cherish and pass on from generation to generation. Next great artist- Pablo Picasso. Everyone knows his name; only rare creators have achieved such popularity. It is interesting that his famous painting “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” is the most expensive painting in the world! He was not only talented artist, but also an excellent designer, ceramist and graphic artist. Moreover, it is simply impossible to imagine the art of the last century without this genius. You won’t believe it, but during his life he wrote 20 thousand works, each of which is a unique and charming world. This artist has been creating since the very early years, and his father taught him the skill. Pablo Picasso looked for inspiration in the fairy tales that his mother wrote for him.

Henri Matisse

We talked a little about this artist at the very beginning. I would like to add that the boy’s father was categorically against such a “career.” The world's greatest artists have always found success through thorns. Despite the prohibitions, the young man still continued to gain experience. It is quite difficult to define his style; most of all, it is similar to impressionism. It is worth admitting that at first Henri Matisse only copied famous paintings, but then he began to create masterpieces himself. His most famous paintings are “The Joy of Life”, “Conversation” and “Parisian Dance”.

Claude Monet

The world's great artists often had difficult childhoods. Maybe after the difficulties experienced, a “second wind” opens? The famous artist Claude Monet was a difficult boy whom few people understood. During class, he painted the margins of his notebooks with caricatures of his teachers and his desk neighbors. Very quickly he became recognizable. At first people came to him to laugh, and then he began to take money for work. Claude Monet became a popular person who gave joy and laughter. Despite this, money was not an end in itself, and he earned pennies from it. After some time, he met a landscape painter who decided to take on the guy’s training. Only after this fateful meeting did his life change. Claude Monet truly loved nature and portrayed it masterfully.

Now we know the names of the great artists of the world. They should always be remembered, because these are the “pillars” of art on which modern culture. The great artists of the world have given us unforgettable masterpieces, for which we should say a huge thank you!

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

It is impossible to collect all the outstanding creations in one selection, but we tried to select the most famous paintings, drawing giant 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 the figures of bear cubs were painted by Savitsky, an excellent animal artist. At the end of the work, Tretyakov ordered Savitsky’s signature to be erased, considering that Shishkin had done much more extensive work.

“Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan November 16, 1581”, Ilya Repin

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

Repin was inspired to create the masterpiece, better known as “Ivan the Terrible Kills His Son,” by Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Antar” symphony, namely its second movement, “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.

"The 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" represents the doubts inherent in to the human spirit, 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 “The Flying Demon” and “The Defeated Demon.”

“Boyaryna Morozova”, Vasily Surikov

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

The film is based on the plot of the Old Believer life “The Tale of Boyarina Morozova”. The understanding of the key image came to the artist when he saw a crow spreading its black wings like a blur on the snowy surface. Later, Surikov spent a long time looking for a prototype for the noblewoman’s face, but could not find anything suitable until one day he met an Old Believer woman with a pale, frantic face in a 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 spent many years painstakingly collecting information about the heroes from myths, legends and traditions, 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 became overgrown with a huge number of symbols. By the red horse, Petrov-Vodkin meant “The Fate of Russia”; after the country joined the First world war he exclaimed: “So that’s why I painted this picture!” However, after the revolution, pro-Soviet art critics interpreted key figure canvases as a “harbinger of revolutionary fires.”

"Trinity", Andrei Rublev

Year of creation: 1411
Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

The icon that laid the foundation for the tradition of Russian icon painting in 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 Russian marine painter, who without hesitation can be considered one of the most famous artists in the world. We can see how the sailors who miraculously survived the storm cling to the mast in anticipation of meeting the “ninth wave,” the mythical apogee of all storms. But the warm shades dominating 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 largest cities Italy, where it caused a real sensation - the painter was compared to Michelangelo, Titian, Raphael... At home, the masterpiece was greeted with no less enthusiasm, securing the nickname “Charle the Great” for Bryullov. 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 of Leonardo da Vinci

"Mona Lisa"

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

Masterpiece Florentine genius, needs no introduction. It is noteworthy that the painting received cult status after the incident of theft from the Louvre in 1911. Two years later, the thief, 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

After five centuries, the fresco with classic plot on the wall of the refectory of the Dominican monastery in Milan is recognized as one of the most mysterious paintings in history. According to Da Vinci's idea, the painting depicts the moment of the Easter meal, when Christ notifies the disciples of imminent betrayal. Great amount hidden symbols gave rise to an equally huge variety of studies, allusions, borrowings and parodies.

"Madonna Litta"

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

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

The most famous paintings of Salvador Dali

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

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

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

Traditional plot, which received a surrealistic outline using arithmetic principles studied by Leonardo da Vinci. The artist put the peculiar magic of the number “12” at the forefront, moving away from the hermeneutic method of interpreting the biblical plot.

The most famous paintings of Pablo Picasso

Year of creation: 1905
Museum: Pushkin Museum, Moscow

The painting became the first sign of the so-called “pink” period in Picasso’s work. Rough texture and simplified style are combined with a sensitive play of lines and colors, the 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 subjected to German bombing in April 1937. Picasso had never been to Guernica, but was stunned by the scale of the disaster, like “the blow of a bull’s horn.” The artist conveyed the horrors of war in abstract form and showed the real face of fascism, veiling it with bizarre geometric shapes.

The most famous paintings of the Renaissance

"Sistine Madonna", Rafael Santi

Years of creation: 1512–1513
Museum: Gallery of Old Masters, 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 almost more famous than the masterpiece itself, due to its wide circulation in mass art.

"Birth of Venus", Sandro Botticelli

Year of creation: 1486
Museum: Uffizi Gallery, Florence

At the heart of the picture - 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 a protective layer of egg yolk, with which Botticelli prudently covered the work.

"The Creation of Adam", Michelangelo Buonarotti

Year of creation: 1511
Museum: Sistine Chapel, Vatican

One of 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 was the first to depict God as a wise, gray-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: State Museum, Amsterdam

The full title of the painting is “Performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Kok and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” Modern name The painting received its attention in the 19th century, when it was found by art critics who, due to the layer of dirt covering the work, decided that the action in the painting was taking place under the cover of the darkness of night.

"The Garden of Earthly Delights", Hieronymus Bosch

Years of creation: 1500–1510
Museum: Prado Museum, Madrid “Black Square”

Malevich wrote “Black Square” for several months; Legend has it 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, covered up 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).

"The Scream", Edvard Munch

Year of creation: 1893
Museum: National Gallery, Oslo

Due to its 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 disasters of the coming century. The deep symbolism of "The Scream" inspired many artists, including Andy Warhol

This painting still causes a lot of controversy. Some art critics believe that the excitement around the painting, painted using the proprietary splashing technique, was created artificially. The canvas was not sold until all the artist’s other works were purchased, and accordingly, the price for a non-figurative masterpiece skyrocketed. “Number Five” was sold for $140 million, becoming the most expensive painting in history.

"Marilyn Diptych", Andy Warhol

Year of creation: 1962
Museum: Tate Gallery, London

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