The world is full creative people and every day hundreds of new paintings appear, new songs are written. Of course, in the world of art, there are some missteps, but there are masterpieces by real masters that are simply breathtaking! We will show you their work today.
Pencil Augmented Reality
Photographer Ben Heine continued working on his project, which is a mixture pencil drawings and photographs. First, he makes a freehand sketch with a pencil on paper. Then he photographs the drawing against the background of a real object and refines the resulting image in Photoshop, adding contrast and saturation. The result is magic!
Illustrations by Alisa Makarova
Alisa Makarova is a talented artist from St. Petersburg. In an age when most images are created using a computer, our compatriot’s interest in traditional forms painting commands respect. One of her latest projects is the triptych “Vulpes Vulpes”, in which you can see charming fiery red foxes. Beauty, and that's all!
Fine engraving
Wood artists Paul Rodin and Valeria Lu have announced the creation of a new engraving called “The Moth”. Painstaking work and the exquisite craftsmanship of the authors do not leave even the most stubborn skeptics indifferent. The print will be featured at an upcoming exhibition in Brooklyn on November 7th.
Ballpoint pen drawings
Probably everyone, at least once during lectures, instead of writing down the teacher’s words, drew various figures in a notebook. It is unknown whether the artist Sarah Esteje was one of these students. But the fact that her ballpoint pen drawings are impressive is an indisputable fact! Sarah simply proved that you don't need any special materials to create something truly interesting.
Surreal worlds of Artem Chebokha
Russian artist Artem Chebokha creates incredible worlds, where there is only sea, sky and endless harmony. For his new works, the artist chose very poetic images - a wanderer traveling through unknown places and whales circling in cloud-waves - the flight of imagination of this master is simply limitless.
Spot portraits
Some people think about brush stroke technique, others think about the contrast of light and shadow, but the artist Pablo Jurado Ruiz paints with dots! The artist developed the ideas of the pointillism genre, inherent in the authors of the era of neo-impressionism, and created his own own style, where details decide absolutely everything. Thousands of touches to paper result in realistic portraits, which you just want to look at.
Paintings from floppy disks
In an era when many things and technologies become obsolete at the speed of a passing express train, it is quite common to get rid of unnecessary junk. However, as it turned out, not everything is so sad, and from old objects you can even make very modern work art. English artist Nick Gentry collected square floppy disks from friends, took a jar of paint, and painted stunning portraits on them. It turned out very beautiful!
On the verge of realism and surrealism
Berlin artist Harding Meyer loves to paint portraits, but in order not to become another hyperrealist, he decided to experiment and created a series of portraits on the verge of reality and surrealism. These works allow us to look at human face as something more than just a “dry portrait”, highlighting its basis - the image. As a result of such searches, Harding’s work was noticed by the Gallery contemporary art in Munich, which will exhibit the artist’s works on November 7th.
Finger painting on iPad
Many contemporary artists are experimenting with materials to create paintings, but the Japanese Seikou Yamaoka outdid them all by using his iPad as a canvas. He simply installed the ArtStudio application and began not only to draw, but to reproduce the most famous masterpieces art. Moreover, he does this not with some special brushes, but with his finger, which arouses admiration even among people far from the world of art.
"Wood" painting
Using everything from ink to tea, wood artist Mandy Tsung has created truly mesmerizing paintings filled with passion and energy. As the main theme, she chose the mysterious image of a woman and her position in the modern world.
Hyperrealist
Every time you find the work of hyperrealist artists, you involuntarily ask yourself the question: “Why are they doing all this?” Each of them has their own answer to this and sometimes quite contradictory philosophy. But artist Dino Tomic says it bluntly: “I just love my family very much.” He painted day and night and tried not to miss a single detail from the portrait of his relatives. One such drawing took him at least 70 hours of work. To say that the parents were delighted is to say nothing.
Portraits of soldiers
October 18 at London gallery Opera Gallery has launched an exhibition of works by Joe Black entitled “Ways of Seeing”. To create his paintings, the artist used not only paints, but also the most unusual materials - bolts, breast badges and much more. However, the main material was....toy soldiers! The most interesting exhibits The exhibition includes portraits of Barack Obama, Margaret Thatcher and Mao Zedong.
Sensual oil portraits
Korean artist Lee Rim was not so famous a couple of days ago, but her new paintings “Girls in Paint” caused a wide response and resonance in the art world. Lee says: " The main topic my work is human emotions and psychological condition. Even though we live in different environments, at a certain point in time we feel the same when we look at an object." Perhaps this is why, looking at her work, I want to understand this girl and get into her thoughts.
Art can not only inspire, but also charm and even frighten. When creating unusual artists, they embody the most hidden images, and sometimes they turn out to be very strange. However, such creations almost always have many fans.
What are the most unusual pictures of the world, who creates them and what can they tell about?
"The hands resist him"
This creepy picture begins its history in 1972. It was then from California that I found it in my archives old photograph. It depicted children: Bill himself and his sister, who died at the age of four. The artist was surprised that the photograph was taken in the house that the family acquired after the girl’s death. A mystical incident inspired Bill to create this unusual painting.
When the canvas was presented to the art critic, he soon died. It is difficult to say whether this can be called a coincidence, because the actor John Marley, who bought the painting, soon died. The canvas was lost and then found in a landfill. The little daughter of the new owners of the painting immediately began to notice something strange - she insisted that the painted children were fighting or coming to the door to her room. The father of the family placed a camera in the room with the painting that should have responded to movement, and it worked, but every time there was only noise on the film. When the painting was put up for online auction at the beginning of the new millennium, users began to complain about bad feeling after watching it. Nevertheless, they bought it. Kim Smith, the owner of a small art gallery, decided to purchase something unusual as an exhibit.
The story of the painting does not end - the evil emanating from it is now noted by visitors to the exhibition.
"Crying Boy"
Mentioning unusual paintings famous artists, we can’t help but mention this one. The whole world knows about the “cursed” painting called “The Crying Boy”. To create it, he used his own son as a model. The boy could not cry just like that, and his father deliberately upset him by scaring him with lit matches. One day a child shouted to his father: “Burn yourself!”, and the curse turned out to be effective - the baby soon died of pneumonia, and his father burned alive in the house. Attention to the painting was drawn in 1985, when fires began to occur throughout Northern England. IN residential buildings people died, and only a simple reproduction of a crying child remained intact. Notoriety still haunts the painting now - many simply do not risk hanging it in their homes. Even more unusual is that the whereabouts of the original remain unknown.
"Scream"
Unusual paintings constantly attract public attention and even provoke attempts to repeat the masterpiece. One of these paintings, which became iconic in modern culture, is Munch's "The Scream". This is a mysterious, mystical image, which to some seems like the fantasy of a mentally ill person, to others - a prediction environmental disaster, and for some, a completely absurd portrait of a mummy. One way or another, the atmosphere of the canvas attracts you and does not allow you to remain indifferent. Unusual paintings are often full of details, and “Scream,” on the contrary, is emphatically simple - it uses two main shades, and the depiction of the appearance of the central character is simplified to the point of primitivism. But it is precisely this deformed world that makes the work especially attractive.
Its history is also unusual - the work was stolen more than once. Nevertheless, it has been preserved and remains in the museum, inspiring filmmakers to create emotional films, and artists to search for scenes no less expressive than this one.
"Guernica"
Picasso painted some very unusual paintings, but one of them is especially memorable. The expressive “Guernica” was created as a personal protest against Nazi actions in the city of the same name. It is full of the artist’s personal experiences. Each element of the picture is full of deep symbolism: the figures are running away from the fire, a bull is trampling a warrior whose pose resembles a crucifix, at his feet are crushed flowers and a dove, a skull and a broken sword. in the style of a newspaper illustration is impressive and has a strong impact on the viewer’s emotions.
"Mona Lisa"
Creating unusual paintings with his own hands, Leonardo da Vinci preserved given name in eternity. His paintings have not been forgotten for the sixth century. The most important of them is “La Gioconda”, or “Mona Lisa”. Surprisingly, in the diaries of the genius there are no records of work on this portrait. No less unusual is the number of versions about who is depicted there. Some think it's perfect female image or the artist’s mother, some see him as a self-portrait, while others see him as a student of da Vinci. According to the “official” opinion, Mona Lisa was the wife of a Florentine merchant. Whatever the reality, the portrait is truly unusual. A barely noticeable smile curves the girl’s lips, and her eyes are stunning - it seems as if this picture is looking at the world, and not the audience peering into it. Like many other unusual paintings of the world, “La Gioconda” was made using a special technique: the thinnest layers of paint with the smallest strokes, so elusive that neither a microscope nor an X-ray can identify traces of the artist’s work. It seems that the girl in the picture is alive, and the light smoky light that surrounds her is real.
"The Temptation of Saint Anthony"
Of course, the most unusual pictures of the world cannot be studied without familiarizing yourself with the work of Salvador Dali. Associated with his amazing work “The Temptation of St. Anthony” next story. At the time of its creation, there was a competition to choose an actor for the film adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s “Belarus Ami.” The winner was supposed to create the image of a tempted saint. What was happening inspired the artist with a theme that was also used by his favorite masters, for example, Bosch. He created a triptych on this topic. Similar work Cezanne also depicted it. The unusual thing is that Saint Anthony is not just a righteous man who saw a sinful vision. This is a desperate figure of a man, faced with sins in the form of animals on thin spider legs - if he succumbs to temptation, the legs of the spiders will break and destroy him under them.
"The night Watch"
Unusual paintings by artists often disappear or end up at the center of mystical events. Nothing like this happened with Rembrandt’s “Night Watch,” but there are still many mysteries associated with the canvas.
The plot is obvious only at first glance - the militia is going on a campaign, taking weapons with them, each hero is full of patriotism and emotions, everyone has individuality and character. And questions immediately arise. Who is this little girl who looks like a bright angel in the military crowd? A symbolic mascot for the squad or a way to balance the composition? But that’s not even important. Previously, the size of the painting was different - the customers did not like it, and they cut the canvas. It was placed in a hall for feasts and meetings, where the canvas was covered with soot for decades. It is now impossible to know what some of the colors were. Even the most thorough restoration cannot remove the soot from tallow candles, so the viewer can only guess about some details.
Fortunately, the masterpiece is now safe. And at least him modern look carefully guarded. A separate room is dedicated to it, something that not all famous unusual paintings can boast of.
"Sunflowers"
The list, which includes the most famous unusual paintings of the world, is completed by Van Gogh. His works are filled with deep emotionality and hide behind them the tragic story of a genius unrecognized during his lifetime. One of the most memorable paintings is the canvas “Sunflowers”, which concentrates the artist’s characteristic shades and strokes.
But that’s not the only reason it’s interesting. The fact is that the painting is constantly copied, and the number of copies successfully sold exceeds those that other unusual paintings can boast of. At the same time, despite such popularity, the picture still remains unique. And no one really succeeded except Van Gogh.
There are works of art that seem to hit the viewer over the head, stunning and amazing. Others draw you into thought and a search for layers of meaning and secret symbolism. Some paintings are shrouded in secrets and mystical mysteries, while others surprise with exorbitant prices.
We carefully reviewed all the main achievements in world painting and selected two dozen of the strangest paintings from them. Salvador Dali, whose works completely fall within the format of this material and are the first to come to mind, were not included in this collection on purpose.
It is clear that “weirdness” is a rather subjective concept and everyone has their own amazing paintings, standing out from other works of art. We will be glad if you share them in the comments and tell us a little about them.
"Scream"
Edvard Munch. 1893, cardboard, oil, tempera, pastel.
National Gallery, Oslo.
The Scream is considered a landmark expressionist event and one of the most famous paintings in the world.
There are two interpretations of what is depicted: it is the hero himself who is gripped by horror and silently screams, pressing his hands to his ears; or the hero closes his ears from the cry of the world and nature sounding around him. Munch wrote four versions of “The Scream,” and there is a version that this painting is the fruit of manic-depressive psychosis from which the artist suffered. After a course of treatment at the clinic, Munch did not return to work on the canvas.
“I was walking along the path with two friends. The sun was setting - suddenly the sky turned blood red, I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned against the fence - I looked at the blood and flames over the bluish-black fjord and city. My friends moved on, and I stood, trembling with excitement, feeling an endless scream piercing nature,” Edvard Munch said about the history of the creation of the painting.
“Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?"
Paul Gauguin. 1897-1898, oil on canvas.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
According to Gauguin himself, the painting should be read from right to left - three main groups of figures illustrate the questions posed in the title.
Three women with a child represent the beginning of life; middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, according to the artist’s plan, “ old woman, approaching death, seems reconciled and given over to her thoughts”, at her feet “a strange white bird... represents the futility of words.”
The deeply philosophical painting of the post-impressionist Paul Gauguin was painted by him in Tahiti, where he fled from Paris. Upon completion of the work, he even wanted to commit suicide: “I believe that this painting is superior to all my previous ones and that I will never create something better or even similar.” He lived another five years, and so it happened.
"Guernica"
Pablo Picasso. 1937, oil on canvas.
Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid.
Guernica presents scenes of death, violence, brutality, suffering and helplessness, without specifying their immediate causes, but they are obvious. It is said that in 1940, Pablo Picasso was summoned to the Gestapo in Paris. The conversation immediately turned to the painting. “Did you do this?” - “No, you did it.”
The huge fresco painting “Guernica,” painted by Picasso in 1937, tells the story of a raid by a Luftwaffe volunteer unit on the city of Guernica, as a result of which the city of six thousand was completely destroyed. The painting was painted literally in a month - the first days of work on the painting, Picasso worked for 10-12 hours, and already in the first sketches one could see the main idea. This is one of the best illustrations of the nightmare of fascism, as well as human cruelty and grief.
"Portrait of the Arnolfini couple"
Jan van Eyck. 1434, wood, oil.
London National Gallery, London.
The famous painting is completely filled with symbols, allegories and various references - right down to the signature “Jan van Eyck was here”, which turned the painting not just into a work of art, but into a historical document confirming the reality of the event at which the artist was present.
The portrait supposedly of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife is one of the most complex works of the Western school of painting Northern Renaissance.
In Russia, in the last few years, the painting has gained great popularity due to Arnolfini’s portrait resemblance to Vladimir Putin.
"Demon Seated"
Mikhail Vrubel. 1890, oil on canvas.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
"The hands resist him"
Bill Stoneham. 1972.
This work, of course, cannot be ranked among the masterpieces of world painting, but the fact that it is strange is a fact.
There are legends surrounding the painting with a boy, a doll and his hands pressed against the glass. From “people are dying because of this picture” to “the children in it are alive.” The picture looks really creepy, which gives rise to a lot of fears and speculation among people with weak psyches.
The artist assured that the picture depicts himself at the age of five, that the door is a representation of the dividing line between real world and the world of dreams, and the doll is a guide who can guide the boy through this world. The hands represent alternative lives or possibilities.
The painting gained notoriety in February 2000 when it was put up for sale on eBay with a backstory saying that the painting was “haunted.” “Hands Resist Him” was bought for $1,025 by Kim Smith, who was then simply inundated with letters from creepy stories and demands to burn the painting.
Artists are imaginative and try to create unusual paintings, adding uniqueness and diversity to them. Some paintings enchant and inspire, while others frighten with the images depicted.
Venus with a mirror
The canvas was painted by Diego Velazquez during a trip to Italy. This was done secretly, since in Spain at that time depicting a nude figure was strictly prohibited.
There are many unpleasant stories associated with the work. The first owner was a merchant from Spain, who suddenly went bankrupt after purchasing the masterpiece. At first, trade began to go worse, and then more serious troubles occurred - goods were captured by pirates, ships sank. The merchant began to sell his property to recoup his losses and sold the painting. “Venus with a Mirror” was purchased by another person who was also involved in trade. Almost immediately, his warehouses burned down from a lightning strike. He also sold the canvas.
The third owner was stabbed to death in his own home three days later. After, for a long time no one wanted to buy Venus with a Mirror. The painting was passed from one museum to another until one crazy woman named Mary Richardson vandalized it and cut it up with a meat cleaver. The canvas was restored and returned to the London National Gallery, where it remains to this day.
Scream
Edvard Munch, the author of the work, had manic-depressive psychosis. He often suffered from depressive disorders and was tormented by nightmares at night. On Munch's canvas there is a mystical image of a hairless creature with an open mouth.
Most critics argue that Edward depicted himself on the canvas. But the artist says something completely different─ that this is just a “cry of nature.” He was walking with friends and saw a sunset, which inspired him to paint a strange picture.
If you believe the legend, then everyone who came into contact with “Scream” suffered in one way or another. One museum employee was involved in an accident, and another committed suicide.
Rain Woman
One of the most unusual paintings in the world was painted by Vinnitsa artist Svetlana Taurus at the end of the 90s of the last century. Before her, she was unknown to anyone. A few months before Tilets began her creation, she began to have visions. Sometimes Svetlana felt that she was being watched from the side. Despite the fact that the artist tried to drive away disturbing thoughts, they appeared again. After some time, Taurus had the idea to paint a portrait of a mysterious woman. She set to work, her hand guided by some invisible force. The portrait was ready in record time - in just five hours.
Months later, rumors began to circulate in the city that there was a curse hanging over the painting. All the customers rushed to return it to the art store, without even taking their money back. Each of them claimed that the canvas comes to life at night. People began to suffer from headaches and other ailments and could not sleep.
“Rain Woman”─ very atmospheric and impressive picture. It perfectly combines the background, perspective and proportions. Perhaps it is this fact that has such an impact on emotional condition owners.
Last Supper
The canvas shows an image of the last Easter feast of Jesus Christ and his disciples-apostles. It is believed that Christ is talking about the future betrayal of one of his close associates. The artist tried to depict the reaction of each student to the spoken phrase. The very name of the painting already speaks of its sacred meaning. There really are hidden symbols and messages in the work.
The Duke of Milan asked for the work to be made to order. It is known that da Vinci was looking for models for his work for a long time. The image of Christ was especially difficult. In the end, he copied him from a young singer from church choir, which seemed to him the personification of purity and spirituality. The most amazing thing is that three years later, Leonardo found a drunkard in a ditch and drew the image of Judas from him. As it turned out, it was still the same singer. " Last Supper"was completely completed in 1498.
During World War II, the church where the work was located was hit by a shell. The building was completely destroyed, but the wall with the fresco miraculously survived.
Metamorphoses of Narcissus
One of the strangest paintings by Salvador Dali was painted in 1937. This is a beautiful and symbolic work, for which Dali used special paints and brushes. Also, the artist tried new technology applying strokes.
The painting shows a guy admiring his beauty. In the foreground he is sitting by a pond and admiring his reflection, next to him is an image of a stone hand with an egg. The latter is a symbol of rebirth and new life.
Now "Metamorphoses of Narcissus" is in London at the Tate Gallery.
Kiss
The masterpiece was written Austrian artist Gustav Klimt using real gold leaf. He worked on its creation for a year. The canvas depicts two lovers embracing in a flower meadow. There is nothing and no one around, only a golden background.
One version says that the painting was commissioned by a certain count. He wanted to be photographed with his beloved. When the girl saw the painting, she liked it so much that she immediately agreed to become the count’s wife. According to the second version, “The Kiss” features an image of Gustav himself and his beloved woman Emilia.
Dance
The painting was painted by Henri Matisse using only three colors - green, blue and red. It depicts only people frozen in dance and nature. There are no unnecessary details. The canvas seems to be alive and transmits vibrations very well.
The dance is distinguished by its nobility and captivates with its naturalness. The artist's idea was to capture that moment when a person unites with nature and is filled with ecstasy.
Water lilies
The landscape is the creation of the talented impressionist of his time, Claude Monet. When he finished working on his work, he decided to celebrate this event with his friends. A small fire occurred in the artist's studio, which was immediately extinguished. No one attached any importance to the incident, but it turned out that the masterpiece carried an invisible fiery phantom.
“Water Lilies” were hung in a restaurant located in Montmartre. Surprisingly, the establishment burned down in just one night. But the painting miraculously survived. It was later purchased by philanthropist Oskar Schmitz. A year after the purchase, his house also burned down. Moreover, the fire started in the office with the canvas. And again, the masterpiece remained safe and sound. The next victim of the landscape is the New York Museum of Modern Art. "Water lilies" were transported into it, and a few months later there was a fire. The masterpiece was partially charred. After restoration, the landscape no longer exhibited “fire hazardous” properties.
There are many more interesting paintings written by the most talented artists. There are many creative people in the world who constantly invent and create new and unusual works.
Unusual paintings by artists
5 (100%) 1 votedFine art can give a whole range of emotions. Some paintings make you stare at them for hours, while others literally shock, amaze and explode your worldview. There are such masterpieces that make you think and search secret meaning. Some paintings are shrouded in mystical mysteries, while in others the main thing is their exorbitantly high price.
There are many strange paintings in the history of world painting. In our rating we will deliberately not mention Salvador Dali, who was a master in this genre and whose name first comes to mind. And although the very concept of strangeness is subjective, we can highlight those famous works, which clearly stand out from the general series.
Edvard Munch "The Scream". The work, measuring 91x73.5 cm, was created in 1893. Munch painted it in oils, pastels and tempera; today the painting is kept in the Oslo National Gallery. The artist’s creation has become iconic for impressionism; it is generally one of the most famous paintings in the world today. Munch himself told the story of its creation: “I was walking along a path with two friends. At that time the sun was setting. Suddenly the sky turned blood red, I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned against the fence. I looked at the blood and flames above the bluish - the black fiord and the city. My friends moved on, but I still stood, trembling with excitement, feeling the endless scream piercing nature." There are two versions of interpretation of the meaning drawn. We can assume that the depicted character is gripped by horror and silently screams with his hands to his ears. Another version says that the man covered his ears from the screaming around him. In total, Munch created as many as 4 versions of The Scream. Some experts believe that this painting is a classic manifestation of the manic-depressive psychosis from which the artist suffered. When Munch was treated at the clinic, he never returned to this painting.
Paul Gauguin "Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" In the Boston Museum of Fine Arts you can find this impressionist work measuring 139.1 x 374.6 cm. It was painted in oil on canvas in 1897-1898. This profound work was written by Gauguin in Tahiti, where he retired from the bustle Parisian life. The painting became so important for the artist that after its completion he even wanted to commit suicide. Gauguin believed that it was head and shoulders above everything he had created before. The artist believed that he would not be able to create something better or similar; he simply had nothing else to strive for. Gauguin lived for another 5 years, proving the truth of his judgments. He himself said that he main picture must be viewed from right to left. There are three main groups of figures on it, which personify the issues with which the canvas is titled. Three women with a child show the beginning of life, in the middle the people symbolize maturity, and old age is represented by an elderly woman who is waiting for her death. It seems that she has come to terms with this and is thinking about something of her own. At her feet is a white bird, symbolizing the meaninglessness of words.
Pablo Picasso "Guernica". Picasso's creation is kept in Madrid Museum Queen Sofia. Big picture measuring 349 by 776 cm, painted in oil on canvas. This fresco painting was created in 1937. The film tells about the raid of fascist volunteer pilots on the city of Guernica. As a result of those events, a city with a population of 6 thousand people was completely wiped off the face of the earth. The artist created this painting in literally a month. In the first days, Picasso worked for 10-12 hours, in his very first sketches one could already see main idea. As a result, the picture became one of the best illustrations of all the horrors of fascism, cruelty and human grief. In Guernica one can see a scene of atrocity, violence, death, suffering and helplessness. Although the reasons for this are not explicitly stated, they are clear from history. They say that in 1940 Pablo Picasso was even summoned to the Gestapo in Paris. He was immediately asked: “Did you do it?” To which the artist replied: “No, you did it.”
Jan van Eyck "Portrait of the Arnolfini couple." This painting was painted in 1434 in oil on wood. The dimensions of the masterpiece are 81.8x59.7 cm, and it is stored in the London National Gallery. Presumably the painting depicts Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini together with his wife. The work is one of the most complex in the Western school of painting during the Northern Renaissance. In this famous painting a huge number of symbols, allegories and various clues. Just look at the artist’s signature “Jan van Eyck was here.” As a result, the painting is not just a work of art, but a real historical document. After all, it depicts real event, which van Eyck captured. This picture in Lately has become very popular in Russia, because Arnolfini’s resemblance to Vladimir Putin is noticeable to the naked eye.
Mikhail Vrubel "The Seated Demon". The Tretyakov Gallery houses this masterpiece by Mikhail Vrubel, painted in oils in 1890. The canvas dimensions are 114x211 cm. The demon depicted here is surprising. He appears as a sad young man with long hair. This is not how people usually picture evil spirits. Vrubel himself said about his most famous painting that in his understanding the demon is not so much an evil spirit as a suffering one. At the same time, one cannot deny him authority and majesty. Vrubel's demon is an image, first of all, of the human spirit, the constant struggle with oneself and doubt that reigns within us. This creature, surrounded by flowers, tragically clasped its hands, its huge eyes sadly looking into the distance. The entire composition expresses the constraint of the demon figure. He seems to be sandwiched in this image between the top and bottom of the picture frame.
Vasily Vereshchagin "Apotheosis of War". The picture was painted in 1871, but in it the author seemed to foresee the horrors of future World Wars. The canvas measuring 127x197 cm is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. Vereshchagin is considered one of the best battle painters in Russian painting. However, he did not write wars and battles because he loved them. Artist means visual arts tried to convey to people his negative attitude towards the war. Once Vereshchagin even promised not to paint battle paintings anymore. After all, the artist took the grief of every wounded and killed soldier too close to his heart. The result of such a heartfelt attitude to this topic was “The Apotheosis of War.” A scary and bewitching picture depicts a mountain of human skulls on a field with crows around. Vereshchagin created an emotional canvas; behind each skull in a huge pile one can trace the history and fate of individuals and people close to them. The artist himself sarcastically called this painting a still life, because it depicts dead nature. All the details of “Apotheosis of War” scream about death and emptiness, this can be seen even in the yellow background of the earth. And the blue of the sky only emphasizes death. The idea of the horrors of war is emphasized by bullet holes and saber marks on the skulls.
Grant Wood "American Gothic" This small painting measures 74 by 62 cm. It was created in 1930 and is now kept at the Art Institute of Chicago. The picture is one of the most famous examples American art last century. Already in our time, the name of “American Gothic” is often mentioned in the media. The painting depicts a rather gloomy father and his daughter. Numerous details tell of the severity, puritanism and ossification of these people. They have dissatisfied faces, there are aggressive pitchforks in the middle of the picture, and the couple's clothes are old-fashioned even by the standards of the time. Even the seam on a farmer's clothing follows the shape of a pitchfork, doubling the threat to those who would encroach on his way of life. The details of the picture can be studied endlessly, physically feeling discomfort. It is interesting that at one time, at a competition at the Art Institute of Chicago, the picture was accepted by the judges as humorous. But the residents of Iowa were offended by the artist for showing them in such an unsightly angle. The model for the woman was Wood's sister, but the prototype for the angry man was the painter's dentist.
Rene Magritte "Lovers". The painting was painted in 1928 in oil on canvas. In this case, there are two options. In one of them, a man and a woman are kissing, only their heads are wrapped in white cloth. In another version of the painting, the lovers look at the viewer. What is drawn both surprises and fascinates. Figures without faces symbolize the blindness of love. It is known that lovers do not see anyone around, but we cannot discern their true feelings. Even for each other, these people, blinded by feeling, are actually a mystery. And although the main message of the picture seems clear, “Lovers” still makes you look at them and think about love. In general, almost all of Magritte’s paintings are puzzles, which are completely impossible to solve. After all, these paintings raise the main questions about the meaning of our lives. In them, the artist talks about the illusory nature of what we see, about the fact that there are many mysterious things around us that we try not to notice.
Marc Chagall "Walk". The painting was painted in oil on canvas in 1917, and is now kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery. In his works, Marc Chagall is usually serious, but here he allowed himself to show his feelings. The painting expresses the artist’s personal happiness; it is full of love and allegories. His “Walk” is a self-portrait, where Chagall depicted his wife Bella next to him. His chosen one is soaring in the sky, she is about to drag the artist there, who has almost already left the ground, touching it only with the tips of his shoes. In the other hand of the man is a tit. We can say that this is how Chagall depicted his happiness. He has a pie in the sky in the form of his beloved woman, and a bird in his hands, by which he meant his creativity.
Hieronymus Bosch "The Garden of Earthly Delights". This canvas measuring 389x220 cm is kept in the Spanish Museum of Law. Bosch painted the oil painting on wood between 1500 and 1510. This is Bosch's most famous triptych, although the painting has three parts, it is named after the central one, dedicated to voluptuousness. There is constant debate about the meaning of the strange painting; there is no interpretation of it that would be recognized as the only correct one. Interest in the triptych arises due to the many small parts, which express the main idea. There are translucent figures, unusual structures, monsters, nightmares and visions come true, and hellish variations of reality. The artist was able to look at all this with a sharp and searching gaze, managing to combine dissimilar elements into a single canvas. Some researchers tried to see in the picture a reflection human life, which the author showed to be futile. Others found images of love, others discovered the triumph of voluptuousness. However, it is doubtful that the author was trying to glorify carnal pleasures. After all, the human figures are depicted with cold detachment and simplicity. And the church authorities reacted quite favorably to this painting by Bosch.
Gustav Klimt "The Three Ages of Woman". This painting is located in the Rome National Gallery of Modern Art. The square canvas, 180 cm wide, was painted in oil on canvas in 1905. This painting expresses both joy and sadness at the same time. The artist was able to show the whole life of a woman in three figures. The first one, still a child, is extremely carefree. A mature woman expresses peace, while the last age symbolizes despair. Wherein average age organically woven into the life ornament, and the old one stands out noticeably against its background. The clear contrast between the young woman and the older one is symbolic. If the flourishing of life is accompanied by numerous possibilities and changes, then the last phase is an ingrained constancy and conflict with reality. Such a picture attracts attention and makes you think about the artist’s intention and its depth. It contains all of life with its inevitability and metamorphoses.
Egon Schiele "Family". This canvas measuring 152.5x162.5 cm was painted in oil in 1918. Nowadays it is kept in the Vienna Belvedere. Schiele’s teacher was Klimt himself, but the student did not try to diligently copy him, looking for his own methods of expression. We can safely say that Schiele’s works are even more tragic, frightening and strange than Klimt’s. Some elements today would be called pornographic, there are many different perversions, naturalism is present in all its beauty. At the same time, the paintings are literally permeated with some kind of aching despair. The pinnacle of Schiele's and his own creativity last picture is "Family". In this painting, despair is brought to the maximum, while the work itself turned out to be the least strange for the author. After Schiele's pregnant wife died of the Spanish flu, and shortly before his death, this masterpiece was created. Only 3 days passed between the two deaths; they were enough for the artist to depict himself with his wife and his born child. At that time, Shila was only 28 years old.
Frida Kahlo "Two Fridas". The picture was born in 1939. Mexican artist Frida Kahlo became famous after the release of a film about her with Salma Hayek in leading role. The artist’s work was based on her self-portraits. She herself explained this fact as follows: “I write myself because I spend a lot of time alone and because I am the topic that I know best.” It is interesting that Frida does not smile in any of her paintings. Her face is serious, even somewhat mournful. Fused thick eyebrows and a barely noticeable mustache above compressed lips express maximum seriousness. The ideas of the paintings lie in the figures, background and details of what surrounds Frida. The symbolism of the paintings is based on national traditions Mexico, closely intertwined with old Indian mythology. "Two Fridas" is one of the most best paintings Mexicans. It displays the masculine and feminine having a single circulatory system. Thus, the artist showed the unity and integrity of these two opposites.
Claude Monet "Waterloo Bridge. The effect of fog." In the St. Petersburg Hermitage you can find this painting by Monet. It was painted in oil on canvas in 1899. Upon closer examination of the painting, it appears as a purple spot with thick strokes applied to it. However, moving away from the canvas, the viewer understands all its magic. First, vague semicircles running through the center of the picture become visible, and the outlines of boats appear. And from a distance of a couple of meters you can already see all the elements of the picture that are connected in a logical chain.
Jackson Pollock "Number 5, 1948". Pollock is a classic of the abstract expressionism genre. His most famous picture is by far the most expensive in the world. And the artist painted it in 1948, simply pouring oil paint on fiberboard measuring 240x120 cm on the floor. In 2006, this painting was sold at Sotheby's for $140 million. The previous owner, collector and film producer David Giffen, sold it to Mexican financier David Martinez. Pollock said that he decided to move away from such familiar artist tools as an easel, paints and brushes. His tools were sticks, knives, scoops and flowing paint. He also used a mixture of it with sand or even broken glass. Starting to create. Pollock gives himself up to inspiration without even realizing what he is doing. Only then does the realization of what is perfect come. At the same time, the artist has no fear of destroying the image or changing it inadvertently - the painting begins to live own life. Pollock's task is to help it be born, to come out. But if the master loses contact with his creation, then the result will be chaos and dirt. If successful, the painting will embody pure harmony, ease of receiving and implementing inspiration.
Joan Miró "Man and woman in front of a pile of excrement." This painting is now kept in the artist’s foundation in Spain. It was painted in oil on copper sheet in 1935 in just a week from October 15 to 22. The size of the creation is only 23x32 cm. Despite such a provocative name, the picture speaks of horror civil wars. The author himself, thus, depicted the events of those years taking place in Spain. Miro tried to show a period of anxiety. In the picture you can see a motionless man and woman, who, nevertheless, are drawn to each other. The canvas is saturated with ominous poisonous flowers, together with enlarged genitals it looks deliberately disgusting and disgustingly sexy.
Jacek Yerka "Erosion". In the works of this Polish neo-surrealist, pictures of reality, intertwined, generate new reality. In some ways, even touching paintings are extremely detailed. They contain echoes of the surrealists of the past, from Bosch to Dali. Yerka grew up in an atmosphere of medieval architecture, which miraculously survived the bombings of World War II. He started drawing even before entering university. They tried to change his style to a more modern and less detailed one, but Yerka himself retained his individuality. Today, his unusual paintings are exhibited not only in Poland, but also in Germany, France, Monaco, and the USA. They are in a number of collections around the world.
Bill Stoneham's Hands Resist Him. The painting, painted in 1972, can hardly be called a classic of painting. However, there is no doubt that it is one of the strangest creations of artists. The painting depicts a boy, a doll stands next to him, and numerous palms are pressed against the glass behind him. This painting is strange, mysterious and somewhat mystical. It has already become overgrown with legends. They say that because of this painting someone died, but the children in it are alive. She looks really creepy. It is not surprising that the picture evokes fears and terrible fantasies for people with a sick psyche. Stoneham himself assured that he painted himself at the age of 5 years. The door behind the boy is a barrier between reality and the world of dreams. The doll is a guide that can take a child from one world to another. Hands are alternative lives or human capabilities. The picture became famous in February 2000. It was put up for sale on eBay with claims that it was haunted. As a result, "Hands Resist Him" was purchased for $1,025 by Kim Smith. Soon the buyer was literally inundated with letters from scary stories associated with the painting, and demands to destroy this painting.
