World famous paintings. Masterpieces of world painting

Among Russian artists there are many talented individuals. Their work is highly valued all over the world and is a worthy competitor to such world masters as Rubens, Michelangelo, Van Gogh and Picasso. In this article we have collected 10 of the most famous Russian artists.

1. Ivan Aivazovsky

Ivan Aivazovsky is one of the most famous Russian artists. He was born in Feodosia. From childhood, Aivazovsky showed his incredible Creative skills: He loved to draw and taught himself to play the violin.

At 12 years old young talent began studying in Simferopol at the Academy of Painting. Here he learned to copy engravings and paint pictures from life. A year later, he managed to enter the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy, although he had not yet reached the age of 14.

For a long time, the artist traveled around Europe and lived in Italy, where his paintings were also recognized. So the young artist from Feodosia became a fairly famous and rich man.

Later, Aivazovsky returned to his homeland, where he received the uniform of the Naval Ministry and the title of academician. The artist also visited Egypt and was present at the opening of the new Suez Canal. The artist described all his impressions in paintings. By this time, he had already developed his own unique style and the ability to write from memory. Aivazovsky quickly sketched complex elements in a notebook in order to later transfer them to canvas. His paintings “Odessa”, “The Ninth Wave” and “The Black Sea” brought him worldwide fame.

The artist spent the last years of his life in Feodosia, where he built himself a house in the Italian style. A little later, Aivazovsky added a small gallery to it so that everyone could freely enjoy it. amazing paintings and drown in an ocean of colors. Today, this mansion still serves as a museum and many visitors come here every day to see with their own eyes the skill of the marine painter, who lived a long and happy life.

2. Viktor Vasnetsov

The list of the most famous Russian artists continues with Viktor Vasnetsov. He was born in the spring of 1848 into the family of a priest in the small village of Lopyal. His passion for painting arose at a very early age, but his parents could not give him a proper education due to lack of money. Therefore, at the age of 10, Victor began studying at a free theological seminary.

In 1866, with virtually no money, he left for St. Petersburg. Vasnetsov easily passed the entrance exam and entered the Academy of Arts. This is where his friendship began with famous artist Repin, with whom he later went to Paris. After returning to St. Petersburg, Vasnetsov begins to write his most famous paintings: “Three Heroes”, “Snow Maiden” and “God of Hosts”.

The artist was able to fully reveal his talent only after moving to Moscow. Here he feels cozy and comfortable, and each subsequent picture turns out better than the previous one. It was in Moscow that Vasnetsov painted such paintings as “Alyonushka”, “Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf” and “Nestor the Chronicler”.

3. Karl Bryullov

This famous Russian artist was born in 1799. Karl's father was famous painter and professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. Therefore, the boy’s fate was predetermined in advance. Fortunately, Karl Bryullov managed to inherit the talent of an artist from his father.

Study was a success to a young artist very easy. He was many times superior to the rest of the students in his class and graduated from the Academy of Arts with honors. After this, Karl went to travel around Europe, stopping for a long time only in Italy. It was here that he created his masterpiece, “The Last Day of Pompeii,” spending about six years writing it.

Upon his return to St. Petersburg, fame and glory awaited Karl Bryullov. They were glad to see him everywhere and certainly admired his new paintings. During this period, the artist created several of his immortal canvases: “Horsewoman”, “Siege of Pskov”, “Narcissus” and others.

4. Ivan Shishkin

Ivan Shishkin is one of the most famous Russian landscape artists, who in his paintings could present any inconspicuous landscape in the most favorable light. It seems that nature itself plays on the canvases of this artist with living colors.

Ivan Shishkin was born in 1832 in Elabuga, which today belongs to Tatarstan. The father wanted his son to eventually take the post of city official, but Ivan gravitated towards drawing. At the age of 20, he went to Moscow to study painting. After successfully graduating from the Moscow School of Arts, Shishkin entered the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg.

Later he traveled for a long time throughout Europe, sketching amazing landscapes. At this time, he created the painting “View in the vicinity of Düsseldorf”, which brought him great fame. After returning to Russia, Shishkin continues to create with renewed energy. According to him, Russian nature is several hundred times superior to European landscapes.

Ivan Shishkin painted many stunning paintings during his life: “Morning in pine forest", "First Snow", "Pine Forest" and others. Even death overtook this painter right behind his easel.

5. Isaac Levitan

This great Russian master of landscapes was born in Lithuania, but lived his entire life in Russia. Repeatedly Jewish origin caused him many humiliations, but never forced him to leave this country, which he idolized and praised in his paintings.

Levitan’s first landscapes already received high marks from Perov and Savrasov, and Tretyakov himself even bought his painting “Autumn Day in Sokolniki.” But in 1879, Isaac Levitan, along with all the Jews, was expelled from Moscow. Only through the enormous efforts of friends and teachers does he manage to return to the city.

In the 1880s, the artist painted many stunning paintings that made him very famous. These were “Pines”, “Autumn” and “First Snow”. But further humiliations forced the author to leave Moscow again and go to Crimea. On the peninsula, the artist paints a number of amazing works and significantly improves his financial condition. This allows him to travel around Europe and get acquainted with the work of world masters. The pinnacle of Levitan’s creativity was his painting “Above Eternal Peace.”

6. Vasily Tropinin

The great Russian portrait artist Vasily Tropinin had an amazing fate. He was born into the family of serfs Count Markov in 1780 and only at the age of 47 received the right to be a free man. Even as a child, little Vasily showed a penchant for drawing, but the count sent him to study to become a pastry chef. Later, he is nevertheless sent to the Imperial Academy, where he shows his talent in all its beauty. For his portraits “The Lacemaker” and “The Old Beggar” Vasily Tropinin was awarded the title of academician.

7. Petrov-Vodkin Kuzma

The famous Russian artist Petrov-Vodkin managed to leave behind a rich legacy in world painting. He was born in 1878 in Khvalynsk, and in his early years was going to become a railway worker. However, fate made him a world-famous painter.

8. Alexey Savrasov

The paintings of this Russian artist were already selling well when he was barely 12 years old. A little later he entered Moscow school painting and instantly became one of the best students. A trip to Ukraine helped Savrasov graduate from college ahead of schedule and receive the title of artist.

The paintings “Stone in the Forest” and “Moscow Kremlin” made this painter an academician at the age of 24! Interested in young talent royal family, and Tretyakov himself buys many of his works for international exhibitions. Among them were “Winter”, “The Rooks have Arrived”, “Rasputitsa” and others.

The death of two daughters and the subsequent divorce greatly affect Savrasov. He drinks heavily and soon dies in a hospital for the poor.

9. Andrey Rublev

Andrei Rublev is the most famous Russian icon painter. He was born in the 15th century and left behind great legacy in the form of icons “Trinity”, “Annunciation”, “Baptism of the Lord”. Andrei Rublev, together with Daniil Cherny, decorated many churches with frescoes, and also painted icons for iconostases.

10. Mikhail Vrubel

Our list of the most famous Russian artists is completed by Mikhail Vrubel, who during his life created many masterpieces in various subjects. He was engaged in painting the Kyiv temple, and later in Moscow began creating his own famous row"demonic" paintings. The creative wanderings of this artist did not find proper understanding among his contemporaries. Only several decades after the death of Mikhail Vrubel did art historians give him his due, and the Church agreed with his interpretations of biblical events.

Unfortunately, personal life the artist caused the development of a severe form of mental disorder. The title of academician overtook him in a mental hospital, from which he was never destined to leave. Nevertheless, Mikhail Vrubel managed to create many amazing works of art that are worthy of genuine admiration. Among them, the paintings “Seated Demon”, “The Swan Princess” and “Faust” are especially worth highlighting.

Every year hundreds of paintings go under the hammer into private collections. Collectors spend millions of dollars to expand their private collections. The most famous paintings are not always the most expensive paintings. The most famous paintings of the world belong to the world famous museums, and literally, they are priceless. Let's take a look at different museums around the world and look at these famous works.

"Birth of Venus"

This painting was painted by the great Florentine artist Sandro Botticelli in 1485-1487. It depicts the goddess Venus (in Greek mythology– Aphrodite), emerging from the sea foam. Today this painting is on display in the Uffizi Museum in Florence.

"Water lilies"

Monet lived for 43 years of his life in Giverny (a small place 80 km from Paris). He rented a house from a Norman landowner, and bought the neighboring plot of land on which the pond was located. Subsequently, the artist laid out two gardens on this site, one of which was on the water. Motives water garden occupy a significant place in the artist’s work. Works from this series have scattered to museums around the world, however, a decent group of works is presented in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. One of the most famous paintings in the world.

"The night Watch"

Completed in 1642, at the height of the Dutch Golden Age, The Night Watch is one of the most famous paintings by Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn. The painting shows the performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Kok and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg. The painting is on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

"Scream"

This painting is from a series of works by the Norwegian expressionist artist Edvard Munch. The painting depicts a suffering figure against a blood-red sky. Edvard Munch created several variations of The Scream. The picture presented was painted in 1893 and was in the National Gallery of Norway. However, in 1994 the work was stolen, but a few months later it was found and returned to the museum.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring"

This painting is sometimes called the "Dutch Mona Lisa". "Girl with a Pearl Earring" was painted around 1665 by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer.

« Starlight Night»

"Starry Night" was written Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. Despite the fact that in his entire life the artist sold only one of his works, his field creative activity very rich. "Starry Night" is one of his most famous works. It shows the village of Saint-Rémy. Since 1941 the painting has been in the museum contemporary art in NYC.

"Mona Lisa"

The most famous painting in the world is still considered the “Mona Lisa,” which was painted by Leonardo da Vinci during the Renaissance in Florence. He began painting this masterpiece in 1503 (1504) and completed it shortly before his death in 1519. In 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggio, an Italian patriot who believed that the Mona Lisa should be returned to Italy. After storing the painting for 2 years at his home, Peruggio was caught trying to sell the painting to the director of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Today, the Mona Lisa hangs again in the Louvre in Paris, where 6 million people see the painting every year.

“Every portrait painted with feeling is, in essence, a portrait of the artist, and not of the person who posed for him.” Oscar Wilde

What does it take to be an artist? A simple imitation of a work cannot be considered art. Art is something that comes from within. The author's idea, passion, search, desires and sorrows, which are embodied on the artist's canvas. Throughout the history of mankind, hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions of paintings have been painted. Some of them are truly masterpieces, known all over the world, even people who have nothing to do with art know them. Is it possible to identify the 25 most outstanding among such paintings? The task is very difficult, but we tried...

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"The Persistence of Memory", Salvador Dali

Thanks to this painting, Dali became famous at a fairly young age, he was 28 years old. The painting has several other names - “ Soft watch", "Memory hardness". This masterpiece has attracted the attention of many art critics. Basically, they were interested in the interpretation of the painting. It is said that the idea behind Dali's painting is related to Einstein's theory of relativity.

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"Dance", Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse was not always an artist. He discovered his love for painting after receiving a law degree in Paris. He studied art so zealously that he became one of greatest artists in the world. This painting has very little negative criticism from art critics. It reflects a combination of pagan rituals, dance and music. People dance in a trance. Three colors - green, blue and red, symbolize Earth, Sky and Humanity.

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"The Kiss", Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt was often criticized for the nudity in his paintings. "The Kiss" was noticed by critics as it merged all forms of art. The painting could be a depiction of the artist himself and his lover, Emilia. Klimt painted this painting under the influence of Byzantine mosaics. The Byzantines used gold in their paintings. In the same way, Gustav Klimt mixed gold in his paints to create his own style painting.

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"Sleeping Gypsy", Henri Rousseau

No one except Rousseau himself could describe this picture better. Here is his description - “a nomadic gypsy who sings her songs to the accompaniment of a mandolin, sleeps on the ground from fatigue, her jug ​​of drinking water lies nearby. A lion passing by came up to sniff her, but did not touch her. Everything is bathed in moonlight, a very poetic atmosphere.” It is noteworthy that Henri Rousseau is self-taught.

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"The Last Judgment", Hieronymus Bosch

Without unnecessary words- the picture is simply magnificent. This triptych is the largest surviving painting by Bosch. The left wing shows the story of Adam and Eve. The central part is " doomsday"from Jesus' side - who should go to heaven and who should go to hell. The earth we see here is burning. The right wing depicts a disgusting image of hell.

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Everyone is familiar with Narcissus from Greek mythology - a man who was obsessed with his appearance. Dali wrote his own interpretation of Narcissus.

This is the story. The beautiful young man Narcissus easily broke the hearts of many girls. The gods intervened and, to punish him, showed him his reflection in the water. The narcissist fell in love with himself and eventually died because he was never able to embrace himself. Then the Gods regretted doing this to him and decided to immortalize him in the form of a narcissus flower.

On the left side of the picture is Narcissus looking at his reflection. After which he fell in love with himself. The right panel shows the events that unfolded after, including the resulting flower, the daffodil.

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The plot of the film is based on the biblical massacre of the infants in Bethlehem. After the birth of Christ became known from the wise men, King Herod ordered the killing of all small male children and infants in Bethlehem. In the picture, the massacre is at its peak, the last few children, who were taken from their mothers, await their merciless death. Also visible are the corpses of children, for whom everything is already behind them.

Thanks to his use of rich colors, Rubens's painting has become a world-famous masterpiece.

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Pollock's work is very different from other artists. He placed his canvas on the ground and moved around and around the canvas, dripping paint from above onto the canvas using sticks, brushes and syringes. Thanks to this unique technology in artistic circles he was nicknamed "Jack the Sprinkler". For some time, this painting held the title of the most expensive painting in the world.

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Also known as "Dancing at Le Moulin de la Galette". This painting is considered one of Renoir's most joyful paintings. The idea behind the film is to show the audience the fun side Parisian life. Upon closer examination of the painting, you can see that Renoir placed several of his friends on the canvas. Because the painting appears slightly blurred, it was initially criticized by Renoir's contemporaries.

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The plot is taken from the Bible. In the picture " Last Supper"depicts Christ's last supper before his arrest. He had just spoken to his apostles and told them that one of them would betray him. All the apostles are saddened and tell him that it is, of course, not them. It was this moment that Da Vinci beautifully depicted through his vivid depiction. The great Leonardo took four years to complete this painting.

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Monet's "Water Lilies" can be found everywhere. You've probably seen them on wallpaper, posters and art magazine covers. The fact is that Monet was obsessed with lilies. Before he started painting them, he grew countless numbers of these flowers. Monet built a Japanese-style bridge in his garden over a lily pond. He was so pleased with what he had achieved that he drew this plot seventeen times in one year.

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There is something sinister and mysterious in this picture; there is an aura of fear around it. Only such a master as Munch was able to depict fear on paper. Munch made four versions of The Scream in oil and pastel. According to the entries in Munch's diary, it is quite clear that he himself believed in death and spirits. In the painting “The Scream,” he depicted himself at the moment when one day, while walking with friends, he felt fear and excitement, which he wanted to paint.

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The painting, which is usually mentioned as a symbol of motherhood, was not supposed to become one. It is said that Whistler's model, who was supposed to sit for the painting, did not show up, and he decided to paint his mother instead. We can say that this is depicted sad life the artist's mother. This mood is due to the dark colors that are used in this painting.

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Picasso met Dora Maar in Paris. They say that she was intellectually closer to Picasso than all his previous mistresses. Using Cubism, Picasso was able to convey movement in his work. It seems that Maar's face turns to the right, towards Picasso's face. The artist made the woman's presence almost real. Maybe he wanted to feel like she was there, always.

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Van Gogh wrote Starry Night while undergoing treatment, where he was only allowed to paint while his condition improved. Earlier that year, he cut off his left earlobe. Many considered the artist crazy. Of Van Gogh's entire collection of works, Starry Night is the most famous, perhaps due to the unusual spherical light around the stars.

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In this painting, Manet recreated Titian's Venus of Urbino. The artist had a bad reputation for depicting prostitutes. Although gentlemen at that time visited courtesans quite often, they did not think that anyone would take it into their heads to paint them. Back then, it was preferable for artists to paint pictures on historical, mythical or biblical themes. However, Manet, going against the criticism, showed the audience their contemporary.

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This painting is a historical canvas that depicts Napoleon's conquest of Spain.

Having received an order for paintings depicting the struggle of the people of Spain against Napoleon, the artist did not paint heroic and pathetic canvases. He chose the moment when the Spanish rebels were shot by French soldiers. Each of the Spaniards experiences this moment in their own way, some have already resigned themselves, but for others the main battle has just arrived. War, blood and death, that's what Goya actually depicted.

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It is believed that the girl depicted is eldest daughter Vermeer, Maria. Its features are present in many of his works, but they are difficult to compare. A book with the same title was written by Tracy Chevalier. But Tracy has a completely different version of who is depicted in this picture. She claims that she took this topic because there is very little information about Vermeer and his paintings, and this particular painting exudes a mysterious atmosphere. Later, a film was made based on her novel.

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The exact title of the painting is “Performance of the Rifle Company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” The Rifle Society was a civilian militia that was called upon to defend the city. In addition to the militias, Rembrandt added several extra people. Considering that he bought an expensive house while painting this picture, it may well be true that he received a huge fee for The Night's Watch.

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Although the painting contains an image of Velázquez himself, it is not a self-portrait. The main character of the canvas is Infanta Margarita, daughter of King Philip IV. This depicts the moment when Velazquez, working on a portrait of the king and queen, is forced to stop and look at the Infanta Margarita, who has just entered the room with her retinue. The painting looks almost alive, arousing curiosity in the audience.

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This is the only painting by Bruegel that was painted in oil rather than tempera. There are still doubts about the authenticity of the painting, mainly for two reasons. Firstly, he did not paint in oils, and secondly, recent studies have shown that under the layer of painting there is schematic drawing Bad quality, which does not belong to Bruegel.

The painting depicts the story of Icarus and the moment of his fall. According to myth, Icarus' feathers were attached with wax, and because Icarus rose very close to the sun, the wax melted and he fell into the water. This landscape inspired W. Hugh Auden to write his most famous poem on the same topic.

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"The School of Athens" is perhaps the most famous fresco Italian artist Renaissance, Raphael.

On this fresco in Athens school All the great mathematicians, philosophers and scientists have gathered under one roof, they share their theories and learn from each other. All the heroes lived in different time, but Raphael placed them all in one room. Some of the figures are Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras and Ptolemy. A closer look reveals that this painting also contains a self-portrait of Raphael himself. Every artist would like to leave their mark, the only difference is the form. Although maybe he considered himself one of these great figures?

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Michelangelo never considered himself an artist, he always thought of himself more as a sculptor. But, he managed to create an amazing, exquisite fresco that the whole world is in awe of. This masterpiece is on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Michelangelo was commissioned to paint several biblical stories, one of which was the creation of Adam. In this picture the sculptor in Michelangelo is clearly visible. Adam's human body is rendered with incredible precision using vibrant colors and precise muscle forms. So, we can agree with the author, after all, he is more of a sculptor.

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"Mona Lisa", Leonardo da Vinci

Although it is the most studied painting, the Mona Lisa still remains the most mysterious. Leonardo said that he never stopped working on it. Only his death, as they say, completed work on the canvas. "Mona Lisa" is the first Italian portrait in which the model is depicted from the waist up. Mona Lisa's skin appears to glow due to the use of several layers of transparent oils. As a scientist, Leonardo da Vinci used all his knowledge to make the image of Mona Lisa realistic. As for who exactly is depicted in the painting, it still remains a mystery.

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The painting shows Venus, the goddess of love, floating on a shell in the wind, which is blown by Zephyr, the god of the west wind. She is met on the shore by Ora, the goddess of the seasons, who is ready to dress the newborn deity. The model for Venus is considered to be Simonetta Cattaneo de Vespucci. Simonetta Cattaneo died at 22, and Botticelli wished to be buried next to her. He was bound by unrequited love with her. This painting is the most exquisite work of art ever created.

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Conclusion

This was an article TOP 25 most famous paintings in the world. Thank you for your attention!

Every modern man should know what painting is. The masterpieces of world significance that are presented in our article cannot leave anyone indifferent. You can also find out where to find full list paintings that are famous all over the world. Painting plays an important role in everyone's life. Thanks to it, you can form a multifaceted personality.

What is painting? general information

Painting is a type of fine art. Thanks to him, the artist conveys visual images by applying paint to any surface. The emergence of painting in Russia is associated with the development of realism and iconicity. Experts identify five main types of painting:

• easel;
• monumental;
• decorative;
• theatrical and decorative;
• miniature.

For long period At the time, it was believed that the story begins with a Dutch artist named Jan van Eyck, who created his paintings in the 15th century. Many experts call him the creator of oil fine art. This theory is also described in specialized literature. However, this cannot be confirmed. There are several known artists who worked oil paints long before van Eyck.

Great masterpieces of painting allow us to find out how people lived many years ago. Leonardo da Vinci argued that paintings are created by man, nature and time. Painting can be executed on absolutely any basis. She participates in the formation of the artificial and natural environment.

Painting is illusory. Plotinus argued that there is no need to copy nature, it is necessary to learn from it. The development of painting has long gone beyond the understanding of its main tasks of “reproducing reality.” That is why many artists abandon irrelevant methods of self-expression and influence on the viewer. New directions in painting are emerging.

Famous masterpieces of painting and this type of fine art in general can perform the following functions:

• cognitive;
• religious;
• aesthetic;
• philosophical;
• ideological;
• social and educational;
• documentary

Color has the main and most meaningful meaning in painting. It is believed that he is the bearer of the idea.

There is a wide variety:

• portrait;
• scenery;
• marina;
• historical painting;
• battle;
• still life;
• genre painting;
• architectural;
• religious;
• animalistic;
• decorative.

Painting plays a huge role in self-development. Masterpieces of world significance, demonstrated to a child, help shape his personality and teach him to appreciate a particular object of art. Often painting helps alleviate the condition of a patient who has a particular disease. Art therapy not only involves familiarization with types of fine art, but also allows you to try to create a masterpiece yourself.

Leonardo da Vinci, "Mona Lisa"

Some paintings (masterpieces of world painting) contain many secrets and mysteries. It is still difficult to solve them. "Mona Lisa" is a painting painted by Leonardo da Vinci. She is considered one of the most famous works paintings all over the world. Its original is in the Louvre (Paris). There it is considered the main exhibit. This is no coincidence, because most tourists visit the Louvre every day precisely to look at the painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
Today, the Mona Lisa is not in the best condition. That is why the museum’s management announced several years ago that the work of art would no longer be given away to any exhibitions. You can see the portrait only in the Louvre.
The painting became popular after it was stolen by a museum employee in 1911. The search for the stolen masterpiece continued for two years. All this time they wrote about her in magazines and newspapers and featured her on the covers. Gradually, the Mona Lisa became an object of copying and worship.

Paintings (masterpieces of world painting) are actively studied by specialists. "Mona Lisa" was created more than 500 years ago. Scientists say it changes as real woman. Over time, the portrait has faded, yellowed, and in some places there are dark spots. The wooden supports were wrinkled and cracked. It is known that the painting contains 25 secrets.

9 years ago, museum visitors were able to enjoy the original color of the painting for the first time. Unique photographs developed by Pascal Cottet allowed us to see what the masterpiece looked like before it began to fade.

Photographs taken using a unique technology make it possible to find out that after creating the masterpiece, Leonardo changed the position of Gioconda’s hand, her facial expression and smile. It is known that there is a dark spot in the area of ​​the eye in the portrait. Scientists claim that this damage occurred due to the fact that water got into the varnish coating. His education is associated with the fact that the painting hung in Napoleon’s bathroom for some time.

The artist worked on the painting for more than two years. It is included in the list of "500 masterpieces of painting of world significance." There is a theory according to which the portrait does not depict the Mona Lisa at all. The painting received its name based on the words. Scientists of our time claim that this could be a mistake, and the masterpiece depicts a completely different woman. The smile of Gioconda raises the most questions. There are many versions of its interpretation. Some argue that Gioconda is depicted as pregnant and her facial expression is associated with the desire to feel the movement of the fetus, while others believe that the smile betrays the hidden homosexuality of the artist himself. Some experts are sure that the Mona Lisa is a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci.

"The Coronation of Napoleon", Jacques Louis David

Many people are attracted to painting. Masterpieces of world significance often show the viewer an episode of some important historical event. The painting, painted by Jacques Louis David, was commissioned by the Emperor of France, Napoleon I. "The Coronation of Napoleon" shows the events of December 2, 1804. It is known that the customer asked the artist to depict the coronation better than it actually was.

David created a masterpiece inspired by a painting by Rubens. He worked on it for several years. For a long period of time, the painting remained the property of the artist. She ended up in the museum after Jacques Louis David left. His work has produced good impression on many. In 1808, the artist received an order from an American entrepreneur, who asked to create an identical copy.

The painting depicts about 150 characters. It is known that each image is incredibly accurate and realistic. In the left corner of the canvas all the emperor’s relatives are depicted. Behind Napoleon sits his mother. However, she did not attend the coronation. Experts say that, most likely, this was done in connection with the wishes of Napoleon himself. It is known that he treated her very reverently.

In those days, the film enjoyed fantastic success. After Napoleon was overthrown, the painting was kept in reserve for a long period of time and was not exhibited. Nowadays, the picture, just as before, delights many.

Valentin Serov, "Girl with Peaches"

Masterpieces of Russian painting are no less popular. "Girl with Peaches" is a painting painted by Valentin Serov in 1887. Nowadays you can see her live at the State Tretyakov Gallery. The painting depicts 12-year-old Vera Mamontova. She sits at a table on which there is a knife, peaches and leaves. The girl is wearing a pink blouse with a dark blue bow.

The painting by Valentin Serov was painted in the estate of Savva Ivanovich Mamontov in Abramtsevo. In 1871, peach trees were planted on the estate. A specially hired person looked after them. The artist first came to the estate in 1875 with his mother.

In August 1877, 11-year-old Vera Mamontova sat down at the table, picking up a peach. Valentin Serov invited the girl to pose. Vera accepted the artist's offer. She posed every day for almost two months. After the painting was painted, the artist gave it to Elizaveta Mamontova, the girl’s mother. It hung in one of the rooms for a long time. Currently there is a copy there, and the original is located in the museum. In 1888, the author of the painting was awarded with a prize Moscow Society of Art Lovers.

The masterpieces of Russian painting contain a large number of little-known facts. "Girl with Peaches" is no exception. It is known that Vera Mamontova, depicted on canvas, lived only 32 years. The cause of her death was pneumonia. Her husband did not marry after the death of his chosen one. He raised three children on his own.

Special literature

Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to visit museums of world significance. However, many people want to see masterpieces of painting. You can find photos of some of them in our article. It is worth noting that today there is a huge number of printed publications that demonstrate best paintings from all over the world. There you can find both modern and ancient works by various artists. It is worth noting that some editions are produced in limited quantities and are not easy to find.

The magazine "50 Artists. Masterpieces of Russian Painting" is a weekly publication. It will be interesting to readers of absolutely any age. In it you can find photographs of world-famous paintings, the history of their creation and interesting facts about them. The first magazine, which was released six years ago, came with a binder for storing the publications and a reproduction of one of the paintings that could be placed on your desktop or wall. Each issue describes the work of one of the artists. The volume of the magazine is 32 pages. You can find it on the territory Russian Federation or nearby countries. "50 Russian Artists. Masterpieces of Russian Painting" is a magazine that will definitely appeal to connoisseurs of fine art. A complete collection of issues will allow you to study basic information about the most popular artists. The cost of the magazine does not exceed 100 rubles.

“Masterpieces of Russian Painting” is a book authored by L. M. Zhukova. It contains 180 pages. The publication includes 150 high-quality images. The book-album attracts many. This is no coincidence, because it demonstrates a huge number of reproductions. Thanks to them, you can trace how Russian painting was formed. The cost of the book ranges from 700 to 1000 rubles.

"Famous Museums of Italy. Masterpieces of Painting" is a book that was published this year. It presents the best paintings from six museums in Italy. In the publication, the reader can also get acquainted with the history of the creation of museums. The book contains 304 pages.

Those who want to see works of world significance will definitely like the electronic gallery of painting masterpieces. Today there are many resources and applications that present the most famous paintings.

Viktor Vasnetsov, "Bogatyrs"

“Bogatyrs (Three Bogatyrs)” is a painting that was painted by Viktor Vasnetsov in 1898. It is one of the masterpieces of art. Vasnetsov's paintings are known to many. The work "Bogatyrs" is considered a symbol of Russian art. The basis of all Vasnetsov’s work is folklore themes.

Three Russian heroes are depicted. They symbolize the strength and power of the Russian people. Above creation of this work The artist worked in art for about 30 years. The first sketch was made by Vasnetsov in 1871.

One of the heroes depicted in the painting is Ilya Muromets. He is known to us as a character in Russian epics. However, few people know that this hero really existed. Many stories about his exploits are real, and Ilya Muromets himself is a historical figure.

Dobrynya Nikitich, who is also depicted in the painting, according to folk legends was very educated and courageous. There are many things associated with his personality incredible stories. You can often hear stories about his enchanted sword and armor.

Alyosha Popovich differs from the other two heroes in age. He is young and slender. In his hands you can see a bow and arrows. There are many in the picture small parts, which will help to carefully study the character of the characters.

Mikhail Vrubel, "The Seated Demon"

Another well-known painting is “Seated Demon”. Its author is Mikhail Vrubel. It was created in 1890. You can see its original in the Tretyakov Gallery. It is believed that the picture personifies the doubts inherent in man.

Experts believe that the artist was obsessed with the image of a demon, because it is known that he wrote many similar works. There is information that during this period, Vrubel’s acquaintances noticed that the artist was developing a mental disorder. The occurrence of the disease is associated with experienced stress. It is known that Vrubel had a son with a so-called cleft lip. The artist’s relatives noted that due to the emergence mental disorder his thirst for art intensified. However, it was almost impossible to be near him. In the spring of 1902, the disease reached critical point. The artist was placed for treatment in a psychiatric hospital. Despite difficult fate Vrubel, his paintings never cease to attract new fans of his work and art connoisseurs around the world. His works are shown at various exhibitions. “Seated Demon” is one of the artist’s most popular paintings.

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, "Bathing the Red Horse"

Every modern person should know the masterpieces of painting. The photos presented in our article will help you familiarize yourself with them. "Bathing the Red Horse" is a painting painted by the artist in 1912. Its author is Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin. Painting the horse in unusual color, the artist uses the traditions of Russian icon painting. The color red is a symbol of the greatness of life and sacrifice. The indomitable horse symbolizes the incomprehensibility of the Russian spirit. Bright pink color associated with the image of the Garden of Eden.

On November 10, 1912, an exhibition was held in Moscow. Above front door placed the painting by Petrov-Vodkin, believing that it would become a kind of banner. However, this opinion was wrong. The painting was not appreciated by both some visitors to the exhibition and the artists. Controversy surrounded the pioneering work. In 1914, an exhibition was held in Sweden where 10 works by Petrov-Vodkin were presented, including “Bathing the Red Horse.” They were valued at tens of millions of dollars.
The age of the painting is more than 100 years. Today its role in the development of painting is obvious. However, even in our time there are many art connoisseurs who did not like the work of Petrov-Vodkin.

Salvador Dali, "The Persistence of Memory"

Many people are interested in painting. Masterpieces of world art continue to amaze today. All of Salvador Dali's work is paradoxical and difficult to analyze logically. The painting "The Persistence of Memory", painted in 1931, attracted the attention of many critics. Main image The works are most often explained by the complexity and non-linear nature of the time. Salvador Dali's favorite symbols are collected in one painting. The sea symbolizes immortality, the egg symbolizes life, and the olive symbolizes wisdom. The painting depicts the evening time of day. Evening is a symbol of melancholy. It defines general mood work. It is known that the three clocks in the picture are the past, present and future. It is believed that the blurry object with eyelashes is a self-portrait of the sleeping author. Salvador Dali argued that sleep releases all subconscious thoughts, and a person becomes defenseless. That is why in the picture his figure is presented as a blurry object.

Surprisingly, the artist came up with the image of the work after he looked at the processed cheese. He created the painting in a few hours.

The painting by Salvador Dali is small in size (24x33 cm). The work has become a symbol of surrealism. The painting was first exhibited in Paris in 1931. There it was sold for $250.

Let's sum it up

Painting plays an important role in our lives. Masterpieces of fine art remain relevant today. There are many worthy paintings that have global significance. Our article contains some of them. Each picture presented has individual details and images. It is worth noting that some of them are associated little known facts and mysteries that are not fully understood today.

Painting plays a special role in the lives of children and teenagers. By studying masterpieces, they learn to analyze, express their point of view and form an independent and highly intelligent personality. Painting plays an important role not only in the lives of children, but also of adults. It is no secret that a modern person must be a comprehensively developed personality. It is important to study all spheres of life, including painting, in order to feel worthy in an educated society, and perhaps even find your calling in art.

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

Below the pictures of the artists they belong to there are links to the posts.

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

Kept in the Old Masters Gallery in Dresden.

The painting has little secret: The background, which appears to be clouds from a distance, turns out to be the heads of angels upon closer inspection. And the two angels depicted in the picture below became the motif of numerous postcards and posters.

Rembrandt "Night Watch" 1642
Kept in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

The true title of Rembrandt’s painting is “The Performance of the Rifle Company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” Art historians who discovered the painting in the 19th century thought that the figures were standing out against a dark background, and it was called “Night Watch.” Later it was discovered that dark picture creates a layer of soot, but the action actually takes place during the day. However, the painting has already been included in the treasury of world art under the name “Night Watch”.

Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper" 1495-1498
Located in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

Over the more than 500-year history of the work, the fresco has been destroyed more than once: a doorway was cut through the painting and then blocked, the refectory of the monastery where the image is located was used as an armory, a prison, and was bombed. The famous fresco restored at least five times, with the last restoration taking 21 years. Today, to view the art, visitors must reserve tickets in advance and can spend only 15 minutes in the refectory.

Salvador Dali "The Persistence of Memory" 1931

According to the author himself, the painting was painted as a result of the associations that Dali had with the sight of processed cheese. Returning from the cinema, where she went that evening, Gala quite correctly predicted that no one, once they saw The Persistence of Memory, would forget it.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Tower of Babel" 1563
Kept in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

According to Bruegel, the failure that befell the construction Tower of Babel, are not guilty of suddenly arising according to biblical story language barriers, and mistakes made during the construction process. At first glance, the huge structure seems quite strong, but upon closer examination it is clear that all the tiers are laid unevenly, the lower floors are either unfinished or are already collapsing, the building itself is tilting towards the city, and the prospects for the entire project are very sad.

Kazimir Malevich “Black Square” 1915

According to the artist, he painted the picture for several months. Subsequently, Malevich made several copies of “Black Square” (according to some sources, seven). According to one version, the artist was unable to finish work on the painting in required period, so he had to cover up the work with black paint. Subsequently, after public recognition, Malevich painted new “Black Squares” on blank canvases. Malevich also painted “Red Square” (in two copies) and one “White Square”.

Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin “Bathing the Red Horse” 1912
Located in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

Painted in 1912, the painting turned out to be visionary. The red horse acts as the Fate of Russia or Russia itself, which the fragile and young rider is unable to hold. Thus, the artist symbolically predicted with his painting the “red” fate of Russia in the 20th century.

Peter Paul Rubens "The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus" 1617-1618
Kept in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.

The painting “The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus” is considered the personification of manly passion and physical beauty. The strong, muscular arms of young men pick up young naked women to put them on horses. The sons of Zeus and Leda steal their cousins' brides.

Paul Gauguin "Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" 1898
Kept in the Museum of Fine Arts in 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, “the old woman, approaching death, seems reconciled and indulged in her thoughts,” at her feet “a strange White bird...represents the futility of words.”

Eugene Delacroix "Liberty Leading the People" 1830
Kept in the Louvre in Paris

Delacroix created a painting based on the July Revolution of 1830 in France. In a letter to his brother on October 12, 1830, Delacroix writes: “If I did not fight for my Motherland, then at least I will write for it.” The bare breasts of a woman leading the people symbolize the dedication of the French people of that time, who with “ bare chested"We were going towards the enemy.

Claude Monet "Impression. Rising Sun" 1872
Kept in the Marmottan Museum in Paris.

The title of the work is “Impression, soleil levant” with light hand journalist L. Leroy became the name artistic direction"impressionism". The painting was painted from life in the old outport of Le Havre in France.

Jan Vermeer "Girl with a Pearl Earring" 1665
Kept in the Mauritshuis Gallery in The Hague.

One of the most famous paintings by the Dutch artist Jan Vermeer is often called the Nordic or Dutch Mona Lisa. Very little is known about the painting: it is undated and the name of the girl depicted is unknown. In 2003, based on the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier, it was filmed Feature Film“Girl with a Pearl Earring”, in which the history of the creation of the painting is hypothetically restored in the context of Vermeer’s biography and family life.

Ivan Aivazovsky “The Ninth Wave” 1850
Kept in St. Petersburg in the State Russian Museum.

Ivan Aivazovsky is a world-famous Russian marine painter who devoted his life to depicting the sea. He created about six thousand works, each of which received recognition during the artist’s lifetime. The painting “The Ninth Wave” is included in the book “100 Great Paintings”.

Andrey Rublev “Trinity” 1425-1427

The Icon of the Holy Trinity, painted by Andrei Rublev in the 15th century, is one of the most famous Russian icons. The icon is a board in a vertical format. The kings (Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Mikhail Fedorovich) “covered” the icon with gold, silver and precious stones. Today the salary is kept in the Sergiev Posad State Museum-Reserve.

Mikhail Vrubel “Seated Demon” 1890
Kept in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

The plot of the film is inspired by Lermontov’s poem “The Demon”. The demon is an image of the strength of the human spirit, internal struggle, doubt. Tragically clasping his hands, the Demon sits with sad, huge eyes directed into the distance, surrounded by unprecedented flowers.

William Blake "The Great Architect" 1794
Kept in the British Museum in London.

The title of the painting “The Ancient of Days” literally translates from English as “Ancient of Days.” This phrase was used as the name of God. Main character The paintings show God at the moment of creation, who does not establish order, but limits freedom and denotes the limits of imagination.

Edouard Manet "Bar at the Folies Bergere" 1882
Kept at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

The Folies Bergere is a variety show and cabaret in Paris. Manet often visited the Folies Bergere and ended up painting this painting, his last before his death in 1883. Behind the bar, in the middle of a crowd of people drinking, eating, talking and smoking, a bartender stands absorbed in her own thoughts, watching the trapeze acrobat, who can be seen in the upper left corner of the picture.

Titian “Earthly Love and Heavenly Love” 1515-1516
Kept in the Galleria Borghese in Rome.

It is noteworthy that the modern name of the painting was not given by the artist himself, but began to be used only two centuries later. Until this time, the painting had various names: “Beauty, Embellished and Unadorned” (1613), “Three Types of Love” (1650), “Divine and Secular Women” (1700), and, finally, “Earthly Love and Heavenly Love” (1792 and 1833).

Mikhail Nesterov “Vision to the youth Bartholomew” 1889-1890
Kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

The first and most significant work from the cycle dedicated to Sergius of Radonezh. Until the end of his days, the artist was convinced that “Vision to the Youth Bartholomew” was his best work. In his old age, the artist liked to repeat: “It’s not me who will live. “The Youth Bartholomew” will live. Now, if thirty, fifty years after my death he still says something to people, that means he’s alive, and that means I’m alive.”

Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Parable of the Blind" 1568
Kept in the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.

Other titles of the painting are “The Blind”, “Parabola of the Blind”, “The Blind Leading the Blind”. It is believed that the plot of the film is based on the biblical parable of the blind: “If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit.”

Victor Vasnetsov “Alyonushka” 1881
Kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery.

It is based on the fairy tale “About Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka.” Initially, Vasnetsov’s painting was called “Fool Alyonushka.” At that time, orphans were called “fools.” “Alyonushka,” the artist himself later said, “seemed to have lived in my head for a long time, but in reality I saw her in Akhtyrka, when I met one simple-haired girl who captured my imagination. There was so much melancholy, loneliness and purely Russian sadness in her eyes... Some special Russian spirit wafted from her.”

Vincent van Gogh "Starry Night" 1889
Kept in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Unlike most of the artist’s paintings, “Starry Night” was painted from memory. Van Gogh was at that time in the Saint-Rémy hospital, tormented by attacks of madness.

Karl Bryullov “The Last Day of Pompeii” 1830-1833
Kept in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

The painting shows famous eruption Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD e. and the destruction of the city of Pompeii near Naples. The image of the artist in the left corner of the painting is a self-portrait of the author.

Pablo Picasso “Girl on a Ball” 1905
Stored in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow

The painting ended up in Russia thanks to industrialist Ivan Abramovich Morozov, who purchased it in 1913 for 16,000 francs. In 1918, the personal collection of I. A. Morozov was nationalized. IN currently the painting is in the collection State Museum fine arts named after A.S. Pushkin.

Leonardo da Vinci "Madonna Litta" 1491

Kept in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

The original title of the painting was “Madonna and Child.” Modern name the painting comes from the name of its owner - Count Litt, owner of the family art gallery in Milan. There is an assumption that the figure of the baby was not painted by Leonardo da Vinci, but belongs to the brush of one of his students. This is evidenced by the baby's pose, which is unusual for the author's style.

Jean Ingres "Turkish Baths" 1862
Kept in the Louvre in Paris.

Ingres finished painting this picture when he was already over 80 years old. With this painting, the artist sums up the image of bathers, the theme of which has long been present in his work. Initially, the canvas was in the shape of a square, but a year after its completion the artist turned it into a round painting - a tondo.

Ivan Shishkin, Konstantin Savitsky “Morning in a pine forest” 1889
Kept in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow

“Morning in a Pine Forest” is a painting by Russian artists Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky. Savitsky painted the bears, but the collector Pavel Tretyakov, when he acquired the painting, erased his signature, so now Shishkin alone is indicated as the author of the painting.

Mikhail Vrubel “The Swan Princess” 1900
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery

The painting is based on the stage image of the heroine of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” based on the plot fairy tale of the same name A. S. Pushkin. Vrubel created sketches for the scenery and costumes for the 1900 premiere of the opera, and his wife sang the role of the Swan Princess.

Giuseppe Arcimboldo “Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II as Vertumnus” 1590
Located in Skokloster Castle in Stockholm.

One of the few surviving works of the artist, who composed portraits from fruits, vegetables, flowers, crustaceans, fish, pearls, musical and other instruments, books, and so on. "Vertumnus" is a portrait of the emperor, represented as the ancient Roman god of seasons, vegetation and transformation. In the picture, Rudolph consists entirely of fruits, flowers and vegetables.

Edgar Degas "Blue Dancers" 1897
Located in the Museum of Art. A. S. Pushkin in Moscow.

Sandro Botticelli "Birth of Venus" 1486
Kept in Florence in the Uffizi Gallery

The painting illustrates the myth of the birth of Aphrodite. A naked goddess swims to the shore in an open shell, driven by the wind. On the left side of the painting, Zephyr (the west wind), in the arms of his wife Chloris, blows on a shell, creating a wind filled with flowers. On the shore, the goddess is met by one of the graces. The Birth of Venus is well preserved due to the fact that Botticelli applied a protective layer of egg yolk to the painting.