Before there was art, there were artists. This is because art has always been about the artist, and the art itself only comes second. In the world of painting, the artist is responsible for the artworks as well as the paintings: they are the sole talent, creator, and innovator. However, the subject of the painting is not always the artist. Sometimes the work itself is the artist.

Knowing the Famous Painters and their Works

Famous painters throughout history have captured the beauty of the world in limitless ways. From luminous landscapes to complex portraits, these artists have been able to bring out new ways of depicting the world. While some are famous for their realistic artwork, others are heralded for their use of color and texture. In this article, we are going to take a look at the greatest painters of all time:

1. Leonardo da Vinci – Known as the most prominent figure of the High Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci has left a mark on the history of both art and science. He was a painter, architect, sculptor, musician, inventor, cartographer, botanist, anatomist, geologist, and writer. He epitomizes the humanist ideals of the Renaissance era. Leonardo has fascinated artists, art lovers, and historians for five centuries. His legendary paintings, including Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, remain popular worldwide. He is likewise credited to be a modern-world key inventor for wings of the flying machine, bicycle, calculator, and tank, among others.
2. Michelangelo – Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was an Italian painter, poet, engineer, sculptor, and architect during the Renaissance period. Known for his masterpiece paintings, including The Creation of Adam and the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, as well as his unfinished David sculpture, Michelangelo was an influential artist born in Tuscany, Italy, in 1475. While he was a major figure in the field of painting, he was even more important as a sculptor and architect. His fame rests on his monumental religious sculptures, but he was a very successful portrait painter.
3. Artemisia Gentileschi – One of the most famous artists of the 1600s, Artemisia Gentileschi was the first woman to master the use of perspective and one of the few women to have her paintings publicly displayed. Her work is known for its use of dramatic, real-life scenes and the intensity of emotion she evokes in her facial expressions. Some of her best-known works include Judith Slaying Holofernes (1614) and Susanna and the Elders (1610). As a female painter in the 17th century, she faced many challenges in a society that was dominated by men. Her father, who taught her the art of painting, died when she was 11. To support her family, she was subjected to many degrading tasks, such as wrestling with her brother to entertain guests and modeling for her father’s paintings.
4. Rembrandt – Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669) is seen as one of the best examples of Dutch Golden Age painting, and his work has respected fame for over 300 years. He is best known for his self-portraits and for his subjects, which typically illustrate the complexities of the human condition. His work is comparable with that of Rubens and Van Dyke for its profundity in depicting the psychology of the subjects.
5. Vincent Van Gogh – Vincent Van Gogh was one of the most prolific painters of the 19th century, producing over 900 works in just 10 years of painting. Van Gogh’s paintings are known for their bold use of color and expressive brushwork. This was exemplified in his later works, which featured dark, striking colors and thick contours. His most famous work, Starry Night, also has some of the darkest colors in all of his body of work. One of the most famous art pieces in the world was created in 1889 after a period of mental instability and illness.

The world of art has seen a lot of changes, and with so many painters making their mark on the world, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are a few of the greatest painters of all time, all of whom have had a remarkable impact on the art world.