Painting horoscope: who wrote your love story? Leo - Titian, "Danae"

Each of us has our own certain store of knowledge and experience, our own preferences and prejudices. As the saying goes: "All markers are different in taste and color."

Some like black, some like red, some like Cubism, some like the Renaissance. There is nothing you can do about it. However, in my opinion, each of us should have a certain “base” - knowledge on the basis of which we can then build comparative series and draw parallels.

That is why we go to, get a higher education,. As part of this very self-development, I propose to get acquainted with the brightest, most interesting and unusual works of world painting. Perhaps someone will look at them for the first time, and someone will remember why they love this or that artist so much, someone will want to learn something new and will start looking for all the canvases of the author they like, but one way or another, everyone will be able to supplement their "Comparative series" and contemplate the crowns of the creations of the authors in their genre.

(All paintings are presented in a free order - I find all of them interesting and eloquent, so, in my opinion, there is nothing to put them in any rating)

1. “Impressions. Sunrise". Claude Monet, 1872

A wonderful, atmospheric painting, which at one time gave the name to an equally atmospheric trend in art - impressionism. Seeing her at an exhibition in 1874, critics began to call Monet and his paintings "impressionistic".

The port of Le Havre in the early days, a lone boat - these are all classic Monet trappings. His landscapes have always reflected calmness and all the same time, the perpetual motion and transience of nature.

The painting has almost always been (and is now) in the Marmottan - Monet Museum. She survived her abduction, attempts to "attach" her somewhere and, after a long search, returned to her rightful place.

2. "Scream". Edvar Munch, 1893

This picture has always been and still remains incredibly curious. It would seem that this is not a work of the high Renaissance. There are no precisely calibrated strokes that merge into a single picture and accurately convey the facial features or the mood of the picture.

A slightly angular, schematic character who just stands on the bridge has been arousing interest and discussion for more than a century. One of the hottest controversies associated with this work recently was the sale of this painting (one of its four versions) at an auction of $ 120 million.

As already mentioned, there are 4 versions of this picture in total - their essence is the same. They differ only in the materials with which the picture was painted.

The very fourth version of the painting that was sold for a lot of money is now unlikely to be seen anywhere (unless you are friends with the buyer). But a second, no less interesting version of this work of art can be seen in the Oslo National Gallery.

Also, this canvas is often used in modern pop culture, inspired by it. Take, for example, the mask from the movie "The Scream" or the characters of the fantastic series "Doctor Who" - looking at them, certain associations immediately appear in my head.

3. "Algerian women". Pablo Picasso, 1955

In fact, this is another of Picasso's paintings, painted in his favorite style in the late period of his work. There are a total of 15 paintings with this name in variations. Now we see the last 15th work.

What's so remarkable, you ask? It's simple. The 15th painting (or in the official name “Version O”) of this series is the most expensive painting sold at an official open auction - $ 179.3 million.

Now she is in the private collection of a billionaire in Qatar.

4. “When is the wedding”. Paul Gauguin, 1892

Gauguin is a prominent representative of post-impressionism, and all his paintings have a pronounced style. This picture, in fact, reflects the typical manner of the artist - a rich scene, bright, some neglect of details in favor of reflecting the general mood of the picture.

Why is this particular painting so unique?

This canvas is another representative of paintings sold for a huge amount in private and public auctions. This painting was sold to the Qatar Museum Department for an unheard-of $ 300 million.

5. "Turquoise Marilyn". Andy Warhol, 1964

The second half of the twentieth century was famous for its unusual characters in various spheres of culture and art and, of course, it is impossible to forget such a bright personality as Andy Warhol.

Everything he did, from his paintings to films, indicated his originality and creativity.

This painting, along with his other works, is a "colorful" representative of pop art and is one of his longest works - $ 80 million.

6. “Suprematist composition”. Kazimir Malevich, 1916

Suprematism in Soviet culture was not received with due enthusiasm, and one can say that Kazimir Malevich achieved success and recognition at that time not with his works, but rather with his love for not all understandable experiments. “Suprematist Composition” is just one such experiment.

However, abroad, from the very beginning, his work was perceived a little differently, and therefore no one was surprised at the price for which this painting was sold - $ 60 million.

7. "The constancy of time." Salvador Dali, 1931

This painting is used in contemporary art (inspired by it, making works "based on"), its elements can often be found in design.

In a word, this picture is a vivid example of the extraordinary talent of Salvador, reflecting his inner world and an interesting angle of view on everything that happens around.

8. "Mona Lisa". Leonardo Da Vinci, 1603-1505

An undoubted masterpiece of the genius of the Renaissance. The picture is as legendary as its author is legendary.

Scientific works are written about her, she is praised in different genres of art, she is already a “household name” - and all this is about a small picture. It is now located in the Louvre, and you can go to admire it if you wish.

9. “Breakfast of the rowers”. Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1881

This is not the most famous painting by Renoir, but, nevertheless, it is no less an excellent representative of its kind and genre.

If you look at this picture, you will completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a summer morning, and literally feel the light breeze that blows from the water.

Renoir, like many other impressionists, is always incredibly atmospheric and light.

It was this picture in the already cult film "Amelie" was sung by one of the heroes. It was with this girl who drinks water that Amelie herself was associated.

Perhaps you, too, will find a hero to match yourself, who knows.

10. "Freedom leading the people." Eugene Delacroix, 1830

Delacroix is ​​a representative of romanticism - it is logical that this painting of his is also a vivid example of romantic rebellion against the state and a symbol of victory over enemies.

The painting is one of the most famous works of the artist. Exhibited in the Louvre in the large hall dedicated to the work of Eugene.

She is often used as inspiration in contemporary culture, design and other fields of art.

If you buy what is arguably the most musically interesting Coldplay album, you will see that this particular work of art serves as the cover of this collection.

End of the 1st part. To be continued.

There are works of art that seem to hit the viewer on the head, dumbfounded and amazed. Others drag you into thought and in search of semantic layers, secret symbolism. Some paintings are covered with secrets and mystical riddles, while others surprise with an exorbitant price.

We carefully reviewed all the main achievements in world painting and selected from them two dozen of the strangest paintings. Salvador Dali, whose works completely fall into 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 "strangeness" is a rather subjective concept, and each has its own amazing pictures that stand out from a number of 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 event in Expressionism and one of the most famous paintings in the world.

There are two interpretations of what is depicted: the hero himself is seized with horror and silently screams, pressing his hands to his ears; or the hero closes his ears from the cry of peace and nature sounding around. Munch wrote four versions of The Scream, and there is a version that this picture is the fruit of a 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 the city. My friends went further, and I stood, trembling with excitement, feeling an endless cry piercing nature, ”Edvard Munch said about the history 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.

At the direction of 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; the middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, as conceived by the artist, "an old woman approaching death seems to be reconciled and surrendered to her thoughts", at her feet "a strange white bird ... represents the uselessness of words."

A deeply philosophical picture 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 canvas is superior to all my previous ones and that I will never create something better or even similar." He lived for another five years, and so it happened.

"Guernica"

Pablo Picasso. 1937, canvas, oil.
Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid.

Guernica presents scenes of death, violence, atrocity, 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. Speech immediately turned to the picture. "Did you do this?" - "No, you did it."

A huge painting-fresco "Guernica", painted by Picasso in 1937, tells about the raid of a volunteer unit of the Luftwaffe on the city of Guernica, as a result of which the six thousandth city was completely destroyed. The painting was completed 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.
National Gallery of London, London.

The famous painting is completely and completely filled with symbols, allegories and various references - right up 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, presumably of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife, is one of the most complex works of the Western Northern Renaissance school of painting.

In Russia, in the past few years, the painting has gained great popularity due to the portrait resemblance of Arnolfini to Vladimir Putin.

"Demon sitting"

Mikhail Vrubel. 1890, canvas, oil.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

"Hands resist him"

Bill Stoneham. 1972.

This work, of course, cannot be counted among the masterpieces of world painting, but the fact that it is strange is a fact.

There are legends around the painting with a boy, a doll and palms pressed against the glass. From "because of this picture they die" to "children on it are alive." The picture looks really creepy, which gives rise to a lot of fears and conjectures in people with a weak psyche.

The artist insisted that the painting depicts himself at the age of five, that the door is a representation of the dividing line between the real world and the world of dreams, and the doll is a guide that can guide the boy through this world. The arms represent alternative lives or possibilities.

The painting rose to prominence in February 2000 when it was put up for sale on eBay with a backstory that the painting was "haunted." "Hands Resist Him" ​​was bought for $ 1,025 by Kim Smith, who was then simply inundated with letters with terrible stories and demands to burn the painting.

Magnificent works of art by the hands of great masters are able to surprise even people for whom art means little. That is why world-famous museums are among the most popular attractions, attracting millions of visitors a year.

To stand out from the huge number of paintings written in the entire history of art, an artist needs not only talent, but also the ability to express a unique plot in an unusual and very relevant way for his time.

The pictures presented below loudly declare not only the talent of their authors, but also the numerous cultural trends that have appeared and disappeared, and the most important historical events that have always been reflected in art.

"The Birth of Venus"

This painting, by the great master of the Renaissance, Sandro Botticelli, depicts the moment the beautiful Venus emerged from the sea foam. One of the most compelling aspects of the painting is the goddess's modest posture and her simple yet beautiful face.

"Dogs Playing Poker"

Written by Cassius Coolidge in 1903, a series of 16 paintings depicts dogs gathered at a poker game around a coffee table or gambling table. Many critics recognize these paintings as canonical depictions of the Americans of that era.

Portrait of Madame Recamier

Painted by Jacques-Louis David, this portrait depicts a brilliant socialite in a contrastingly minimalist and simple setting, dressed in a plain white sleeveless dress. This is a prime example of neoclassicism in portraiture.

№5

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

"Son of man"

The Son of Man, painted by Rene Magritte, is a kind of self-portrait depicting the artist himself in a black suit, but with an apple instead of a face.

"Number 1" ("Royal Red and Blue")

This is a fairly fresh piece by Mark Rothko - nothing more than brushstrokes in three different shades on handcrafted canvas. The painting is currently on display at the Art Institute in Chicago.

"Beating the Innocent"

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

"Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte"

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

"Dance"

"Dance" by Henri Matisse is an example of a style called Fauvism, which is distinguished by bright, almost unnatural colors and shapes and high dynamics.

"American Gothic"

American Gothic is a work of art that perfectly symbolizes the image of Americans during the Great Depression. In this painting, Grant Wood depicts a stern, probably religious couple, standing against the backdrop of a simple house with Gothic-style windows.

"Loader of flowers"

This painting by the most popular Mexican painter of the twentieth century, Diego Rivera, depicts a man struggling to carry a basket overloaded with vibrant tropical flowers on his back.

"Whistler's Mother"

Also known as "Arrangement in Gray and Black. The Artist's Mother", it is one of the most famous paintings by American artist James Whistler. In this painting, Whistler depicted his mother sitting on a chair against a gray wall. The painting uses only black and gray shades.

"The Persistence of Memory"

This is a cult work of the no less iconic Salvador Dali, the world famous Spanish surrealist, who brought this movement to the forefront of art.

Portrait of Dora Maar

Pablo Picasso is one of the most popular and influential Spanish painters. He is the founder of the sensational style at the time, called Cubism, which seeks to crush any object and convey it with clear geometric shapes. This painting is the first portrait in the Cubist style.

"Portrait of an artist without a beard"

This painting by Van Gogh is a self-portrait, and unique, as it depicts the painter without the beard familiar to everyone. It is also one of the few paintings by Van Gogh that have been sold to private collections.

"Night cafe terrace"

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

"Composition VIII"

Wassily Kandinsky is recognized as the founder of abstract art - a style that uses forms and symbols instead of familiar objects and people. "Composition VIII" is one of the first paintings by the artist, executed exclusively in this style.

"Kiss"

One of the first pieces of art in the Art Nouveau style, this painting is almost entirely done in gold tones. Painting by Gustav Klimt is one of the most striking works of the style.

"Ball at the Moulin de la Galette"

The painting by Pierre Auguste Renoir is a vivid and dynamic depiction of urban life. It is also one of the most expensive paintings in the world.

"Olympia"

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

"Third May 1808 in Madrid"

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

"Meninas"

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

"Portrait of the Arnolfini couple"

This painting is one of the oldest paintings. It was written by Jan van Eyck and depicts the Italian businessman Giovanni Arnolfini and his pregnant wife at their home in Bruges.

"Scream"

The painting by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch depicts a man's face distorted by fear against the backdrop of a blood-red sky. The landscape in the background adds a dark charm to this painting. In addition, The Scream is one of the first paintings to be done in the Expressionist style, where realism is minimized to provide more freedom for emotion.

"Water lilies"

"Water Lilies" by Claude Monet is part of a series of 250 paintings depicting elements of the artist's own garden. These paintings are exhibited in various art museums around the world.

"Starlight Night"

Van Gogh's Starry Night is one of the most famous images in modern culture. She is currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

"The Fall of Icarus"

This painting, by the Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel, shows a person's indifference to the suffering of their fellow man. A strong social theme is shown here in a fairly simple way, using the image of Icarus drowning under water and people who ignore his suffering.

"Creation of Adam"

The Creation of Adam is one of several magnificent frescoes by Michelangelo that adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace. It depicts the creation of Adam. In addition to depicting ideal human forms, the fresco is one of the first attempts in the history of art to depict God.

"The Last Supper"

This fresco by the great Leonardo depicts Jesus' last supper before his betrayal, arrest and death. In addition to composition, shapes and colors, the discussion of this fresco is replete with theories about hidden symbols and the presence of Mary Magdalene next to Jesus.

"Guernica"

"Guernica" by Picasso depicts the explosion of the Spanish city of the same name during the Spanish Civil War. This is a black and white painting that negatively depicts fascism, Nazism and their ideas.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring"

This painting by Johannes Vermeer is often called the Dutch Mona Lisa, not only because of its extraordinary popularity, but also because the expression on the girl's face is difficult to capture and explain.

"The Beheading of John the Baptist"

The painting by Caravaggio very realistically depicts the moment of the murder of John the Baptist in prison. The semi-darkness of the painting and the expressions on the faces of its characters make it a true classic masterpiece.

"The night Watch"

"Night Watch" is one of the most famous paintings by Rembrandt. It shows a group portrait of a rifle company led by its officers. A unique aspect of the painting is the semi-darkness, which gives the impression of a night scene.

"School of Athens"

Painted by Raphael during his early Roman period, this mural depicts famous Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Socrates, Pythagoras and others. Many philosophers are depicted as contemporaries of Raphael, for example, Plato - Leonardo da Vinci, Heraclitus - Michelangelo, Euclid - Bramante.

"Mona Lisa"

Probably the most famous painting in the world is Leonardo da Vinci's La Gioconda, better known as the Mona Lisa. This canvas is a portrait of Madame Gherardini, who attracts attention with a mysterious expression on her face.

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Sometimes you can experience strong emotions or feel real fear just by looking at a painting. And this is understandable, because the artist puts a certain energy into his work. And the more talented the artist, the more power he can transfer to his creation.

site collected just such "fatal" paintings that have a strong and inexplicable artistic power.

Isleworth Mona Lisa

90% of the Louvre's visitors come there just to look at the most mysterious picture in the world - the legendary Mona Lisa. Until now, there are many unsolved mysteries of the picture. In addition, it is known to contribute to the onset of Stendhal's syndrome. This is a disorder in which a person is very sensitive to works of art: disorienting in space, people are literally transported into the picture. What can be seen on the other side of the "La Gioconda" is unknown, but the facts speak for themselves: it drove visitors to both aggression and suicide.

But few people know that there is another version of "La Gioconda" - "Isleworth Mona Lisa", which probably belonged to the brush of the same Leonardo da Vinci and was written years earlier. Or she did represent the original of the painting, and the well-known version was painted by Leonardo 20 years later in his workshop. This canvas was found more than a century ago in a private collection, but now it is presented in the Prado Museum in Madrid. Perhaps one day this particular picture will help to decipher all the secrets of the famous "La Gioconda".

Postal stagecoach

This painting was painted by the artist Laura P. from a photograph. Moreover, the author of the photo, James Kidd, claims that he did not photograph any person standing to the left of the stagecoach. It suddenly appeared during the development of the photograph (you can see the original photograph).

The artist hung the completed work in the office, but she was asked to immediately take the canvas from there. It was with the appearance of the picture that a poltergeist seemed to start up in the room, and she herself always hung crooked, despite the fact that she was corrected every time. Further history repeated itself in other houses that "sheltered" the picture. In the end, she had to be burned.

Crying boy

There is a whole series of paintings of crying children by the Italian artist Bruno Amadio. These are portraits of 65 orphans, which the artist sold to tourists after the Second World War.

The most famous painting in this series is The Crying Boy, which is officially cursed in several regions of England. According to legend, the author of the canvas lit a match in front of the posing boy to make him cry. Since then, reproductions of this painting have participated in 50 fires throughout England.

Rain woman

The painting "Rain Woman", painted by the Vinnytsia artist Svetlana Taurus, also makes an extremely strange impression. The artist admits that she painted the picture in just 5 hours, and at the same time it was as if someone was leading her hand. All buyers of the canvas returned it back, complaining of insomnia, anxiety and the feeling that someone was constantly watching them.

Portrait of the Spanish General Bernardo de Galvez

If you are writing a ghost novel, you should definitely visit the hotel. "