Top most famous paintings. The most famous paintings in the world

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

What does it take to be an artist? Mere imitation of work cannot be considered art. Art is something that comes from within. The author's idea, excitement, searches, 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 written. Some of them are truly masterpieces, known all over the world, even people who are not related to art know them. Is it possible to single out 25 of the 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 picture, Dali became famous in quite a few years. young age he was 28 years old. The picture has several other names - " soft watch”, “The hardness of memory”. This masterpiece has attracted the attention of many art historians. Basically, they were interested in the interpretation of the picture. It is said that the idea of ​​Dali's canvas is connected with 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 degree in law in Paris. He studied art so zealously that he became one of the the greatest artists in the world. This picture has very little negative criticism of art critics. It reflects a combination of pagan rituals, dance and music. People are dancing in a trance. Three colors - green, blue and red - symbolize the Earth, Sky and Humanity.

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The Kiss, Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt has often been criticized for being nude in his paintings. "The Kiss" was noticed by critics, as it merged all forms of art. The painting could be an image of the artist himself and his lover, Emilia. Klimt painted this canvas under the influence Byzantine mosaic. The Byzantines used gold in their paintings. Similarly, Gustav Klimt mixed gold in his paints to create his own style painting.

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Sleeping Gypsy, Henri Rousseau

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

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"The Last Judgment", Hieronymus Bosch

Without further ado - the picture is simply magnificent. This triptych is the largest of Bosch's surviving paintings. The left wing shows the story of Adam and Eve. The central part is doomsday» on the part of Jesus - who should go to heaven and who should go to hell. The earth we see here is on fire. On the right wing is depicted a disgusting image of hell.

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

The story is like this. 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. Narcissus fell in love with himself and ended up dying because he couldn't hug himself. Then the Gods regretted that they had done 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. Then 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 picture is based on the biblical beating of the babies in Bethlehem. After the birth of Christ became known from the Magi, King Herod instructed to kill all the small male children and babies in Bethlehem. In the picture, the carnage is at its peak, the last few children taken from their mothers are waiting for their merciless death. Also visible are the corpses of children for whom everything is behind them.

Through the use of rich colors, the painting by Rubens 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 the canvas and walked on it, dripping paint from above onto the canvas with sticks, brushes and syringes. Thanks to this unique technique, he was nicknamed "Sprinkler Jack" in artistic circles. 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 Les Moulins de la Galette". This painting is considered one of Renoir's most joyful paintings. The idea of ​​the picture is to show the audience a fun side. Parisian life. With a detailed study of the picture, you can see that Renoir placed several of his friends on the canvas. Because the painting appears slightly washed out, it was initially criticized by Renoir's contemporaries.

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The story is taken from the Bible. On the painting " The Last Supper” depicts the last supper of Christ 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 certainly not them. It was this moment that da Vinci beautifully portrayed with his lively image. It took the great Leonardo four years to complete this painting.

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Monet's "Water Lilies" can be found everywhere. You've probably seen them on wallpapers, posters, and art magazine covers. The fact is that Monet was obsessed with lilies. Before he started painting them, he had grown countless of these flowers. Monet built a Japanese-style bridge in his garden over a lily pond. He was so pleased with what he did that he drew this story 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 portray fear on paper. Munch made four versions of The Scream in oils and pastels. According to Munch's diary entries, it is pretty clear that he himself believed in death and spirits. In the painting “The Scream”, he depicted himself at the moment when one day, walking with friends, he felt fear and excitement, which he wanted to paint.

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

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Picasso met Dora Maar in Paris. It is said 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 is turning to the right, towards the face of Picasso. The artist made the woman's presence almost real. Maybe he wanted to feel that she was there, always.

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Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in treatment, where he was only allowed to paint when his condition improved. Earlier in the same year, he cut off his left earlobe. Many considered the artist insane. From the entire collection of Van Gogh's works Starlight Night» gained the greatest fame, 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 the gentlemen at that time visited the courtesans quite often, they did not think that it would occur to someone to draw them. Then it was preferable for artists to paint pictures on historical, mythical or biblical themes. However, Manet, contrary to criticism, showed the audience their contemporary.

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

Having received an order for paintings depicting the struggle of the people of Spain with Napoleon, the artist did not paint heroic and pathetic canvases. He chose the moment of execution of the Spanish rebels by French soldiers. Each of the Spaniards is experiencing this moment in his own way, someone has already reconciled, but for someone the main battle has just come. War, blood and death, that's what Goya actually portrayed.

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

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The exact name of the painting is “The performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenbürg.” 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 at the time of writing this picture, it may well be true that he received a huge fee for The Night Watch.

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

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This is the only painting by Brueghel that was painted in oils and not in 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 a schematic drawing of poor quality, which does not belong to Brueghel.

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

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

On this mural in the School of Athens, all the great mathematicians, philosophers and scientists gathered under one roof, they share their theories and learn from each other. All heroes lived in different time, but Rafael placed them all in one room. Some of the figures are Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras and Ptolemy. A closer look shows that there is a self-portrait of Raphael himself in this picture. 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, before which the whole world reveres. This masterpiece is on the ceiling Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Michelangelo was commissioned to paint several biblical stories, one of which is the creation of Adam. In this picture, the sculptor in Michelangelo is just visible. Adam's human body is rendered with incredible fidelity, with vibrant colors and precise muscular form. So, one 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 is still the most mysterious. Leonardo said that he never stopped working on it. Only his death is said to have completed the painting. "Mona Lisa" is the first Italian portrait in which the model is shown to the waist. Mona Lisa's skin seems to glow due to the use of several layers of transparent oils. As a scientist, Leonardo da Vinci applied all his knowledge to make the image of the Mona Lisa realistic. As for who exactly is depicted in the painting, it still remains a mystery.

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The painting depicts Venus, the goddess of love, floating on a shell in the wind, which is blown by Zephyr, the god of the west wind. On the shore, Ora, the goddess of the seasons, meets her, she is ready to dress the newborn deity. The model for Venus is Simonetta Cattaneo de Vespucci. Simonetta Cattaneo died at 22, and Botticelli wished to be buried next to her. Connected him with her unrequited love. This painting is the most exquisite work of art ever created.

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Conclusion

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

Although I think that the profession of a designer is not related to art, but it seems to me that cultural education and the development of taste are important for every designer. Therefore, today's post will be a little general educational.

I would like every person to admire the immortal paintings of great artists. In this article, I have collected the best and iconic paintings various masters visual arts.

Get inspired for health (clickable)!

Leonardo da Vinci "La Gioconda"

It seems to me that it is worth starting the review with the most probably famous painting of the world - the Gioconda (or "Mona Lisa") by Leonardo da Vinci. This is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini painted approximately in 1503-1505. On the this moment kept in the Louvre.

A significant feature of the picture is the famous enigmatic smile Mona Lisa. There are several secrets in the most famous smile in the world that excite minds to this day. The first secret: it is difficult to understand whether the Mona Lisa is actually smiling or just seems to be. The second and third riddles can only be seen live, having been in the Louvre: from any place in the hall it seems that the portrait is looking at you and smiling only at you; gradually passing by the portrait from left to right, you can see how the girl on it is getting older. The last two phenomena I happened to observe personally and I can confirm that they actually take place.

Raphael "Sistine Madonna"

This picture is often used for various Christmas cards. Or rather angels from below. The painting was commissioned from Raphael in 1512. Currently kept in the Old Masters Gallery in Dresden.

Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper"

The fresco depicts the last supper of Christ with his disciples. It was written in 1495-1498 in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Approximate size 4.5 m x 8.7 m.

Sandro Botticelli "The Birth of Venus"

The painting of the famous Italian is kept in Florence in Uffizi gallery. The picture was painted in 1486. And depicts the goddess of beauty, born from sea foam and coming out onto land.

Salvador Dali "The Persistence of Memory"

Probably the most famous painting by Salvador Dali. Personally, the picture hits me right in the brain and makes me doubt the reality of the world around me. Written in 1931 and is currently kept in the Museum contemporary art in NYC.

Kazimir Malevich Black square"

This canvas measuring 79.5 × 79.5 centimeters was iconic and gave rise to a new direction in painting. At the same time, Black Square is also the most controversial canvas. There are not so few people who do not see art here and say that they will draw just as well. Since 1915, Malevich painted 7 identical canvases.

An interesting fact: many critics suggest that Malevich originally painted a different picture, and subsequently smeared it with black paint. Studies for the location were carried out repeatedly, but art critics were indignant, arguing that the painting could be irreparably harmed.

Vincent van Gogh "Starlight Night"

One of my favorite paintings in general. Written Dutch artist in 1889. It is currently kept at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Karl Bryulov " The last day of Pompeii"

The Russian painter painted this picture in 1830 after visiting Pompeii. The picture tells about the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which buried the whole city. Currently stored in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

Pablo Picasso "Girl on the Ball"

The painting was painted by a famous Spanish artist in 1905 and depicts a group of itinerant acrobats. Currently stored in Pushkin Museum, Moscow.

Ivan Aivazovsky "The Ninth Wave"

The picture strikes with a riot of colors and shows the helplessness of a person in front of the elements. Painted by the world famous Russian artist in 1850. Exhibited in St. Petersburg at the State Russian Museum.

In fact, this list can be continued indefinitely. There is in the world great amount works of art. I recommend watching all of them live.

No inspiration? I advise you to choose the time and visit a good museum.

If you think that all great artists are in the past, then you have no idea how wrong you are. In this article, you will learn about the most famous and talented artists modernity. And, believe me, their works will sit in your memory no less deeply than the works of the maestro from past eras.

Wojciech Babski

Wojciech Babski - modern Polish artist. He graduated from the Silesian Polytechnic Institute, but connected himself with. AT recent times draws mostly women. Focuses on the manifestation of emotions, seeks to obtain the greatest possible effect by simple means.

Loves color, but often uses shades of black and gray to achieve the best impression. Not afraid to experiment with new techniques. Recently, he has been gaining more and more popularity abroad, mainly in the UK, where he successfully sells his works, which can already be found in many private collections. In addition to art, he is interested in cosmology and philosophy. Listens to jazz. Currently lives and works in Katowice.

Warren Chang

Warren Chang - modern American artist. Born in 1957 and raised in Monterey, California, he graduated magna cum laude from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena in 1981 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fine Arts. For the next two decades, he worked as an illustrator for various companies in California and New York before starting his career as a professional artist in 2009.

His realistic paintings can be divided into two main categories: biographical interior paintings and paintings depicting working people. His interest in this style of painting is rooted in the work of the 16th-century painter Jan Vermeer, and extends to objects, self-portraits, portraits of family members, friends, students, studio, classroom and home interiors. His goal is to create mood and emotion in his realistic paintings through the manipulation of light and the use of muted colors.

Chang became famous after the transition to traditional visual arts. Over the past 12 years, he has earned numerous awards and honors, the most prestigious being the Master Signature by the Oil Painters of America, the largest oil painting community in the United States. Only one person out of 50 is honored with the opportunity to receive this award. Currently, Warren lives in Monterey and works in his studio, he also teaches (known as a talented teacher) at the San Francisco Academy of the Arts.

Aurelio Bruni

Aurelio Bruni - italian artist. Born in Blair, October 15, 1955. Graduated with a degree in scenography from the Art Institute in Spoleto. As an artist, he is self-taught, as he independently “built the house of knowledge” on the foundation laid back in school. He began painting in oils at the age of 19. Currently lives and works in Umbria.

Bruni's early painting is rooted in surrealism, but over time he begins to focus on the closeness of lyrical romanticism and symbolism, reinforcing this combination with the exquisite sophistication and purity of his characters. Animate and inanimate objects acquire equal dignity and look almost hyper-realistic, but at the same time, they do not hide behind a curtain, but allow you to see the essence of your soul. Versatility and sophistication, sensuality and loneliness, thoughtfulness and fruitfulness are the spirit of Aurelio Bruni, nourished by the splendor of art and the harmony of music.

Aleksander Balos

Alkasandr Balos is a contemporary Polish artist specializing in oil painting. Born in 1970 in Gliwice, Poland, but since 1989 he has been living and working in the USA, in the city of Shasta, California.

As a child, he studied art under the guidance of his father Jan, a self-taught artist and sculptor, so from early age, artistic activity received full support from both parents. In 1989, at the age of eighteen, Balos left Poland for the United States, where he school teacher and part-time artist Cathy Gaggliardi encouraged Alcasander to enter art school. Balos then received a full scholarship to the University of Milwaukee Wisconsin, where he studied painting with philosophy professor Harry Rosin.

After completing his studies in 1995 with a bachelor's degree, Balos moved to Chicago to enroll in a visual arts school whose methods are based on creativity. Jacques-Louis David. figurative realism and portrait painting were most works of Balos in the 90s and early 2000s. Today, Balos uses the human figure to highlight the features and shortcomings of human existence, without offering any solutions.

The plot compositions of his paintings are intended to be independently interpreted by the viewer, only then the canvases will acquire their true temporal and subjective meaning. In 2005, the artist moved to Northern California, since then the scope of his work has expanded significantly and now includes freer methods of painting, including abstraction and various multimedia styles that help express the ideas and ideals of being through painting.

Alyssa Monks

Alyssa Monks - modern American artist. She was born in 1977 in Ridgewood, New Jersey. She became interested in painting when she was still a child. Studied at the New School in New York and State University Montclair, and graduated from Boston College in 1999, received a bachelor's degree. At the same time, she studied painting at the Lorenzo Medici Academy in Florence.

Then she continued her studies under the program for a master's degree at the New York Academy of Art, in the Department of Figurative Art, graduating in 2001. She graduated from Fullerton College in 2006. For some time she lectured at universities and educational institutions throughout the country, teaching painting at the New York Academy of Art, as well as Montclair State University and Lyme Academy College of Art.

“Using filters such as glass, vinyl, water and steam, I distort human body. These filters allow you to create large areas of abstract design, with islands of color peeking through them - parts of the human body.

My pictures are changing modern look to the already established, traditional postures and gestures of bathing women. They could tell an attentive viewer a lot about such seemingly self-evident things as the benefits of swimming, dancing, and so on. My characters are pressed against the glass of the shower cabin window, distorting their own body, realizing that they thereby influence the notorious male look at a naked woman. Thick layers of paint are mixed together to mimic glass, steam, water and flesh from afar. However, up close, delightful physical properties oil paint. By experimenting with layers of paint and color, I find the moment when abstract strokes become something else.

When I first started painting the human body, I was immediately fascinated and even obsessed with it and felt that I had to make my paintings as realistic as possible. I "professed" realism until it began to unravel and deconstruct itself. Now I am exploring the possibilities and potential of a style of painting where representational painting and abstraction meet – if both styles can coexist at the same moment in time, I will.”

Antonio Finelli

Italian artist - time watcher” – Antonio Finelli was born on February 23, 1985. Currently lives and works in Italy between Rome and Campobasso. His works have been exhibited in several galleries in Italy and abroad: Rome, Florence, Novara, Genoa, Palermo, Istanbul, Ankara, New York, and they can also be found in private and public collections.

Pencil drawings " Watcher of time” Antonio Finelli send us on an eternal journey through inner world human temporality and the rigorous analysis of this world associated with it, the main element of which is the passage through time and the traces it inflicts on the skin.

Finelli paints portraits of people of any age, gender and nationality, whose facial expressions indicate the passage through time, and the artist also hopes to find evidence of the ruthlessness of time on the bodies of his characters. Antonio defines his works as one, common name: “Self-portrait”, because in his pencil drawings he not only depicts a person, but allows the viewer to contemplate real results passage of time within a person.

Flaminia Carloni

Flaminia Carloni is a 37-year-old Italian artist, the daughter of a diplomat. She has three children. Twelve years she lived in Rome, three years in England and France. Received a degree in art history from the BD School of Art. Then she received a diploma in the specialty restorer of works of art. Before finding her calling and devoting herself entirely to painting, she worked as a journalist, colorist, designer, and actress.

Flaminia's passion for painting arose as a child. Her main medium is oil because she loves “coiffer la pate” and also plays with the material. She learned a similar technique in the works of the artist Pascal Torua. Flamininia is inspired by the great masters of painting such as Balthus, Hopper, and François Legrand, as well as various art movements: street art, Chinese realism, surrealism and renaissance realism. Her favorite painter Caravaggio. Her dream is to discover the therapeutic power of art.

Denis Chernov

Denis Chernov is talented Ukrainian artist, was born in 1978 in Sambir, Lviv region, Ukraine. After graduating from Kharkov art school in 1998 he stayed in Kharkov, where he currently lives and works. He also studied at the Kharkov State Academy of Design and Arts, Department of Graphics, graduated in 2004.

He regularly participates in art exhibitions, at the moment there have been more than sixty of them, both in Ukraine and abroad. Most of Denis Chernov's works are kept in private collections in Ukraine, Russia, Italy, England, Spain, Greece, France, USA, Canada and Japan. Some of the works were sold at Christie's.

Denis works in a wide range of graphic and painting techniques. Pencil drawings are one of his favorite painting methods, a list of his topics pencil drawings also very diverse, he paints landscapes, portraits, nudes, genre compositions, book illustrations, literary and historical reconstructions and fantasies.

The page contains the most famous paintings Russian artists of the 19th century with names and descriptions

The diverse painting of Russian artists since the beginning of the 19th century attracts with its originality and versatility in the domestic fine arts. Masters of painting of that time did not cease to amaze with their unique approach to the plot and reverent attitude to the feelings of people, to native nature. In the 19th century, portrait compositions were often painted with an amazing combination of an emotional image and an epicly calm motive.

The paintings of Russian artists are magnificent in craftsmanship and truly beautiful in perception, strikingly accurately reflected the breath of their time, the unique character of the people and their desire for beauty.

Canvases of Russian painters who are the most popular: Alexander Ivanov - bright representative picturesque biblical direction, in colors telling us about the episodes of the life of Jesus Christ.

Karl Bryullov - a painter popular in his time, his direction history painting, portrait subjects, romantic works.

Marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky, his paintings are magnificent and one might say simply unsurpassedly reflect the beauty of the sea with transparent rolling waves, sea sunsets and sailboats.

Distinctive versatility stands out works famous Ilya Repin, who created genre and monumental works reflecting the life of the people.

Very picturesque and large-scale paintings by the artist Vasily Surikov, the description of Russian history is his direction, in which the artist emphasized the episodes in colors life path Russian people.

Each artist is unique, for example, the picturesque master of fairy tales and epics Viktor Vasnetsov, unique in his style, is always juicy and bright, romantic canvases, the heroes of which are all of us famous heroes folk tales.

Each artist is unique, for example, the picturesque master of fairy tales and epics Viktor Vasnetsov, unique in his style, is always juicy and bright, romantic canvases, the heroes of which are the well-known heroes of folk tales. Very picturesque and large-scale paintings by the artist Vasily Surikov, the description of Russian history is his direction, in which the artist emphasized the episodes of the life path of the Russian people in colors.

In Russian painting of the 19th century, such a trend as critical realism, emphasizing ridicule, satire and humor in the plots. Of course, this was a new trend, not every artist could afford it. In this direction, such artists as Pavel Fedotov and Vasily Perov were determined.

Landscape painters of that time also occupied their niche, among them Isaac Levitan, Alexei Savrasov, Arkhip Kuindzhi, Vasily Polenov, the young artist Fyodor Vasiliev, the picturesque master of the forest, forest glades with pines and birches with mushrooms Ivan Shishkin. All of them colorfully and romantically reflected the beauty of Russian nature, the variety of forms and images of which is associated with the colossal potential of the surrounding world.

According to Levitan, in every note of Russian nature there is a unique colorful palette, hence there is a huge expanse for creativity. Perhaps this is the riddle that the canvases created in the vast expanses of Russia are distinguished by some exquisite severity, but, at the same time, they attract with discreet beauty, from which it is difficult to look away. Or not at all intricate and rather not catchy plot, Levitan's painting Dandelions, as it were, encourages the viewer to think and see the beauty in the simple.