It's more than beautiful pictures, this is a reflection of reality. In the works of great artists you can see how the world and the consciousness of people changed.

Art is also an attempt to create an alternative reality where you can hide from the horrors of your time, or a desire to change the world. The art of the 20th century rightfully occupies a special place in history. The people who lived and worked in those times experienced social upheavals, wars, and unprecedented developments in science; and all this found its mark on their canvases. 20th century artists took part in creating the modern vision of the world.

Some names are still pronounced with aspiration, while others are unfairly forgotten. Someone had such a controversial creative path that we still cannot give him an unambiguous assessment. This review is dedicated to the 20 greatest artists of the 20th century. Camille Pizarro- French painter. An outstanding representative of impressionism. The artist’s work was influenced by John Constable, Camille Corot, Jean Francois Millet.
Born July 10, 1830 in St. Thomas, died November 13, 1903 in Paris.

The Hermitage at Pontoise, 1868

Opera passage in Paris, 1898

Sunset at Varengeville, 1899

Edgar Degas - French artist, one of the greatest impressionists. Degas's work was influenced by Japanese graphics. Born on July 19, 1834 in Paris, he died on September 27, 1917 in Paris.

Absinthe, 1876

Star, 1877

Woman combing her hair, 1885

Paul Cezanne - French artist, one of the greatest representatives of post-impressionism. In his work he strove to reveal the harmony and balance of nature. His work had a tremendous influence on the worldview of artists of the 20th century.
Born January 19, 1839 in Aix-en-Provence, France, died October 22, 1906 in Aix-en-Provence.

Gamblers, 1893

Modern Olympia, 1873

Still life with skulls, 1900

Claude Monet- an outstanding French painter. One of the founders of impressionism. In his works, Monet sought to convey the richness and richness of the surrounding world. For him late period characterized by decorativeism and
The late period of Monet’s work was characterized by decorativeism, an increasing dissolution of object forms in sophisticated combinations of color spots.
Born November 14, 1840 in Paris, died December 5, 1926 in Jverny.

Welk Cliff at Pourville, 1882

After Lunch, 1873-1876

Etretat, sunset, 1883

Arkhip Kuindzhi - famous Russian artist, master landscape painting. Lost his parents early. WITH early years A love for painting began to manifest itself. The work of Arkhip Kuindzhi had a huge influence on Nicholas Roerich.
Born on January 15, 1841 in Mariupol, died on July 11, 1910 in St. Petersburg.

"Volga", 1890-1895

"North", 1879

"View of the Kremlin from Zamoskvorechye", 1882

Pierre Auguste Renoir - French artist, graphic artist, sculptor, one of the outstanding representatives of impressionism. He was also known as a master of secular portraiture. Auguste Rodin was the first impressionist to become popular among wealthy Parisians.
Born on February 25, 1841 in Limoges, France, died on December 2, 1919 in Paris.

Pont des Arts in Paris, 1867

Ball at the Moulin de la Galette, 1876

Jeanne Samary, 1877

Paul Gauguin- French artist, sculptor, ceramicist, graphic artist. Along with Paul Cezanne and Vincent van Gogh, he is one of the most prominent representatives of post-impressionism. The artist lived in poverty because his paintings were not in demand.
Born June 7, 1848 in Paris, died May 8, 1903 on the island of Hiva Oa, French Polynesia.

Breton landscape, 1894

Breton village in snow, 1888

Are you jealous? 1892

Saints' Day, 1894

Wassily Kandinsky - Russian and German artist, poet, art theorist. Considered one of the leaders of the avant-garde of the 1st half of the 20th century. He is one of the founders of abstract art.
Born on November 22, 1866 in Moscow, died on December 13, 1944 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.

Couple riding on horseback, 1918

A colorful life, 1907

Moscow 1, 1916

In grey, 1919

Henri Matisse - one of the greatest French artists and sculptors. One of the founders of the Fauvist movement. In his work, he strived to convey emotions through color. In his work he was influenced by the Islamic culture of the Western Maghreb. Born on December 31, 1869 in the city of Le Cateau, he died on November 3, 1954 in the town of Cimiez.

Square in Saint-Tropez, 1904

Outline of Notre Dame at night, 1902

Woman with a Hat, 1905

Dance, 1909

Italian, 1919

Portrait of Delectorskaya, 1934

Nicholas Roerich- Russian artist, writer, scientist, mystic. During his life he painted more than 7,000 paintings. One of the outstanding cultural figures of the 20th century, founder of the “Peace through Culture” movement.
Born on October 27, 1874 in St. Petersburg, died on December 13, 1947 in the city of Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Overseas guests, 1901

The Great Spirit of the Himalayas, 1923

Message from Shambhala, 1933

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin - Russian artist, graphic artist, theorist, writer, teacher. He was one of the ideologists of the reorganization of art education in the USSR.
Born on November 5, 1878 in the city of Khvalynsk, Saratov province, died on February 15, 1939 in Leningrad.

“1918 in Petrograd”, 1920

"Boys at Play", 1911

Bathing the Red Horse, 1912

Portrait of Anna Akhmatova

Kazimir Malevich- Russian artist, founder of Suprematism - a movement in abstract art, teacher, art theorist and philosopher
Born on February 23, 1879 in Kyiv, died on May 15, 1935 in Moscow.

Rest (Society in Top Hat), 1908

"Peasant women with buckets", 1912-1913

Black Suprematist Square, 1915

Suprematist painting, 1916

On the boulevard, 1903

Pablo Picasso- Spanish artist, sculptor, sculptor, ceramic designer. One of the founders of Cubism. The work of Pablo Picasso had a significant influence on the development of painting in the 20th century. According to a survey of Time magazine readers
Born October 25, 1881 in Malaga, Spain, died April 8, 1973 in Mougins, France.

Girl on a ball, 1905

Portrait of Ambroise Vallors, 1910

Three Graces

Portrait of Olga

Dance, 1919

Woman with a flower, 1930

Amadeo Modigliani - Italian artist, sculptor. One of the brightest representatives of expressionism. During his lifetime he had only one exhibition in December 1917 in Paris. Born July 12, 1884 in Livorno, Italy, died January 24, 1920 from tuberculosis. Received world recognition posthumously Received world recognition posthumously.

Cellist, 1909

The couple, 1917

Joan Hebuterne, 1918

Mediterranean landscape, 1918

Diego Rivera- Mexican painter, muralist, politician. He was the husband of Frida Kahlo. Leon Trotsky found shelter in their house for a short time.
Born December 8, 1886 in Guanajuato, died December 21, 1957 in Mexico City.

Notre Dame de Paris in the rain, 1909

Woman at the Well, 1913

Union of Peasants and Workers, 1924

Detroit Industry, 1932

Marc Chagall- Russian and French painter, graphic artist, illustrator, theater artist. One of the greatest representatives of the avant-garde.
Born on June 24, 1887 in the city of Liozno, Mogilev province, died on March 28, 1985 in Saint-Paul-de-Provence.

Anyuta (Portrait of a Sister), 1910

Bride with a Fan, 1911

Me and the Village, 1911

Adam and Eve, 1912

Mark Rothko(present Mark Rotkovich) - American artist, one of the founders of abstract expressionism and the founder of color field painting.
The artist's first works were created in a realistic spirit, however, then by the mid-40s, Mark Rothko turned to surrealism. By 1947, a major turning point occurred in the work of Mark Rothko; he created his own style - abstract expressionism, in which he moved away from objective elements.
Born on September 25, 1903 in the city of Dvinsk (now Daugavpils), died on February 25, 1970 in New York.

Untitled

Number 7 or 11

Orange and yellow

Salvador Dali- painter, graphic artist, sculptor, writer, designer, director. Perhaps the most famous representative surrealism and one of greatest artists XX century.
Designed by Chupa Chups.
Born May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Spain, died January 23, 1989 in Spain.

Temptation of Saint Anthony, 1946

Last Supper, 1955

Woman with a Head of Roses, 1935

My wife Gala, naked, looking at her body, 1945

Frida Kahlo - Mexican artist and graphic artist, one of the brightest representatives of surrealism.
Frida Kahlo began painting after a car accident, which left her bedridden for a year.
She was married to the famous Mexican communist artist Diego Rivera. Leon Trotsky found refuge in their house for a short time.
Born July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, Mexico, died July 13, 1954 in Coyoacan.

Embrace of Universal Love, Earth, Me, Diego and Coatl, 1949

Moses (Core of Creation), 1945

Two Fridas, 1939

Andy Warhol(present Andrei Varhola) - American artist, designer, director, producer, publisher, writer, collector. The founder of pop art, is one of the most controversial personalities in the history of culture. Several films have been made based on the artist's life.
Born on August 6, 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, died in 1963 in New York.

In German art, the end of the 19th century was marked by the emergence and development of various movements. The Art Nouveau style, which has become especially widespread here, finds its expression not only in architecture and applied arts, but also in painting and graphics, often joining with the decadent, reactionary trend of symbolism. German artists such as Franz Stuck (1863-1928), Max Klinger (1857-1920) and the Swiss Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901) who lived in Germany developed along the path of symbolism. Conscious isolation from modern public life, departure into the world of abstract, mystical ideas, turning to far-fetched fantastic or literary subjects characteristic, although to varying degrees, of the work of these artists. The nervous expressiveness of the images and the complicated form of expression are often combined in their works with dryness and naturalistic thoroughness of execution. The ornamental decorativeness and deliberate complexity of compositions and designs indicate the closeness of these artists to the Art Nouveau style. Conventional, marked by the features of a painful breakdown, the art of the Symbolists was at the end of the 19th century the most striking expression of the crisis of bourgeois culture in Germany.
Impressionism. Max Lieberman. In the late 1880s - early 1890s, impressionism received significant development in German art. Most major artist, who joined this trend was Max Liebermann (1847-1935). At the beginning of his creative path he developed traditions realistic art Menzel in portraits and genre paintings. In the latter he portrayed mainly folk life, often scenes of labor. They were distinguished by the realism of their interpretation, the democratic nature of the images (“The Shoemaker’s Workshop”, 1881, Berlin, National Gallery; “Preparing canned food”, 1880, Leipzig, Museum). Later, from the beginning of the 1890s, Lieberman became primarily a writer of everyday life secular society, especially willing to depict various outdoor scenes. In his interpretation, he follows the decisions and techniques of the French impressionists.
Among the most famous German impressionists is also the painter and graphic artist Lovis Corinth (1858-1925).

The biggest complaint against contemporary artists at all times was not that their art was ugly and incomprehensible. And the fact is that these artists are most often uneducated, impatient, do not know how to read books, and do not want to know that everything has already been invented before them; only better, more beautiful and with a more harmonious aesthetic base. And the bright artists of the past, whom they focus on, exist on the horizon of art not individually, but in the form of constellations.

For example, Joseph Beuys belonged to the “New Wild” movement, which was described in two related texts Natalie Nikolenko . The first post is dedicated, in fact, to the movement and a story about what methods its representatives used in their search for expressive means. Here are excerpts from it:

Since the 60s of the 20th century, there has been a revival of interest in expressionism and fauvism among European artists, which took shape in the early 80s in the “New Savages” movement (the name is reminiscent of the Fauvists - the “old wilds”). The goal of the movement is to update artistic vision, resorting to various means, even aesthetic shock.

Particularly consistent in the search for new expressive means and themes were German and Austrian artists, who gravitated toward impulsiveness and emotionality, opposing themselves to conceptualism and hyperrealism. Their painting, while maintaining figurativeness, is distinguished by a kind of “barbaric lyricism”, includes a lot of mysterious signs, and often merges with the style of graffiti.

The exhibition, held in Berlin in 1982, aimed to look at artistic heritage past from the perspective of postmodern culture. They wanted to free themselves through their art from the repressive restrictions of the intellect in art in the last decade. This desire was so obsessive that even in some German critical articles the movement, New Wild, is called “obsessive painting”
One of the most influential artists and theorists of postmodernism of the 20th century, a participant in the 1982 Exhibition in Berlin was Joseph Beuys (German: Joseph Beuys, 1921-1986), a former Luftwaffe pilot who was in Russian and English captivity, a former and dismissed professor at the Düsseldorf Art Academy, leftist oppositionist who adhered to anarcho-utopian principles

The second post is a continuation of the list of Neue Wilde artists, with an additional slideshow accompanied by psychedelic music:

The calling cards of the German avant-garde at the beginning of the 20th century were expressionism and abstract painting, but then Germany lost not only the general modernist aesthetic context, but also lost its cultural continuity during the period of National Socialism. The significance of the New Wild, the post-war generation of West German neo-expressionist artists, is that they brought back European art lost in post-war period world fame, which for a time passed to American abstract expressionism. The phenomenon of "New Wild" is a synthesis of the revived in the new historical stage German Expressionism, Abstract Painting and American Abstract Expressionism with certain allusions to the Romantic traditions in German culture. It can be confidently called an epoch-making event in the history of culture of the 20th century.

Let's continue our story about several "New Wild" - leading representatives, in my opinion, of this trend in painting.

Hans Peter Adamski (Hans_Peter_Adamski, 1947), German artist and graphic artist, a prominent representative of the “New Wild” of the 80s in Cologne, studied in Münster and Düsseldorf, traveled for 5 years in India, Afghanistan and Indonesia, worked in Italy, France and the USA . Today he works at the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden.

"Card Players"

Author

Paul Cezanne

Country France
Years of life 1839–1906
Style post-impressionism

The artist was born in the south of France in the small town of Aix-en-Provence, but began painting in Paris. Real success came to him after a personal exhibition organized by collector Ambroise Vollard. In 1886, 20 years before his departure, he moved to the outskirts of his hometown. Young artists called trips to him “a pilgrimage to Aix.”

130x97 cm
1895
price
$250 million
sold in 2012
at private auction

Cezanne's work is easy to understand. The artist’s only rule was the direct transfer of an object or plot onto the canvas, so his paintings do not cause bewilderment to the viewer. Cezanne combined in his art two main French traditions: classicism and romanticism. With the help of colorful textures, he gave the shape of objects amazing plasticity.

The series of five paintings “Card Players” was painted in 1890–1895. Their plot is the same - several people enthusiastically play poker. The works differ only in the number of players and the size of the canvas.

Four paintings are kept in museums in Europe and America (Museum d'Orsay, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation and the Courtauld Institute of Art), and the fifth, until recently, was an adornment of the private collection of the Greek billionaire shipowner Georg Embirikos. Shortly before his death, in the winter of 2011, he decided to put it up for sale. Potential buyers of Cezanne’s “free” work were art dealer William Acquavella and world-famous gallery owner Larry Gagosian, who offered about $220 million for it. As a result, the painting went to the royal family of the Arab state of Qatar for 250 million. The largest art deal in the history of painting was closed in February 2012. Journalist Alexandra Pierce reported this in Vanity Fair. She found out the cost of the painting and the name of the new owner, and then the information penetrated the media around the world.

In 2010, the Arab Museum of Modern Art and the Qatar National Museum opened in Qatar. Now their collections are growing. Perhaps the fifth version of The Card Players was acquired by the sheikh for this purpose.

The mostexpensive paintingin the world

Owner
Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa al-Thani

The al-Thani dynasty has ruled Qatar for more than 130 years. About half a century ago, huge reserves of oil and gas were discovered here, which instantly made Qatar one of the richest regions in the world. Thanks to the export of hydrocarbons, this small country has the largest GDP per capita. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani seized power in 1995, while his father was in Switzerland, with the support of family members. The merit of the current ruler, according to experts, is in a clear strategy for the country’s development and in creating a successful image of the state. Qatar now has a constitution and a prime minister, and women have the right to vote in parliamentary elections. By the way, it was the Emir of Qatar who founded the Al-Jazeera news channel. The authorities of the Arab state pay great attention to culture.

2

"Number 5"

Author

Jackson Pollock

Country USA
Years of life 1912–1956
Style abstract expressionism

Jack the Sprinkler - this was the nickname given to Pollock by the American public for his special painting technique. The artist abandoned the brush and easel, and poured paint over the surface of the canvas or fiberboard during continuous movement around and inside them. From an early age, he was interested in the philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurti, the main message of which is that the truth is revealed during a free “outpouring.”

122x244 cm
1948
price
$140 million
sold in 2006
at auction Sotheby's

The value of Pollock's work lies not in the result, but in the process. It is no coincidence that the author called his art “action painting.” With his light hand, it became the main asset of America. Jackson Pollock mixed paint with sand, broken glass, but wrote with a piece of cardboard, a palette knife, a knife, a scoop. The artist was so popular that in the 1950s imitators were found even in the USSR. The painting “Number 5” is recognized as one of the strangest and most expensive in the world. One of the founders of DreamWorks, David Geffen, purchased it for a private collection, and in 2006 sold it at Sotheby's auction for $140 million to Mexican collector David Martinez. However, the law firm soon issued a press release on behalf of its client stating that David Martinez was not the owner of the painting. Only one thing is known for certain: the Mexican financier is really in lately collected works of modern art. It is unlikely that he would have missed such a “big fish” as Pollock’s “Number 5”.

3

"Woman III"

Author

Willem de Kooning

Country USA
Years of life 1904–1997
Style abstract expressionism

A native of the Netherlands, he immigrated to the United States in 1926. In 1948, the artist’s personal exhibition took place. Art critics appreciated the complex, nervous black and white compositions, recognizing their author as a great modernist artist. He suffered from alcoholism for most of his life, but the joy of creating new art is felt in every work. De Kooning is distinguished by the impulsiveness of his painting and broad strokes, which is why sometimes the image does not fit within the boundaries of the canvas.

121x171 cm
1953
price
$137 million
sold in 2006
at private auction

In the 1950s, women with empty eyes, massive breasts, and ugly facial features appeared in de Kooning’s paintings. "Woman III" was the last work from this series to be auctioned.

Since the 1970s, the painting was kept in the Tehran Museum of Modern Art, but after the introduction of strict moral rules in the country, they tried to get rid of it. In 1994, the work was exported from Iran, and 12 years later its owner David Geffen (the same producer who sold Jackson Pollock’s “Number 5”) sold the painting to millionaire Steven Cohen for $137.5 million. It is interesting that in one year Geffen began to sell off his collection of paintings. This gave rise to a lot of rumors: for example, that the producer decided to buy the Los Angeles Times newspaper.

At one of the art forums, an opinion was expressed about the similarity of “Woman III” with the painting “Lady with an Ermine” by Leonardo da Vinci. Behind the toothy smile and shapeless figure of the heroine, the connoisseur of painting saw the grace of a person of royal blood. This is also evidenced by the poorly drawn crown crowning the woman’s head.

4

"Portrait of AdeleBloch-Bauer I"

Author

Gustav Klimt

Country Austria
Years of life 1862–1918
Style modern

Gustav Klimt was born into the family of an engraver and was the second of seven children. Three sons of Ernest Klimt became artists, but only Gustav became famous throughout the world. He spent most of his childhood in poverty. After his father's death, he became responsible for the entire family. It was at this time that Klimt developed his style. Any viewer freezes in front of his paintings: frank eroticism is clearly visible under the thin strokes of gold.

138x136 cm
1907
price
$135 million
sold in 2006
at auction Sotheby's

The fate of the painting, which is called the “Austrian Mona Lisa,” could easily become the basis for a bestseller. The artist’s work caused a conflict between an entire state and one elderly lady.

So, “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” depicts an aristocrat, the wife of Ferdinand Bloch. Her last wish was to donate the painting to the Austrian State Gallery. However, Bloch canceled the donation in his will, and the Nazis expropriated the painting. Later, the gallery with difficulty bought the Golden Adele, but then an heiress appeared - Maria Altman, the niece of Ferdinand Bloch.

In 2005, the high-profile trial “Maria Altmann against the Republic of Austria” began, as a result of which the film “left” with her for Los Angeles. Austria took unprecedented measures: negotiations were held on loans, the population donated money to buy the portrait. Good never defeated evil: Altman raised the price to $300 million. At the time of the proceedings, she was 79 years old, and she went down in history as the person who changed Bloch-Bauer’s will in favor of personal interests. The painting was purchased by Ronald Lauder, owner of " New gallery"in New York, where it is located to this day. Not for Austria, for him Altman reduced the price to $135 million.

5

"Scream"

Author

Edvard Munch

Country Norway
Years of life 1863–1944
Style expressionism

Munch’s first painting, which became famous throughout the world, “The Sick Girl” (there are five copies) is dedicated to the artist’s sister, who died of tuberculosis at the age of 15. Munch was always interested in the theme of death and loneliness. In Germany, his heavy, manic painting even provoked a scandal. However, despite the depressive subjects, his paintings have a special magnetism. Take "Scream" for example.

73.5x91 cm
1895
price
$119.992 million
sold in 2012
at auction Sotheby's

The full title of the painting is Der Schrei der Natur (translated from German as “the cry of nature”). The face of either a human or an alien expresses despair and panic - the same emotions the viewer experiences when looking at the picture. One of key works expressionism warns of themes that have become acute in the art of the 20th century. According to one version, the artist created it under the influence of a mental disorder that he suffered from all his life.

The painting was stolen twice from different museums, but was returned. Slightly damaged after the theft, The Scream was restored and was again ready for display at the Munch Museum in 2008. For representatives of pop culture, the work became a source of inspiration: Andy Warhol created a series of print copies of it, and the mask from the film “Scream” was made in the image and likeness of the hero of the picture.

For one subject, Munch wrote four versions of the work: the one that is in a private collection is made in pastels. Norwegian billionaire Petter Olsen put it up for auction on May 2, 2012. The buyer was Leon Black, who did not regret for “Scream” record amount. Founder of Apollo Advisors, L.P. and Lion Advisors, L.P. known for his love of art. Black is a patron of Dartmouth College, the Museum of Modern Art, the Lincoln Art Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It has the largest collection of paintings contemporary artists and classical masters of past centuries.

6

"Nude against the background of a bust and green leaves"

Author

Pablo Picasso

Country Spain, France
Years of life 1881–1973
Style cubism

He is Spanish by origin, but by spirit and place of residence he is a true Frenchman. Picasso opened his own art studio in Barcelona when he was only 16 years old. Then he went to Paris and spent most of his life there. That is why his surname has a double accent. The style invented by Picasso is based on the denial of the idea that an object depicted on canvas can only be viewed from one angle.

130x162 cm
1932
price
$106.482 million
sold in 2010
at auction Christie's

During his work in Rome, the artist met dancer Olga Khokhlova, who soon became his wife. He put an end to vagrancy and moved into a luxurious apartment with her. By that time, recognition had found the hero, but the marriage was destroyed. One of the most expensive paintings world was created almost by accident - by great love, which, as always with Picasso, was short-lived. In 1927, he became interested in the young Marie-Therese Walter (she was 17 years old, he was 45). Secretly from his wife, he left with his mistress to a town near Paris, where he painted a portrait, depicting Marie-Therese in the image of Daphne. The canvas was purchased by New York dealer Paul Rosenberg, and in 1951 he sold it to Sidney F. Brody. The Brodys showed the painting to the world only once and only because the artist was turning 80 years old. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Brody put the work up for auction at Christie’s in March 2010. Over six decades, the price has increased more than 5,000 times! An unknown collector bought it for $106.5 million. In 2011, an “exhibition of one painting” took place in Britain, where it was released for the second time, but the name of the owner is still unknown.

7

"Eight Elvises"

Author

Andy Warhol

Country USA
Years of life 1928-1987
Style
pop art

“Sex and parties are the only places you should appear in person“- said the cult pop art artist, director, one of the founders of Interview magazine, designer Andy Warhol. He worked with Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, designed record covers, and designed shoes for the I.Miller company. In the 1960s, paintings appeared depicting symbols of America: Campbell's soup and Coca-Cola, Presley and Monroe - which made him a legend.

358x208 cm
1963
price
$100 million
sold in 2008
at private auction

The Warhol 60s was the name given to the era of pop art in America. In 1962, he worked in Manhattan at the Factory studio, where all the bohemians of New York gathered. Its prominent representatives: Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Truman Capote and other famous personalities in the world. At the same time, Warhol tested the technique of silk-screen printing - repeated repetition of one image. He also used this method when creating “The Eight Elvises”: the viewer seems to be seeing footage from a movie where the star comes to life. It has everything that the artist loved so much: a win-win public image, silver color and the premonition of death as the main message.

There are two art dealers promoting Warhol's work on the world market today: Larry Gagosian and Alberto Mugrabi. The former spent $200 million in 2008 to acquire more than 15 works by Warhol. The second one buys and sells his paintings like Christmas cards, only at a higher price. But it was not they, but the modest French art consultant Philippe Segalot who helped the Roman art connoisseur Annibale Berlinghieri sell “Eight Elvises” to an unknown buyer for a record amount for Warhol – $100 million.

8

"Orange,red, yellow"

Author

Mark Rothko

Country USA
Years of life 1903–1970
Style abstract expressionism

One of the creators of color field painting was born in Dvinsk, Russia (now Daugavpils, Latvia), into a large family of a Jewish pharmacist. In 1911 they emigrated to the USA. Rothko studied at the Yale University art department and won a scholarship, but anti-Semitic sentiments forced him to leave his studies. Despite everything, art critics idolized the artist, and museums pursued him all his life.

206x236 cm
1961
price
$86.882 million
sold in 2012
at auction Christie's

Rothko's first artistic experiments were of a surrealist orientation, but over time he simplified the plot to color spots, depriving them of any objectivity. At first they had bright shades, and in the 1960s they became brown and purple, thickening to black by the time of the artist’s death. Mark Rothko warned against looking for any meaning in his paintings. The author wanted to say exactly what he said: only color dissolving in the air, and nothing more. He recommended viewing the works from a distance of 45 cm, so that the viewer would be “drawn” into the color, like into a funnel. Be careful: viewing according to all the rules can lead to the effect of meditation, that is, the awareness of infinity, complete immersion in oneself, relaxation, and purification gradually come. Color in his paintings lives, breathes and has the strongest influence. emotional impact(they say sometimes it’s healing). The artist declared: “The viewer should cry while looking at them,” and such cases actually happened. According to Rothko's theory, at this moment people live the same spiritual experience as he did while working on the painting. If you were able to understand it on such a subtle level, you will not be surprised that these works of abstract art are often compared by critics to icons.

The work “Orange, Red, Yellow” expresses the essence of Mark Rothko’s painting. Its initial price at Christie’s auction in New York is $35–45 million. An unknown buyer offered a price twice the estimate. The name of the lucky owner of the painting, as often happens, is not disclosed.

9

"Triptych"

Author

Francis Bacon

Country
United Kingdom
Years of life 1909–1992
Style expressionism

The adventures of Francis Bacon, a complete namesake and also a distant descendant of the great philosopher, began when his father disowned him, unable to accept his son’s homosexual inclinations. Bacon went first to Berlin, then to Paris, and then his tracks became confused throughout Europe. During his lifetime, his works were exhibited in leading cultural centers world, including the Guggenheim Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery.

147.5x198 cm (each)
1976
price
$86.2 million
sold in 2008
at auction Sotheby's

Prestigious museums sought to possess Bacon's paintings, but the prim English public was in no hurry to fork out for such art. The legendary British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said about him: “The man who paints these terrifying pictures.”

The artist himself considered the post-war period to be the starting period in his work. Returning from service, he took up painting again and created major masterpieces. Before the participation of “Triptych, 1976,” Bacon’s most expensive work was “Study for a Portrait of Pope Innocent X” ($52.7 million). In “Triptych, 1976” the artist depicted the mythical plot of the persecution of Orestes by the Furies. Of course, Orestes is Bacon himself, and the Furies are his torment. For more than 30 years, the painting was in a private collection and did not participate in exhibitions. This fact gives it special value and, accordingly, increases the cost. But what is a few million for an art connoisseur, and a generous one at that? Roman Abramovich began creating his collection in the 1990s, in which he was significantly influenced by his friend Dasha Zhukova, who became a fashionable gallery owner in modern Russia. According to unofficial data, the businessman personally owns works by Alberto Giacometti and Pablo Picasso, purchased for amounts exceeding $100 million. In 2008 he became the owner of the Triptych. By the way, in 2011, another valuable work by Bacon was acquired - “Three Sketches for a Portrait of Lucian Freud.” Hidden sources say that Roman Arkadyevich again became the buyer.

10

"Pond with water lilies"

Author

Claude Monet

Country France
Years of life 1840–1926
Style impressionism

The artist is recognized as the founder of impressionism, who “patented” this method in his paintings. The first significant work was the painting “Luncheon on the Grass” (the original version of the work by Edouard Manet). In his youth he drew caricatures, and took up real painting during his travels along the coast and in the open air. In Paris he led a bohemian lifestyle and did not leave it even after serving in the army.

210x100 cm
1919
price
$80.5 million
sold in 2008
at auction Christie's

In addition to the fact that Monet was a great artist, he was also passionate about gardening and loved wildlife and flowers. In his landscapes, the state of nature is momentary, objects seem to be blurred by the movement of air. The impression is enhanced by large strokes; from a certain distance they become invisible and merge into a textured, three-dimensional image. In the paintings of late Monet, the theme of water and life in it occupies a special place. In the town of Giverny, the artist had his own pond, where he grew water lilies from seeds specially brought by him from Japan. When their flowers bloomed, he began to draw. The “Water Lilies” series consists of 60 works that the artist painted over almost 30 years, until his death. His vision deteriorated with age, but he did not stop. Depending on the wind, time of year and weather, the appearance of the pond was constantly changing, and Monet wanted to capture these changes. Through careful work, he came to understand the essence of nature. Some of the paintings in the series are kept in leading galleries in the world: the National Museum of Western Art (Tokyo), the Orangerie (Paris). A version of the next “Pond with Water Lilies” went into the hands of an unknown buyer for a record amount.

11

False Star t

Author

Jasper Johns

Country USA
Year of birth 1930
Style pop art

In 1949, Jones entered design school in New York. Along with Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and others, he is recognized as one of the main artists of the 20th century. In 2012, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.

137.2x170.8 cm
1959
price
$80 million
sold in 2006
at private auction

Like Marcel Duchamp, Jones worked with real objects, depicting them on canvas and in sculpture in full accordance with the original. For his works, he used simple and understandable objects: a beer bottle, a flag or cards. There is no clear composition in the film False Start. The artist seems to be playing with the viewer, often “wrongly” labeling the colors in the painting, inverting the very concept of color: “I wanted to find a way to depict color so that it could be determined by some other method.” His most explosive and “unconfident” painting, according to critics, was acquired by an unknown buyer.

12

"Seatednudeon the sofa"

Author

Amedeo Modigliani

Country Italy, France
Years of life 1884–1920
Style expressionism

Modigliani was often ill since childhood; during a feverish delirium, he recognized his destiny as an artist. He studied drawing in Livorno, Florence, Venice, and in 1906 he went to Paris, where his art flourished.

65x100 cm
1917
price
$68.962 million
sold in 2010
at auction Sotheby's

In 1917, Modigliani met 19-year-old Jeanne Hebuterne, who became his model and then his wife. In 2004, one of her portraits sold for $31.3 million, the last record before the sale of Nude Seated on a Sofa in 2010. The painting was purchased by an unknown buyer for the maximum price for Modigliani at at the moment price. Active sales works began only after the artist's death. He died in poverty, sick with tuberculosis, and the next day Jeanne Hebuterne, who was nine months pregnant, also committed suicide.

13

"Eagle on a Pine"

Author

Qi Baishi

Country China
Years of life 1864–1957
Style Guohua

Interest in calligraphy led Qi Baishi to painting. At the age of 28, he became a student of the artist Hu Qingyuan. The Chinese Ministry of Culture awarded him the title of "Great Artist of the Chinese People", and in 1956 he received the International Peace Prize.

10x26 cm
1946
price
$65.4 million
sold in 2011
at auction China Guardian

Qi Baishi was interested in those manifestations of the surrounding world that many do not attach importance to, and this is his greatness. A man without education became a professor and an outstanding creator in history. Pablo Picasso said about him: “I am afraid to go to your country, because there is Qi Baishi in China.” The composition “Eagle on a Pine Tree” is recognized as the artist’s largest work. In addition to the canvas, it includes two hieroglyphic scrolls. For China, the amount for which the work was purchased represents a record - 425.5 million yuan. The scroll of the ancient calligrapher Huang Tingjian alone was sold for 436.8 million.

14

"1949-A-No. 1"

Author

Clyfford Still

Country USA
Years of life 1904–1980
Style abstract expressionism

At the age of 20, I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and was disappointed. Later he signed up for a course at the Student Arts League, but left 45 minutes after the start of the class - it turned out to be “not for him.” The first personal exhibition caused a resonance, the artist found himself, and with it recognition

79x93 cm
1949
price
$61.7 million
sold in 2011
at auction Sotheby's

Still bequeathed all his works, more than 800 canvases and 1,600 works on paper, to an American city where a museum named after him will be opened. Denver became such a city, but construction alone was expensive for the authorities, and to complete it, four works were put up for auction. Still's works are unlikely to be auctioned again, which has increased their price in advance. The painting “1949-A-No.1” was sold for a record amount for the artist, although experts predicted the sale for a maximum of 25–35 million dollars.

15

"Suprematist composition"

Author

Kazimir Malevich

Country Russia
Years of life 1878–1935
Style Suprematism

Malevich studied painting at the Kyiv Art School, then at the Moscow Academy of Arts. In 1913, he began to paint abstract geometric paintings in a style he called Suprematism (from the Latin for “dominance”).

71x 88.5 cm
1916
price
$60 million
sold in 2008
at auction Sotheby's

The painting was kept in the Amsterdam City Museum for about 50 years, but after a 17-year dispute with Malevich's relatives, the museum gave it away. The artist painted this work in the same year as the “Manifesto of Suprematism,” so Sotheby’s announced even before the auction that it would not go into a private collection for less than $60 million. And so it happened. It is better to look at it from above: the figures on the canvas resemble an aerial view of the earth. By the way, a few years earlier, the same relatives expropriated another “Suprematist Composition” from the MoMA Museum in order to sell it at the Phillips auction for $17 million.

16

"Bathers"

Author

Paul Gauguin

Country France
Years of life 1848–1903
Style post-impressionism

Until the age of seven, the artist lived in Peru, then returned to France with his family, but childhood memories constantly pushed him to travel. In France, he began to paint and became friends with Van Gogh. He even spent several months with him in Arles, until Van Gogh cut off his ear during a quarrel.

93.4x60.4 cm
1902
price
$55 million
sold in 2005
at auction Sotheby's

In 1891, Gauguin organized a sale of his paintings in order to use the proceeds to travel deep into the island of Tahiti. There he created works in which a subtle connection between nature and man is felt. Gauguin lived in a thatched hut, and a tropical paradise blossomed on his canvases. His wife was 13-year-old Tahitian Tehura, which did not stop the artist from engaging in promiscuous relationships. Having contracted syphilis, he left for France. However, it was crowded for Gauguin there, and he returned to Tahiti. This period is called the “second Tahitian” - it was then that the painting “Bathers” was painted, one of the most luxurious in his work.

17

"Daffodils and tablecloth in blue and pink tones"

Author

Henri Matisse

Country France
Years of life 1869–1954
Style Fauvism

In 1889, Henri Matisse suffered an attack of appendicitis. When he was recovering from surgery, his mother bought him paints. At first, Matisse copied color postcards out of boredom, then he copied works of great painters that he saw in the Louvre, and at the beginning of the 20th century he came up with a style - Fauvism.

65.2x81 cm
1911
price
$46.4 million
sold in 2009
at auction Christie's

Painting "Daffodils and tablecloth in blue and pink tones" for a long time belonged to Yves Saint Laurent. After the death of the couturier, his entire art collection passed into the hands of his friend and lover Pierre Berger, who decided to put it up for auction at Christie’s. The pearl of the sold collection was the painting “Daffodils and a tablecloth in blue and pink tones,” painted on an ordinary tablecloth instead of canvas. As an example of Fauvism, it is filled with the energy of color, the colors seem to explode and scream. From the famous series of paintings painted on tablecloths, today this work is the only one that is in a private collection.

18

"Sleeping Girl"

Author

RoyLee

htenstein

Country USA
Years of life 1923–1997
Style pop art

The artist was born in New York, and after graduating from school, he went to Ohio, where he took art courses. In 1949, Lichtenstein received a Master of Fine Arts degree. His interest in comics and his ability to use irony made him a cult artist of the last century.

91x91 cm
1964
price
$44.882 million
sold in 2012
at auction Sotheby's

One day, chewing gum fell into Lichtenstein's hands. He redrew the picture from the insert onto canvas and became famous. This story from his biography contains the entire message of pop art: consumption - new god, and there is no less beauty in a chewing gum wrapper than in the Mona Lisa. His paintings are reminiscent of comics and cartoons: Lichtenstein simply enlarged the finished image, drew rasters, used screen printing and silk-screen printing. The painting “Sleeping Girl” belonged to collectors Beatrice and Philip Gersh for almost 50 years, whose heirs sold it at auction.

19

"Victory. Boogie-woogie"

Author

Piet Mondrian

Country Netherlands
Years of life 1872–1944
Style neoplasticism

My real name– Cornelis – the artist changed to Mondrian when he moved to Paris in 1912. Together with the artist Theo van Doesburg, he founded the Neoplasticism movement. The Piet programming language is named after Mondrian.

27x127 cm
1944
price
$40 million
sold in 1998
at auction Sotheby's

The most “musical” of the 20th century artists made a living from watercolor still lifes, although he became famous as a neoplastic artist. He moved to the USA in the 1940s and spent the rest of his life there. Jazz and New York are what inspired him the most! Painting “Victory. Boogie-Woogie" is the best example of this. The signature neat squares were achieved using adhesive tape, Mondrian’s favorite material. In America he was called “the most famous immigrant.” In the sixties, Yves Saint Laurent released world-famous Mondrian dresses with a large colored check print.

20

"Composition No. 5"

Author

VasilyKandinsky

Country Russia
Years of life 1866–1944
Style avant-garde

The artist was born in Moscow, and his father was from Siberia. After the revolution, he tried to cooperate with the Soviet government, but soon realized that the laws of the proletariat were not created for him, and not without difficulties he emigrated to Germany.

275x190 cm
1911
price
$40 million
sold in 2007
at auction Sotheby's

Kandinsky was one of the first to completely abandon object painting, for which he received the title of genius. During Nazism in Germany, his paintings were classified as “degenerate art” and were not exhibited anywhere. In 1939, Kandinsky took French citizenship, and in Paris he freely participated in the artistic process. His paintings “sound” like fugues, which is why many are called “compositions” (the first was written in 1910, the last in 1939). “Composition No. 5” is one of key works in this genre: “The word “composition” sounded like a prayer to me,” said the artist. Unlike many of his followers, he planned what he would depict on a huge canvas, as if he were writing notes.

21

"Study of a Woman in Blue"

Author

Fernand Léger

Country France
Years of life 1881–1955
Style cubism-post-impressionism

Léger received an architectural education and then attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The artist considered himself a follower of Cezanne, was an apologist for Cubism, and in the 20th century was also successful as a sculptor.

96.5x129.5 cm
1912–1913
price
$39.2 million
sold in 2008
at auction Sotheby's

David Norman, president of the international department of impressionism and modernism at Sotheby's, considers the huge amount paid for “The Lady in Blue” to be completely justified. The painting belongs to the famous Léger collection (the artist painted three paintings on the same subject, the last of them is in private hands today. - Ed.), and the surface of the canvas has been preserved in its original form. The author himself gave this work to the Der Sturm gallery, then it ended up in the collection of Hermann Lang, a German collector of modernism, and now belongs to an unknown buyer.

22

“Street scene. Berlin"

Author

Ernst LudwigKirchner

Country Germany
Years of life 1880–1938
Style expressionism

For German expressionism, Kirchner became an iconic person. However local authorities They accused him of adhering to “degenerate art,” which tragically affected the fate of his paintings and the life of the artist, who committed suicide in 1938.

95x121 cm
1913
price
$38.096 million
sold in 2006
at auction Christie's

After moving to Berlin, Kirchner created 11 sketches street scenes. He was inspired by turmoil and nervousness big city. In the painting, sold in 2006 in New York, the artist’s anxious state is especially acutely felt: people on a Berlin street resemble birds - graceful and dangerous. It was the last work from the famous series sold at auction; the rest are kept in museums. In 1937, the Nazis treated Kirchner harshly: 639 of his works were removed from German galleries, destroyed or sold abroad. The artist could not survive this.

23

"Vacationist"dancer"

Author

Edgar Degas

Country France
Years of life 1834–1917
Style impressionism

Degas's history as an artist began with his work as a copyist at the Louvre. He dreamed of becoming “famous and unknown,” and in the end he succeeded. At the end of his life, deaf and blind, 80-year-old Degas continued to attend exhibitions and auctions.

64x59 cm
1879
price
$37.043 million
sold in 2008
at auction Sotheby's

“Ballerinas have always been for me just an excuse to depict fabrics and capture movement,” said Degas. Scenes from the lives of the dancers seem to have been spied on: the girls do not pose for the artist, but simply become part of the atmosphere caught by Degas’s gaze. "The Resting Dancer" was sold for $28 million in 1999, and less than 10 years later it was bought for $37 million - today it is the most expensive work artist ever put up for auction. Degas paid great attention to frames, designed them himself and forbade them to be changed. I wonder what frame is installed on the painting sold?

24

"Painting"

Author

Joan Miro

Country Spain
Years of life 1893–1983
Style abstract art

During civil war in Spain the artist was on the side of the Republicans. In 1937, he fled from the fascist regime to Paris, where he lived in poverty with his family. During this period, Miro painted the painting “Help Spain!”, drawing the attention of the whole world to the dominance of fascism.

89x115 cm
1927
price
$36.824 million
sold in 2012
at auction Sotheby's

The second title of the painting is “Blue Star”. The artist painted it in the same year when he announced: “I want to kill painting” and mercilessly mocked the canvases, scratching the paint with nails, gluing feathers to the canvas, covering the works with garbage. His goal was to debunk the myths about the mystery of painting, but having coped with this, Miro created his own myth - surreal abstraction. His “Painting” belongs to the cycle of “dream paintings”. At the auction, four buyers fought for it, but one phone call incognito resolved the dispute, and “Painting” became the artist’s most expensive painting.

25

"Blue Rose"

Author

Yves Klein

Country France
Years of life 1928–1962
Style monochrome painting

The artist was born into a family of painters, but studied oriental languages, navigation, the craft of a frame gilder, Zen Buddhism and much more. His personality and cheeky antics were many times more interesting than monochrome paintings.

153x199x16 cm
1960
price
$36.779 million
sold in 2012
at Christie's auction

The first exhibition of monochromatic yellow, orange, and pink works did not arouse public interest. Klein was offended and next time presented 11 identical canvases, painted with ultramarine mixed with a special synthetic resin. He even patented this method. The color went down in history as “international blue Klein." The artist also sold emptiness, created paintings by exposing paper to the rain, setting fire to cardboard, making prints of a person’s body on canvas. In a word, I experimented as best I could. To create “Blue Rose” I used dry pigments, resins, pebbles and a natural sponge.

26

"In Search of Moses"

Author

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Country United Kingdom
Years of life 1836–1912
Style neoclassicism

Sir Lawrence himself added the prefix “alma” to his surname in order to art catalogs appear first. In Victorian England, his paintings were so in demand that the artist was awarded a knighthood.

213.4x136.7 cm
1902
price
$35.922 million
sold in 2011
at auction Sotheby's

The main theme of Alma-Tadema's work was antiquity. In the paintings he tried to the smallest details to depict the era of the Roman Empire, for this he even carried out archaeological excavations on the Apennine Peninsula, and in his London house he reproduced the historical interior of those years. Mythological subjects became another source of inspiration for him. The artist was extremely in demand during his lifetime, but after his death he was quickly forgotten. Now interest is being revived, as evidenced by the cost of the painting “In Search of Moses,” which is seven times higher than the pre-sale estimate.

27

"Portrait of a sleeping naked official"

Author

Lucian Freud

Country Germany,
United Kingdom
Years of life 1922–2011
Style figurative painting

The artist is the grandson of Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. After the establishment of fascism in Germany, his family emigrated to Great Britain. Freud's works are in the Wallace Collection Museum in London, where no contemporary artist has previously exhibited.

219.1x151.4 cm
1995
price
$33.6 million
sold in 2008
at auction Christie's

While fashionable artists of the 20th century created positive “color spots on the wall” and sold them for millions, Freud painted extremely naturalistic paintings and sold them for even more. “I capture the cries of the soul and the suffering of fading flesh,” he said. Critics believe that all this is the “legacy” of Sigmund Freud. The paintings were so actively exhibited and sold successfully that experts began to doubt: do they have hypnotic properties? The Portrait of a Nude Sleeping Official, sold at auction, according to the Sun, was purchased by a connoisseur of beauty and billionaire Roman Abramovich.

28

"Violin and Guitar"

Author

Xone Gris

Country Spain
Years of life 1887–1927
Style cubism

Born in Madrid, where he graduated from the School of Arts and Crafts. In 1906 he moved to Paris and entered the circle of the most influential artists of the era: Picasso, Modigliani, Braque, Matisse, Léger, and also worked with Sergei Diaghilev and his troupe.

5x100 cm
1913
price
$28.642 million
sold in 2010
at auction Christie's

Gris, in his own words, was engaged in “planar, colored architecture.” His paintings are precisely thought out: he did not leave a single random stroke, which makes creativity similar to geometry. The artist created his own version of cubism, although he greatly respected Pablo Picasso, the founding father of the movement. The successor even dedicated his first work in the cubist style, “Tribute to Picasso,” to him. The painting “Violin and Guitar” is recognized as outstanding in the artist’s work. During his lifetime, Gris was famous and favored by critics and art critics. His works are exhibited in the world's largest museums and are kept in private collections.

29

"PortraitFields of Eluard"

Author

Salvador Dali

Country Spain
Years of life 1904–1989
Style surrealism

“Surrealism is me,” Dali said when he was expelled from the surrealist group. Over time, he became the most famous surrealist artist. Dali's work is everywhere, not just in galleries. For example, it was he who came up with the packaging for Chupa Chups.

25x33 cm
1929
price
$20.6 million
sold in 2011
at auction Sotheby's

In 1929, the poet Paul Eluard and his Russian wife Gala came to visit the great provocateur and brawler Dali. The meeting was the beginning of a love story that lasted more than half a century. The painting “Portrait of Paul Eluard” was painted during this historic visit. “I felt that I was entrusted with the responsibility of capturing the face of the poet, from whose Olympus I stole one of the muses,” said the artist. Before meeting Gala, he was a virgin and was disgusted at the thought of sex with a woman. The love triangle existed until Eluard's death, after which it became the Dali-Gala duet.

30

"Anniversary"

Author

Marc Chagall

Country Russia, France
Years of life 1887–1985
Style avant-garde

Moishe Segal was born in Vitebsk, but in 1910 he emigrated to Paris, changed his name, and became close to the leading avant-garde artists of the era. In the 1930s, during the seizure of power by the Nazis, he left for the United States with the help of the American consul. He returned to France only in 1948.

80x103 cm
1923
price
$14.85 million
sold 1990
at Sotheby's auction

The painting “Anniversary” is recognized as one of best works artist. It contains all the features of his work: the physical laws of the world are erased, the feeling of a fairy tale is preserved in the scenery of bourgeois life, and love is at the center of the plot. Chagall did not draw people from life, but only from memory or imagination. The painting “Anniversary” depicts the artist himself and his wife Bela. The painting was sold in 1990 and has not been auctioned since then. Interestingly, the New York Museum of Modern Art MoMA houses exactly the same one, only under the name “Birthday”. By the way, it was written earlier - in 1915.

prepared the project
Tatiana Palasova
the rating has been compiled
according to the list www.art-spb.ru
tmn magazine No. 13 (May-June 2013)

Appearing in landscape and portrait.
In genre portrait the best inheritance Philippa Otto Runge(1777-1810), who worked in Hamburg, paid great attention to the problems of color, author of the treatise "The Color Wheel". In his works he built far-fetched, complex allegories, but he created truly living images by turning directly to nature. In his self-portrait he combines the vigilance of an analyst and the rigor of a precise drawing. In the painting “Portrait of Parents,” the landscape is executed with amazing subtlety and care, against which the artist’s old parents are presented, the wrinkled faces of anxious old people, in sharp contrast with the rosy-cheeked children, looking at the world with wide open eyes.

The main object is nature, in paintings Caspar David Friedrich(1774-1840). He admires the greatness of nature, and also thinks and worries about the rocky wastelands with their smooth outlines and the play of light and shadow, or the struggle of the German people against the Napoleonic conquest. The man in Friedrich's landscapes is a small, lonely figure, lost in the vast expanses of the world, or a passive observer contemplating the foggy distances.
Adolf Menzel(1815-1905) gave impetus to the flourishing of realism in German painting. An artist of broad designs, Menzel strives to embrace life in all its diversity, he introduced historical genre realistic method. In 1840, he created four hundred pen drawings to illustrate the Histories of Frederick the Great. What is especially attractive in illustrations is the authenticity in the depiction of the historical setting, costumes, and the ability to capture what is characteristic. Menzel also addresses this theme in painting, for example, the most lively of the series of paintings dedicated to Frederick II, depicting the refined society surrounding Frederick in his residence. The setting of the palace is masterfully depicted, with those gathered loosely grouped around the table.

During a trip to France, Menzel became acquainted with French art, which further strengthened the realistic orientation of his work. He creates one of the first Western European painting pictures of the life of the working class, industrial labor, where huge workshops, machine tools and workers’ furnaces illuminated by flames, their conditions of hard, exhausting labor, are accurately depicted. In the workshop, perched behind a sheet of iron, they hastily finish their meager breakfast.
Numerous preparatory drawings for paintings, made from life, meticulous drawings of details of costumes, furnishings, and lively sketches of people, landscapes, interiors, executed in charcoal and pencil, pen and brush, characterize Menzel as one of the largest, since the time of Dürer, draftsmen in Germany.

The tradition of realism in German painting continues Wilhelm Leibl(1844-1900). Interest in the life of working people, the problem of light and air environment and space, truthfully depicting the peasants of Bavarian villages, attracting with silver tonal painting.