Famous Painters: The Top 3 Most Famous Painters of All Time
Our world has been blessed with the genius and talent of so many gifted artists that have given us the incredible master pieces that have motivated and inspired, not just an era, but for so long after their brushes have laid their final strokes.
As it is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it would be impossible to select just a few and present them as the best without attracting fierce debate, of which there could not ever be a winner.
Here I have compiled a short reference to present the top 3 most famous painters of all time.
Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)- Renaissance
It is without debate that the number 1 spot belongs to no other than Leonardo Da Vinci. Often referred to as the father of Renaissance, and a master of perspective, the influence of Leonardo Da Vinci today extends far beyond the realm of artistic endeavor.
Inspired and encouraged by growing up in an environment rich in scholarly flavor, Da Vinci created only six major works in painting. All six of this works are masterpieces of significance. Da Vinci is renowned for his work in such fields as architecture, engineering, natural science mathematics and geometry.
Leonardo became the first painter, architect, and engineer for King Francis 1st in France. It was the King himself at his side on the 2nd of May, 1519 when he died.
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)- Impressionist
The works of Vincent Van Gogh are perhaps the most easily recognized and remembered of any artist, famous or not.
Although he often created his master pieces with everyday objects, such as sunflowers and an empty chair, his art is intensely emotional.
Vincent Van Gogh was born the son of a pastor and grew up in a cultured and religious atmosphere. He first worked in a book store and as an art salesman before becoming a preacher for which he was latter dismissed for being overzealous. In 1880, he turned to the study of art with the determination to give joy by creating beauty.
Van Gogh suffered severe bouts of depression and has been described as a "difficult companion", an understated comment when considering that during one of his "difficult" episodes he attempted to attack his closest friend and peer, Gauguin, with a razor. The attack was successfully defended but Van Gogh then famously cut off a part of his own ear.
Van Gogh's depression and tantrums worsened and he began to suffer fits of madness and was admitted to an asylum.
In 1890, two months after his release from the asylum Vincent Van Gogh died by suicide, only ever having sold one painting. Over 200 years after his death, or deeply tragic life, the works of Vincent Van Gogh are immortal.
Salvador Dali- (1904-1989)- Surrealism
The paintings of Salvador Dali depict strange hallucinatory characters of burning giraffes and seemingly melted wax watches. Dali described his own works as "hand-painted dream photographs".
Dali is famous for his many talents apart from painting, sculpture, jewelry design, book illustration as well as theatre work, making the first ever surrealistic film, "Un chien andalou" in 1929 and even writing a novel, "Hidden Faces" in 1944.
Although Dali is best known as representing the surrealist movement, he skillfully developed his own deviation which he named "critical paranoia". Dali's theory supporting critical paranoia is that one should cultivate delusion while awareness and will suspended in thought.
If the sum of a man is his character, one would still be confused as to who Salvador Dali was. He cannot possibly be described in few short paragraphs. Just when you think you can understand him in nature there emerges one more perspective.
![Les Rita Mitsouko ~ Andy [French Version]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1C7nX7GekLg/2.jpg)
