The work of the Polish artist Marcin Owczarek is mainly associated with dystopian ideas and global problems of the 21st century. In his controversial works, he manages to create a unique atmosphere of gloomy, mysterious, and sometimes even tragic surrealism reigning around. At first glance, these illustrations are shocking and disgusting, but if you look at them from the other side and delve into the essence of what is happening, then modern society definitely has something to think about...
“My work is primarily focused on humanity and the environment, as well as global problems XXI century. In my works I try to show everything that I encounter every day modern society: the harmful influence of new technologies, eternally pursued fears, moral deformity, gene mutation, social and ecological problems, overpopulation of the planet, immoral behavior and bad habits... All this and much more, one way or another, entails a number of consequences that lead to collapse..."- says Marcin about a series of his illustrations called "Dystopy Land".
Thanks to surrealism, many artists and photographers manage not only to combine the incompatible, but also to reveal the essence of the human “I”. - an amazing series of photographs in which not only the most forbidden desires and secrets come to life, but also nightmares with fears that are inherent in every person...
The works of the Polish artist Leszek Bujnowski also feature. Mysterious, sad and at the same time childishly cute, and sometimes even difficult to follow any logic, works. After all, his unique illustrations created using digital graphics are nothing more than the hidden world that reigns in the human subconscious.
Introduction
Relevance: Today in Russia there are many artists whose works are unique and ingenious, but in most cases their creators (and the works themselves) remain unknown.
The artist’s creativity is always a discovery in which the contradiction between the established known - the collective experience of previous generations, and the new unknown - the individual experience of the artist is resolved, which leads to the search for new meaning.
In my research, I compare paintings by the famous surrealist artist Salvador Dali and an almost unknown artist in Russia, our fellow countryman, Sergei Kharchenov.
Problem: Everyone who saw the paintings of S. Kharchenov involuntarily compared them with the works of S. Dali. In his circle, the Yenisei artist is even called the Siberian Salvador Dali, but the artist himself categorically disagrees with this. Realizing the injustice and falsity of this opinion, I decided to conduct my own research.
S. Kharchenov is practically unknown in Russia, but his paintings are in many private collections, including abroad in Sweden, Poland, Italy, France, Germany, Holland, Japan, China, Korea, the USA and even on the island of Malta. Why is the artist unknown in his homeland, because we should know our talents and be proud of them? Currently, there is no study dedicated to creativity our talented fellow countryman, no descriptions of his paintings, only “popular rumor”.
The purpose of the study: to prove that the paintings of S. Kharchenov are not a blind imitation of S. Dali, they are fundamentally different from the works of the famous surrealist.
Hypothesis: the work of S. Kharchenov is radically different from the work of S. Dali.
To achieve the goal and test the hypothesis, the following tasks were set:
· study the available literature on the biography and work of artists;
· get acquainted with big amount works by both artists;
· analyze the structure and content of the two most similar paintings;
· conduct a comparative analysis of two selected paintings. The research methodology is complex. To solve problems, heuristic methods of analyzing structure and content were used works of art visual arts and the method of comparative analysis of works.
Surrealism
What is surrealism
Surrealism (French surrealisme - super-realism) is a movement in literature and art of the 20th century. developed in the 1920s. Having emerged in France on the initiative of the writer A. Breton, surrealism soon became an international trend. Surrealists believed that creative energy comes from the sphere of the subconscious, which manifests itself during sleep, hypnosis, painful delirium, sudden insights, automatic actions (random wandering of a pencil on paper, etc.). Surrealism in painting developed in two directions. Some artists introduced an unconscious principle into the creation process paintings, in which freely flowing images predominated, free forms, turning into abstraction (Max Ernst, A. Mason, Miro, Arp). Another direction, led by Salvador Dali, was based on the illusory accuracy of reproducing a surreal image that arises in the subconscious. His paintings are distinguished by a careful brushwork style, accurate rendering of light and shade, and perspective, which is typical for academic painting. The viewer, succumbing to the persuasiveness of illusory painting, is drawn into a labyrinth of deceptions and unsolvable mysteries: solid objects spread, dense objects become transparent, incompatible objects twist and turn out, massive volumes acquire weightlessness, and all this creates an image impossible in reality. General Features the arts of surrealism: absurdist fiction, alogism, paradoxical combinations of forms, visual instability, variability of images. The main goal of the surrealists was, through the unconscious, to rise above the limitations of both the material and the ideal world, to continue rebellion against the emasculated spiritual values of bourgeois civilization.
Surrealism in the 21st century
It is commonly said that surrealism arrived in 1924 and retreated in 1969. But some researchers believe that we are now living in an era of developed surrealism - which means that nothing is over, on the contrary, everything is just beginning.
At one time, surrealists argued that the unconscious (non-rational) is the ultimate truth. From the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud, they borrowed the idea that there are no differences between healthy person and the sick. They continued the idea this way: madness is not controlled by the mind, so it is better to create in fits of madness (artificially induced, of course).
S. Dali: “All my claims in the field of painting are to materialize, with the most militant command and precision of detail, images of concrete irrationality.” "The surrealists denied social role art, but time outwitted them. Surreal forms were enthusiastically accepted by architects and designers, shocking cinema became the property of the masses and, in fact, commonplace.
The surrealists wanted to change consciousness; did their grandiose plans come true? Surreal ideas have penetrated into all spheres and changed our world beyond recognition, although we didn’t even notice it. “The fruits of the unconscious flourish everywhere. In the visual field, cinema, art and even literature. But is this what the surrealists wanted, did they strive for such a life?
“I believe that in the future, sleep and reality - these two seemingly different states - will merge into some absolute reality, into surreality.” Andre Breton.
Freud: “One of the surest ways of producing a feeling of disturbing strangeness is to create uncertainty as to whether the character before our eyes is a living being or an automaton.” Freud was the favorite ideologist of the surrealists. He was adored by Salvador Dali and respected by Andre Breton. His ideas about the release of the unconscious in dreams were intertwined with the surrealists' rejection of the sane mind. At the beginning of the 21st century, when cinema became the stronghold of surrealism, our unconscious is entertained by robot people, bestial monsters, animated dolls and the evil dead. And all this already seems familiar to us, ordinary, we do not consider it surrealism. Is this so?
“In surrealism we deal exclusively with furor. It is important to understand that we're talking about not about a simple rearrangement of words or an arbitrary redistribution of visual images, but about the recreation of a state of mind that can compete in its intensity with true madness.” Andre Breton, father of surrealism.
Each surreal painting carries within itself the effect of surprise, a mystery unique to it, its own extraordinary life, as well as a string of riddles and philosophical puzzles that help stimulate the mind and develop the imagination. And the one who writes in the style of surrealism is not just an artist, he is a philosopher of mind.
At the turn of the 20th-21st centuries, the followers of the great surrealists still excite the viewer with their extraordinary illusory works, just as many years ago they were excited by the surrealist works of Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, Miro, Frida Kahlo, Mark Parkes, Rene Magritte.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/one_love.jpg" alt="Lovers. (1928). Author: Rene Magritte. | Photo: artchive.ru" title="Lovers. (1928).
But there are also well-thought-out and balanced plots in surrealism. What can be seen in the work of the Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte. Everyone knows that while in a creative search, Salvador Dali, falling asleep, held a spoon over a large copper basin, which, when it fell, woke up the artist. And suddenly waking up, he seemed to tear out a piece of his vision from a deep sleep for the plot of the future canvas.
Modern surrealist painters also create their own unique world optical illusions, fantastic dreams from the depths of your imagination and a ghostly dream world that will not leave anyone indifferent.
In the world of colorful dreams and ancient Greek myths by artist Wojtek Siudmak
Wojtek Siudmak was born in the ancient town of Wieluń in central Poland. Educated at the Academy fine arts in Warsaw. But since 1966 he has lived and worked in France. Wojtek Siudmak's paintings represent an unusual mixture of styles: hyperrealism, fantastic realism and surrealism. He calls himself a fantastic hyperrealist.
A unique universe, filled with personal symbolism and imaginary structures that are organically combined into a single whole, magnetically attracts the viewer and immerses the viewer in the world of ancient gods, colorful dreams and ancient Greek myths.
Between sleep and dream. Surrealism by Anatoly Leushin
Anatoly Leushin was born in Omsk in 1954. He graduated from art school.Leushin's surrealism lies in conscious harmony, where there is no aggression and abstraction.
His works are very close to parables, which carry universal and religious concepts. Metaphysical images, merging together, create fantastic real world. His canvases breathe the cosmic energy of the Universe.
The main genre of the artist’s work is romanticism and surrealism. More than sixty of the master’s creations are in private collections in Europe and America.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/leyshin-004.jpg" alt=" Wandering Island. (2002). Author: Anatoly Leushin. | Photo: art-vernissage.ru." title="Wandering Island. (2002).
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/leyshin-006.jpg" alt="Omen. Author: Anatoly Leushin. | Photo: art-vernissage.ru." title="Omen.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/leyshin-002.jpg" alt="Flying Dutchman. (2010). Author: Anatoly Leushin. | Photo: art-vernissage.ru." title="Flying Dutchman. (2010).
Amazing portraits of world famous people through optical illusions by Oleg Shuplyak
Oleg Shuplyak graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Lviv Polytechnic Institute in 1991. Since the late 90s he has been teaching drawing and painting in children's rooms. art school. For about 30 years he has been exhibiting at domestic and foreign exhibitions.Original surrealism talented artist from Ukraine, who creates unique illusions in portraits of famous personalities, has captivated millions of viewers. Each painting by Oleg is unique in its own way compositional solution and in skillfully combining together many different images. Displaying two sides of one illusion, the artist takes us step by step from one composition to another.
The master works in different techniques and directions: easel painting, church painting and restoration, in the genres of associative symbolism, postmodernism, abstract art, surrealism and realism.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/shuplyak-005.jpg" alt=" Shakespeare. (2011). Author: Oleg Shuplyak. ¦ Photo: livejournal.com." title="Shakespeare. (2011).
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/shuplyak-007.jpg" alt="Gauguin. (2012). Author: Oleg Shuplyak. ¦ Photo: livejournal.com." title="Gauguin. (2012).
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/shuplyak-004.jpg" alt="Leonardo da Vinci (2012). Author: Oleg Shuplyak. ¦ Photo: livejournal.com." title="Leonardo da Vinci (2012).
Fantastic illusions of Alex Fishgoit
Alex Fishgoyt is the son of the famous production designer of many Soviet films, Mikhail Fishgoyt. The hereditary painter lives and works in New York in the USA. He is a follower of the traditions and methods of Salvador Dali. His"сюр" скрупулезно продуманный, композиционно сложный, играющий яркой палитрой красок. В некоторой степени его иллюзии напоминают знаменитые полотна малых голландцев.!}From a philosophical point of view, these works are a reflection on the organic process of the eternal striving for the sublime and irreversible changes in the Universe.
List of surrealist artists (with paintings), both modern and some classics. Following the link you can get to the article where you can see more pictures and tells in detail about the artist.
Surrealist artists. Gallery. List.
All the surrealists on my site are collected here. The pictures are clickable; if you hover your mouse over the picture, the title will appear, and clicking on the picture will take you to an article with the artist. After the gallery there is a list of artists with a brief description, a picture of each artist and, again, a link to the article. For whom it is more convenient, shorter.
Surrealist artists. Salvador Dali.
There is no need to introduce him. What is surrealism without Salvador Dali? I have a whole series of articles on El Salvador on the site - see the Salvador Dali section in the right column of the site. Below are the most popular articles.
Surrealist artists. Rene Magritte.
This is the second pillar on which modern surrealism rests. The complete opposite of Salvador, he nevertheless became one of the most recognizable surrealist artists of all time. Magritte's paintings are like riddles with a strange sense of humor, in contrast to the violent flow of subconscious desires and phobias of Dali. Just look at the painting “Son of Man” and “the treachery of images” (the famous “this is not a pipe”).
La Memoire (Memory) Contemporary surrealist artists. Alexey Ezhov.
Alexey Ezhov is a Russian surrealist who paints paintings in the style of the Dutch masters. Reminds me a bit of Bosch. Likes to draw mechanized animals. Favorite motifs are fish and people in a medieval setting.
Surrealist artists of our time. Jacek Jerka
Jacek Jerka is a Polish master who also took a lot from the techniques of Dutch artists. Works in the genre of surreal illustration. Favorite motifs are the revival of mechanisms (like a dinosaur alarm clock) and nature. He is distinguished by a passion for meticulous detail and overloaded composition in his works.
narodziny_zycia, one of Jacek Jerka’s paintings for Daalder’s film “Strawberry Fields” Surrealist artists. Yuri Laptev.
Laptev is an artist from Crimea. He works in a rather uncharacteristic watercolor technique for surrealists. Like Yerka, Laptev is both a surrealist and an illustrator rolled into one. Despite the obvious surrealism of the works, one can find images familiar to all those “born in the USSR”.
Surrealist artists. Johnson Tsang.
Tsang is a surrealist sculptor from Hong Kong. A lover of connecting living things with non-living things or humans with plants. Specializes in ceramics and stainless steel casting. Many of his creations decorate Hong Kong airports.
Ceramic sculpture. Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Giuseppe is not quite a surrealist, but he is as close as anyone. It is noteworthy that this artist lived and worked long before Salvador Dali and even Giorgio de Chirico. Online, people fell in love with his vegetable portraits. I have the opinion that, purely technically, he is no less a surrealist than modern surrealists, because the only thing that distinguishes him from “real” surrealists is the absence of a corresponding ideology. Artistic technique and the originality is amazing. I have no doubt that his grotesque paintings enjoyed considerable success among aristocrats.
Painting from the elemental cycle – Water Surreal paintings by Vasko Taskovski.
This is one of my favorite artists. He is little known to the general public, but in vain. Born in Yugoslavia. His paintings are stunning in their epic quality. In addition, he is one of the few artists who can boast of a strong personality. Only a person extremely far from art could confuse his paintings with, say, El Salvador. Favorite motifs are horses and the environment.
Sur deco by Boris Indrikov.
Indrikov is a Russian surrealist artist who works at the intersection of Art Nouveau, surrealism and fantastic realism. His paintings look surreal, but at the same time gentle and decorative. Also one of my favorite artists. This looks good in a museum and is nice to hang on the wall, and looks beautiful on the page of a book.
Russian surrealist artist Vladimir Kush.
Vladimir Kush is another one surrealist artist. He works in a style somewhat similar to Salvador Dali. Nevertheless, a trained eye will unmistakably determine whose picture is whose. Pretty nice work too. So pleasant and contemplative. Not as strong as Vasco, more of a commercial artist. Like Indrikov, even those who don’t particularly like surrealism will like it. Favorite motifs are butterflies.
Book of Books Surrealist artists. Ukrainian artist Ivan Marchuk.
Ivan Marchuk is one of the most famous surrealist artists in Ukraine. However, Marchuk works not only in the style of surrealism, but also paints quite realistic landscapes. The artist’s characteristic technique is the use of overlapping lines, which visually gives the effect of mixing colors (a technique somewhat similar to pointillist painting).
Marchuk. Surrealist artists. Watercolor surrealism by Jonathan Wolstenholme.
Jonathan Wolstenholme is a watercolor artist known to me for a series of surreal illustrations that I would call “the life of wonderful books.” Favorite motives are books (your captain is obvious).
Watercolor paintings of Wolstenholme "Card Players"
Author
Paul Cezanne
A 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 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 picture went to royal family 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
A 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. WITH early years he was fond of 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
on the 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 him light hand it became America's greatest asset. Jackson Pollock mixed paint with sand and broken glass, and painted with a piece of cardboard, a palette knife, a knife, and a dustpan. 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, soon law firm issued a press release on behalf of her client stating that David Martinez is 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
A 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 it took place personal exhibition artist. 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" became last job from this series participating in the auction.
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
A 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. Ernest Klimt's three sons 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
on the 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 will was to transfer 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
A 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
on the 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 the key works of 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 she 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.
Munch wrote four versions of the work for one subject: 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 spare a record amount for “Scream”. 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, and the Lincoln Art Center. Metropolitan Museum arts It has the largest collection of paintings by contemporary artists and classical masters of past centuries.
6
"Nude against the background of a bust and green leaves"
Author
Pablo Picasso
A 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. Own art studio Picasso discovered 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
on the 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 in the 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 Warhole
A country USA
Years of life 1928-1987
Style
pop Art
“Sex and parties are the only places where you need to 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 and Coca-Cola soup, 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. Here there is everything that the artist loved so much: a win-win public image, silver color and a 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
A 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), in large family 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
on the 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. The color in his paintings lives, breathes and has a strong emotional impact (they say, sometimes 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
A country
Great Britain
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 of the world, including the Guggenheim Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery.
147.5x198 cm (each)
1976
price
$86.2 million
sold in 2008
on the 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 mythical plot 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 modern Russia fashionable gallery owner. 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
A 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 real painting took up during his travels along the coast and on outdoors. 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
on the auction Christie's
In addition to the fact that Monet was a great artist, he was also a keen gardener and adored 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 he specially brought 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: National Museum Western art(Tokyo), 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
A 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 couch"
Author
Amedeo Modigliani
A 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
on the 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 this moment price. Active sales of 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
A 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 Ministry of Culture of China awarded him the title of "Great Artist of the Chinese People", in 1956 he received International Prize peace.
10x26 cm
1946
price
$65.4 million
sold in 2011
on the 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
A 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
on the 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
A 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
on the 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 sell for less than $60 million. private collection. 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
A 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 his 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
on the 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
A 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
on the 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
A 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
on the auction Sotheby's
One day Liechtenstein came into possession of chewing gum. 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 is the new god, and there is no bubblegum candy wrapper. less beauty 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
A 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
on the auction Sotheby's
The most “musical” of the 20th century artists made a living 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" - the best one example. 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 large checkered prints.
20
"Composition No. 5"
Author
BasilKandinsky
A 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 Soviet power, but soon realized that the laws of the proletariat were not created for him, and not without difficulties emigrated to Germany.
275x190 cm
1911
price
$40 million
sold in 2007
on the 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 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 the 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
A 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
on the 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 one 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
A country Germany
Years of life 1880–1938
Style expressionism
For German expressionism, Kirchner became an iconic person. However, local authorities 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
on the auction Christie's
After moving to Berlin, Kirchner created 11 sketches street scenes. He was inspired by the bustle and nervousness of the 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 confiscated from German galleries, destroyed or sold abroad. The artist could not survive this.
23
"Vacationist"dancer"
Author
Edgar Degas
A 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
on the 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. Much attention Degas paid 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
A 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
on the 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 incognito phone call resolved the dispute, and “Painting” became the artist’s most expensive painting.
25
"Blue Rose"
Author
Yves Klein
A 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 Klein blue.” 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
A country Great Britain
Years of life 1836–1912
Style neoclassicism
Sir Lawrence himself added the prefix “alma” to his surname so that he could be listed first in art catalogues. 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
on the auction Sotheby's
The main theme of Alma-Tadema's work was antiquity. In his paintings, he tried to depict the era of the Roman Empire in the smallest detail, for this he even worked 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
A country Germany,
Great Britain
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
on the auction Christie's
Bye fashion artists 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
A 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
on the auction Christie's
Gris, by in my own words, was engaged in “planar, color 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
A 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
on the 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
A 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)
