From the Renaissance to post-modernism: the most famous artists of all time

Like music, film, literature and poetry, art transcends our culture and time, while embodying the values and norms of its context. Indeed, for many acclaimed artists throughout history, their art is a manifestation of their milieu, including their relationships, world view and political perspectives. Here are some of the most seminal, influential artists throughout history and some of their most famous artworks.

Andy Warhol

An icon of modern expressionism, pop art and the visual art movement, Andy Warhol is a legend of the contemporary art world. His work flourished throughout the 1960s, and he even moved into other entertainment areas, like film, books and music. Unfortunately, Warhol died in 1987 from cardiac arrhythmia. His Marilyn Diptych and Campbell’s Soup Cans silkscreen paintings remain some of his most famous works.

Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh remains one of the most acclaimed impressionist painters of all time. He is one of the most influential figures in Western art and one of the most prolific. Throughout his career, he produced over 2100 pieces of art, most of which were created in the last two years of his life. His artwork is often overshadowed by his well-known psychological troubles, which saw him sever part of his left ear while arguing with a colleague. He was not commercially successful and subsequently killed himself in July 1890, at just 37 years of age. His became successful after his death and his artworks retail for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was a major figure in abstract expressionism. Like van Gogh, Pollock struggled with mental health, especially alcoholism. His work is underscored by his own self-doubt and social awkwardness, particularly his painting “The Deep”, from 1953. Pollock died in a car crash in 1956, aged 44.