How many names of women do you remember if we talk about visual art? If you think about it, the feeling that men have completely filled this niche does not leave ... But there are such ladies, and their stories are truly unusual. This article will focus on the most famous artists of the world: Frida Kahlo, Zinaida Serebryakova, Yayoi Kusama. And the story of 76-year-old grandmother Moses is simply unique!
The article will focus on ten women who conquered the world of art with their original paintings, liveliness of paintings, an original vision of the world, and the ability to practically revive clay in sculpture. Let them be few, but every educated person must know about them. In this collection, you are most likely to discover new names for yourself and you can make sure that the fair sex in art has proved to be no worse than men. Next you will see a list of famous artists.
1. Yayei Kusama - the most famous living artist of the world
It's about a Japanese woman artist who conquered the world with her works. Mad popularity came to her in 2014. Her works are exhibited at the Hirschhorn Museum and the Smithsonian Institution Sculpture Garden. What does a Japanese woman like to portray? Her paintings and installations are motley pumpkins, hanging globes, polka dot patterns.
Today, the artistās popularity on a global scale is determined solely by the number of people who buy tickets for exhibitions, - this is exactly what the British publication The Art Newspaper believes. In 2014, a retrospective of the artist, who is already 86 years old, was visited by two million people in Brazil. The exhibition is called āEndless Obsessionā.
The exposition had incredible installation sizes, decorated with mirrors and a pea pattern. The works of the most famous Japanese artist are exhibited periodically around the world. Most interestingly, the author has been voluntarily living in a psychiatric hospital for 10 years. There she works on her unusual exhibits.
Japanese works in the genres:
- painting;
- collage;
- sculpture;
- performance;
- installation;
- happening.
Styles that she uses in her work:
She is engaged in painting, makes incredible collages, creates installations and soft sculptures. One of her works was sold for $ 5,100,000 and broke all records in the price of works of modern art.
2. Frida Kahlo - Temperamental Mexican
In second place in our ranking is Frida - one of the most famous women artists of the world. It is difficult to imagine a fate more dramatic than hers. The famous Mexican artist in childhood suffered from polio. As a result, one leg became shorter than the other. But the rebellious girl did not want people to see her crippled. She carefully concealed her injury. To do this, she wore many pairs of stockings on one leg, as well as special shoes. Frida tried to be no different from her peers: she played soccer, made friends, fell in love.
In youth, fate again painfully beats Frida. She has an accident. The bus she is riding on collides with a tram. It is literally collected in pieces. For a year she lies in bed almost motionless. To pass the time somehow, Frida begins to draw. She writes paintings in the genre of painting and engraving. Styles in which the artist creates:
- realism;
- surrealism;
- symbolism.
Since she almost does not see anyone except herself in the mirror, which is attached to the ceiling, during this period she creates exclusively self-portraits. In total for her life she will write them 60 pieces. They are all very bright.
"Broken Column"
The girl got on her feet, which, according to doctors, was something incredible. From them she learns that now she will have to wear a support corset all her life. This fact is reflected in her painting Broken Column, which was painted in 1944.
The day of the terrible tragedy that broke her whole life, she captured on the canvas, written in 1929. It is called a ābus stopā. Among the people waiting for the ill-fated bus, there is Kalo herself, who is still unsuspecting.
The dream of great love comes true
Frida's reinforced concrete will did the trick, and the 22-year-old girl returns to normal. She decides that she needs to study, and enters the National Institute. There she meets her future husband - a venerable artist, loving, fat and awkward, but incredibly charismatic Diego Rivero. Frida falls head over heels. And he is not indifferent to a talented artist.
Difficult marriage
A little later they got married. It is difficult to call their family happiness cloudless. Frida suffers all her life because of her inferiority and betrayal of her husband. She depicts his lies in the film āWithout Hopeā (1945). This canvas illustrates the Mexican proverb "Feed from the funnel." In Russian, its analogue is the phrase "Hang noodles on the ears."
Child loss
A very complex work of the famous woman artist āHenry Ford Hospitalā (1932). The painting depicts Frida herself, who has just lost her baby. Five sad symbols are around her:
- Crushed pelvis, which caused a miscarriage.
- Lost baby.
- A snail symbolizing the long time in the hospital room.
- A mechanical device that embodies the cruelty and coldness of medical procedures.
- An orchid is a flower that shows that sexuality and the desire to become a mother are still alive in it.
Within the framework of one article, it is very difficult to describe the whole life path and work of this wonderful woman with incredible sexual magnetism and strong will. Celebrity came to Frida during his lifetime.
She painted 145 paintings in oil. Her first exhibition, organized by her future husband, brought her popularity. In the New York Gallery, she sold almost all the paintings. We know that Frida, despite all her injuries, has become an icon of style. She liked to be bright, shocking. She never followed blindly the trends, but rather led the world of fashion behind her.
Style icon
Frida wore bright fluffy skirts, with the help of which she tried to hide her flaws and emphasize sexuality and temperament. This idea first occurred to her husband, who believed that Mexicans are special women. And they should emphasize their identity with a national costume, and not adopt the trends of American women. The first time a Mexican costume Frida put on a wedding with Diego.
The last picture and death
Frida Kahlo died at 47 years old. She died a week after her exhibition. She was taken to her in a hospital bed. She joked a lot that day and drank wine.
The last picture of the Mexican was the canvas "Circle". A year before her death, her leg was amputated. She drank a lot, and her work lost detail. The canvas is very scary emotionally. It reflects all the pain of Frida, who understands that her body is destroyed and death will come soon. There are no details in the picture: flowers, plants. Only a crumbling female figure that dissolves in chaotic strokes.
Frida Kahlo is rightfully included in the list of famous artists of the world. She left behind: paintings, outfits, diaries. These things became exhibits in the eponymous house-museum in Mexico City. This was their common housing with Diego. Today everyone can visit this place.
3. Sofonisba Angissola
The famous portrait painter who worked in the second half of the 16th and early 17th centuries. Most of all in her creative heritage of self-portraits.
A girl was born in a family of nobles. Her father dreamed that all his children develop creative abilities. In addition to her, the family had 4 more daughters. Thanks to dad, Angissola receives an excellent art education, as he hires the best teachers for his children. Among them, Bernardo Campi and Michelangelo himself.
Best of all, Angissola was able to portray people. She painted her relatives in a natural manner for their favorite pastimes. The author's portrait resemblance turned out to be almost photographic.
Her paintings are in the Southampton City Art Gallery in the UK.
List of the best works:
- āPortrait of the artistās sisters playing chessā;
- "Portrait of a young woman in profile";
- "Self-portrait";
- "Portrait of Bianca Ponzone";
- "Elizabeth Valois";
- "Phillip 2".
4. Maria Bashkirtseva
The greatest achievement of this famous artist from Russia is that for the first time in the history of world art, her works came to the Louvre as a painting created by a lady. There you can see them to this day.
Maria lived and worked in the middle of the 19th century. Her life was short, but vibrant and full of events and creativity. The girl graduated from the Academy of Painting, but most of the knowledge she gained through self-education. While still alive, they were interested in her works, they were exposed, they wrote a lot about them in the press. Unfortunately, today the originals of her works have hardly survived. They were destroyed during the Second World War. The most signs in the world of the picture of the artist is called "Diary".
5. Angelica Kaufman
Angelica Kaufman is one of the most educated ladies of the Enlightenment. Her father was also an artist, but did not achieve much success in this field. The Kaufman family traveled a lot and moved from place to place. The girl, already at the age of 9, had a good command of pencil drawing and oil painting.
Since childhood, she dreamed of popularity. And she did it. She was the only lady who was enrolled in the Academy of St. Luke. And after a short time in the French Royal Academy. The most fruitful in terms of creativity were the years that she lived in the capital of Great Britain. Angelica worked in the neoclassical style. In the Hermitage you can enjoy her canvases such as:
- Mad Mary
- "Childhood of the Virgin Mary";
- "Monk of Calais";
- "Self-portrait";
- "Portrait of Countess A. S. Protasova with nieces."
6. Maria Tussauds
The name of the artist is heard by many. All thanks to the Wax Museum, which quickly gained and does not lose its popularity. Marie's father was also a sculptor. It was he who inherited the famous museum in which the artist worked. She later referred the matter to her children and grandchildren.
The museum is located in London (Marylebone district). It was founded 200 years ago. It has 19 branches around the world.
7. Camille Claudel
The famous woman artist and a very talented and persistent woman. An eighteen-year-old girl independently decided to conquer the capital of France and was successful. Camilla was engaged in sculpture and graphics. Created in the style of impressionism.
List of the most outstanding works of Camille Claudel:
- "Talent and inspiration";
- āBronze Waltzā;
- "Prayer";
- "Maturity".
Part of the artistās works was signed by her teacher and lover, Rodin Auguste. These are sculptures:
- "Kiss";
- "Eternal idol" and many others.
The work of Camille Claudel, which the poet Grigory Markovsky called the Medea of āāthe Modern Age, can be seen in the Orsay Museum in Paris.
8. Francis MacDonald
Francis became famous for the fact that, together with her talented sister, she became the founder of the Art Deco style. Her canvases in the Art Nouveau style are known all over the world, and they are truly unique. Famous paintings:
- "Sleep";
- "Mother of roses";
- "Ophelia".
Unfortunately, her husband Francis burned most of her paintings after her death.
9. The incredible popularity of Moses grandmother: "At 76, life is just beginning ..."
So said the famous American artist Anna Moses. Could fame come at such a venerable age when you just recently embroidered, and then timidly and hesitantly, at 70, began to make the first strokes with a brush? It turns out yes!
Her name was Grandma Moses. Not many have heard about this far from young self-taught artist who began to paint more likely from the presence of a large amount of free time.
Anna Moses is a wonderful person who should learn to live with! She spoke of years lived as a painting that she painted smear after brushstroke for many years. But the canvas is not finished yet! Even when it seemed that was all, one could add such finishing touches that the whole world simply gasps! So she did. But all in order. Next, we will talk about the path to art of one of the most famous women artists in the world.
A few words about the artist
When Mrs. Moses began creating, she was the widow of a farmer and the mother of 10 children. Unfortunately, 5 of them died completely in crumbs. Anna Mary Moses - this is the full name of the master of painting.
She was born in September 1860. Her parents were farmers who lived in New York State. Neither now nor then did this imply anything on cultural development. It was difficult to call the outskirts of the district where the family lived a completely civilized place. However, Mary did not care much. In this sense, it recalls that true talent will break through everywhere, like a strong sprout that breaks through the thickness of asphalt, wanting to develop and enjoy the gentle sunshine.
Anna's family lived poorly. The girlās education ended on the fact that she was taught to read and write. Mother and father could not give her more. At the age of 12 she had to become a servant to rich neighbors. And from that moment all her thoughts were about how to make money so as not to starve to death.
Marriage
She got married, by the standards of the time, incredibly late - at the age of 27! In that period of history, girls of such a "venerable" age were already considered almost old maids. Such ladies had very few hopes of finding a decent groom. The husband of Anna became the same hard worker and poor man as she. The guy was a simple farm laborer and could barely make ends meet. But young people sincerely loved each other and overcame all difficulties, holding hands tightly.
For eighteen years, they had been saving money to buy a small farm in their homeland. In 1905, the dream of the Moses couple came true. They got their own business. Anna at that time is already 45 years old. For thirty-three years she worked for strangers from dawn to dawn, and then she was waiting for hard work on her own estate. There was no thought that she would once begin to paint wonderful paintings.
In 1927, Moses turned 67 years old. She became a grandmother. The woman buried her husband the same year. Manage their family business was the eldest son. Anna had some free time, and she devoted it to embroidery. She was devoted to this occupation for about 9 years.
At 76, she decided to try herself in painting. Perhaps she would continue to use only the needle, but she was terribly tormented by a disease such as arthritis. The daughter advised her to pick up a brush, knowing that mother had loved painting since childhood, but had no opportunity. Grandmother Moses gave away her first works to children, relatives, friends.
The plots of her canvases subdued with their sweetness and naivety. These were beautiful estates, well-groomed wonderful farms, scenes from the life of ordinary peasants. They were more like pictures that children draw. The style in which the craftswoman worked is called primitivism. However, in these works there was liveliness and dynamics. Especially good at the famous female artist came out paintings that depicted landscapes. On winter kids played snowballs, on summer kids bathed in rivers and played catch-up.
Paintings
Mrs. Moses exhibited her works at local fairs, her delicious jams flaunted nearby, which so far received more praise and attention. The most striking of her work:
- "Winter";
- "Checkered House";
- "House for Christmas";
- "Let me help you";
- "Halloween".
Unexpected popularity
Fame came to Anna unexpectedly and unexpectedly, at the age of 78 years. Moses grandmother accidentally saw the paintings of a well-known collector, passing a small shop, in the window of which were exhibited her paintings in the style of primitivism. He immediately asked who the author of the paintings was. The owner replied that there is one unusual grandmother who gives away her work to everyone.
The man went to the house of Moses, he was unlocked, and the woman played in the backyard with her grandchildren and fed the chickens. The collector, whose name was Louis Caldor, asked to see all her canvases. He invited her to purchase all of her 14 works for a lot of money. Anna did not immediately understand what exactly he wanted to buy: her house or work. Before leaving, he said that he would make Moses a celebrity. Grandma thought he had problems with his head ...
At that time, "folk art" became fashionable in the United States. Moses fell into this stream. Further, Luis Caldor began to promote the works of his grandmother Moses at all exhibitions available to him in New York. At first, there was little interest in the paintings. But stubbornness is the way to victory!
Exhibitions
In October 1940, the collector opened an exhibition of paintings by Anna Moses in the modern New York gallery Galerie St. Etienne. The woman at that time was 80 years old. She personally thanked all those present. Further, fame fell on the elderly lady. She ordered dozens of paintings. Her works began to be printed on postcards, wrappers, posters, dishes, and matter.
The female artist lived 101 years and enjoyed fame enough. At the end of her life, she became truly happy, because she had a favorite business, which she burned, and her works were sold very expensive. The talent of the famous American artist is recognized throughout the world. Her naive and warm, sincere works are so sweet that you simply dissolve in them, because the paintings were written by a real grandmother: kind, affectionate, all-forgiving.
10. Zinaida Serebryakova
She is not in vain among the famous women artists of Russia. Her paintings "At Breakfast", "At the Toilet", "Canvas Whitening" and many others after her death will be sold for fabulous sums. The artist herself lived a poor life. As part of this article, we will tell you some interesting facts from her life.
- In her youth, Zinaida fell in love with her cousin. Naturally, the family began to oppose this marriage. Young people decided to run away.
- Most of the artist's works are devoted to the work of peasants in the fields. To be able to draw from nature, she got up no light or dawn, came to the field, where she placed an easel and laid out her brushes.
- Due to the prohibitive poverty in which she spent most of her life, Zinaida had to make paints on her own.
- Leaving, as it seemed to her, for a while in France and leaving her children in Russia, she could not even think that she would see them only after 36 years.
- Serebryakova never returned to Russia. Her grave is in France.
Exhibitions of paintings by Serebryakova often take place in New York and Chicago.