20 Important Painters of All Time

I have been thinking recently about helping my young children to appreciate art throughout history. Perhaps because of where my own passion lies, they are mostly only familiar with contemporary artists. So I have started to put together a list of the great artists of all time and will endeavour to show them original works by these artists whenever possible.

This first 20 "greats" that I have listed here is simply a list of those artists that immediately sprang to my mind for a number of reasons: their contribution to painting, their influence on later artists or simply because I have a personal memory of one of their great works.

It would be pretty difficult to get a group of readers to agree completely on a Top Twenty list of anything, let alone art, which is so personal and such an emotive experience. So this list is my personal tribute to the artists and their paintings that are unforgettable to me. Nevertheless, feel free to leave your comments as I'm aiming to build up my Top 100 artists list in the next few weeks!

Hope it inspires you to go and visit some of the great public art galleries in the UK, or wherever you happen to be.

So here's my Top Twenty:

1. PABLO PICASSO (1881-1973) – Picasso studied the great masters of Art History, learnt from their work but then surpassed them all. He redefined the relationship between an artwork and the viewer. Picasso both created the avant-garde in his earliest works and then destroyed it.

2. LEONARDO DA VINCI (1452-1519) – For better or for worse, Leonardo will be forever known as the creator of the most famous painting of all time, the "Gioconda" or "Mona Lisa". But there was so much more to his work. His scientific approach to both subject matter and materials revolutionised 15th Century art.

3. PAUL CÉZANNE (1839-1906) – Although classed as an Impressionist painter, Cézanne moved on from that group to develop a style of painting never seen before, which led to the development of the Cubist style.

4. REMBRANDT VAN RIJN (1606-1669) – Such fascinating use of light and shadows in the artworks of this great master of Dutch painting in the 17th century.

5. DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ (1599-1660) – This Spanish artist spent most of his life in comfort but, nevertheless, he was an innovator of the Baroque period. Two centuries before Turner and the Impressionists, Velasquez painted atmospheric scenes which can be appreciated to best effect in his huge royal paintings ("Meninas", "The Forge of Vulcan") or in the small, memorable sketches of the Villa Medici.

6. WASSILY KANDINSKY (1866-1944) – As possibly the "father of abstract art", Kandinsky portrayed emotion in his work but also changed the way we understand art.

7. CLAUDE MONET (1840-1926) – It is easy to see the overwhelming beauty that emanates from Monet's works, but he was also a master of composition and complex technique. Although he himself simply wanted the viewer to enjoy his paintings. Monet was among the first artists to study the changes caused by daylight on an object at different hours of the day.

8. CARAVAGGIO (1571-1610) – Considered the father of Baroque painting, Caravaggio used light, shadow and complex perspectives to spectacular effect.

9. JOSEPH MALLORD WILLIAM TURNER (1775-1881) – Turner is quite simply the best landscape painter of all time. A formal painter in his early career, Turner slowly evolved into using a free, atmospheric style.

11. MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI (1475-1564) – Although the Sistine Chapel frescoes are painted masterpieces, Michelangelo actually defined himself as a sculptor.

11. JACKSON POLLOCK (1912-1956) – The major figure of Abstract Expressionism, Pollocks "drips" from the period 1947-1952 are one of the milestones of modern art.

12. VINCENT VAN GOGH (1853-1890) – His strong and personal works were completely neglected by the art world during his lifetime. Despite this, Van Gogh has had one of the greatest influences on painting of the twentieth century.

13. MARK ROTHKO (1903-1970) – It would be difficult to guess at the long-term influence of Rothko in the history of painting but the appeal of the masses of colour and emotion of Rothko's large canvases continues to increase in the 21st century.

14. TITIAN (c.1476-1576) –Titian was a leading figure in 16th Century painting. His use of colour and mythological themes defined the main features of Venetian Art of that time.

15. WILLEM DE KOONING (1904-1997) – Although a leading figure of Abstract Expressionism he was not limited by abstraction. Kooning often reverted to figurative painting (his series of "Women", for example) and was a major influence on later artists such as Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud.

16. FRANCIS BACON (1909-1992) - Bacon's paintings stand out not only in terms of beauty, but also because he resisted the dominance of Abstract Expressionism during his early career.

17. WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827) – Blake is one of the most fascinating artists of any era. His works are filled with a wild imagination, unique among the artists of his time.

18. JOHN CONSTABLE (1776-1837) – A great figure of English landscape painting. Technically gifted yet perhaps limited by the fact that he never left England.

19. GEORGES BRAQUE (1882-1963) – One of the main figures of the Cubist style and the most important of the avant-garde artists of the 20th century.

20. FERNAND LÉGER (1881-1955) – Leger began his career in the Cubist movement but was later attracted to the world of machinery and movement, which resulted in spectacular works such as "The Discs" (1918).


Works by many of these artists are available as Limited Edition Art if you want to appreciate them in your own home.

Planning an art wall

I am always on the look out for new art either for my Limited Edition Art business or for my own personal pleasure, but especially now as I am planning an art wall in my home. I intend to use a salon style layout to hang as much of my favourite art as I can on one wall. It is going to be an overwhelming sight (I hope) and certainly a talking point. But most of all I want to try and create a display that is both a visual jumble and highly organised in order to highlight synchronicity and discord across a range of styles, genres and types of artist. Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Because my budget doesn't stretch to a wall of originals, I will also use Limited Edition Prints. There are lots of ways to professionally hang a large number of artworks in a relatively small space from the quite random Salon Style that I am planning through Mosaic Hangs which have slightly more order, to the completely symmetrical displays such as the Series Layout. Check out this article the "Art of Hanging Art" for information on these types of display as well as tips and tricks to ensure your art is hung in the most flattering way, even if you are only hanging a single painting.

Here are the latest works to go on my shortlist for my art wall:

Christine Comyn - Snapshot



Joseph Augustine Grassia - In view of 1

THE IMPORTANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

Limited Edition works of art are valuable because the number of prints produced is limited to a small number. The limited number available, combined with the reputation and popularity of the artist, means that the piece can increase in value over time. There are many high-quality Open Edition Art Prints that are very desirable and attractive pieces but once purchased, they cease to have any real monetary worth. Limited Editions, on the other hand, have the potential to increase in value because of their rarity, but the owner of such a piece must have proof that it is indeed a Limited Edition otherwise the work would have no more worth than an Open Edition print of a similar quality.

There are some easy steps to follow to ensure a Limited Edition is authentic. If you cannot satisfy yourself on all these points then you should consider it a risk to buy the art work.

1. Ask questions about where and how the seller acquired the work of art before you buy it. All reputable galleries and publishers would be happy to supply these details.
2. View the Certificate of Authenticity before you buy the art. If the art is for sale online then request that a copy of the complete certificate (front and back, if appropriate) is emailed to you. All reputable galleries and publishers would be glad to comply with such a request.
3. If the wording on the Certificate of Authenticity contains any conditional statements, for example "in our opinion..." or "thought to be..." then this is an indication that this piece of Limited Edition art is probably not genuine.
4. A Certificate of Authenticity is unacceptable if it does not show adequate contact information about the publisher – Full Name, Postal Address AND Telephone Number are required as a minimum; website and email address are optional depending on the age of the work of art.
5. Do not accept as genuine a Certificate of Authenticity that contains any incomplete or illegible sections.
6. Limited Editions by famous artists are documented in books called Catalogues Raisonné. So if you are considering buying a Limited Edition by a well-known artist and a Catalogue Raisonné exists for that artist, then the relevant catalogue number for the work of art must be noted on the Certificate of Authenticity.

WHO SHOULD SUPPLY THE CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY?

A legitimate Certificate of Authenticity will always be supplied with the art work and will always originate from either the artist or the fine art publisher of the piece. Be very cautious about buying Limited Edition Art Prints if a Certificate of Authenticity is not available or if the seller suggests posting it to you at a later date.

Unfortunately, there is abuse in the Certificate of Authenticity business but if the certificate is supplied with the art work from a reputable gallery or publisher or, of course, directly from the artist then you can have confidence that it is valid.

What is a Certificate of Authenticity?

A Certificate of Authenticity is a legal document that guarantees that a Limited Edition work of art is entirely genuine; that the number of prints stated for the edition size is never exceeded and that the reproduction is created to a certain standard by a reputable art publisher. A legitimate Certificate of Authenticity will always be signed by the artist if he/she is living, or otherwise by the artist's representative, and must contain the following specific details about the art work:

* Title of the art work
* Dimensions
* Name of the artist
* Release date of the edition
* Edition number and size (e.g. 1/150)
* Substrate medium and ink types used
* Method of production (e.g. giclée)
* Name of the Publisher (can be the same as the artist)
* Full postal address of the publisher
* Publisher's telephone number
* Publisher's website and email address (if appropriate)

Certificates should also contain some wording to confirm the authenticity of Limited Edition Art Prints such as:

"This numbered edition is from an authentic limited publication. It is produced using the giclée method of digital printing to Fine Art Trade Guild standards.

To ensure the integrity of the edition, the publisher affirms that the edition size will not be exceeded. The artist and publisher affirm the authenticity of this limited edition with this certificate."

CERTIFICATES OF AUTHENTICITY FOR ORIGINAL ART WORKS

When buying an original work of art, a Certificate of Authenticity is not necessary to prove that the piece is genuine. A receipt or proof of purchase from the artist, the gallery or the publisher is sufficient.

Buying Limited Edition Art

As a fine art publisher I have often been asked what are the advantages to buying Limited Edition Art? Some buyers worry about the authenticity and quality of the print and whether it will be a good financial investment.

But providing you buy from a reputable gallery or dealer and receive a Certificate of Authenticity at the time of purchase then you can be confident that the quality of the prints will be the very best and that it is an authentic piece of work.

Remember that even the most famous artists of the past 50 years have created Limited Edition Art Prints of their work and these should never be regarded as an inferior substitute for an original work of art but rather a way to enjoy a piece of exceptional art in your own home. Collectors buy Limited Editions because they want to own exceptional pieces of art but cannot afford originals of the same artistic quality.

But what about the investment potential of a Limited Edition? Well, I always advise against buying an artwork with a view to its value increasing. The art market can be fickle in uncertain economic times and even works by great masters such as Van Gogh have been known to lose value during depressed periods in the art market. Instead, I would always advise buying only those pieces that you love and that will bring you enjoyment for many years. If the value happens to increase (and you only have to looks at Jack Vettriano's Limited Editions to know that they can) then that really is an added bonus to the years of pleasure that an exceptional piece of art can bring.

For more insight read this article: Advantages of Limited Edition Art