Can You Match These Paintings To The Artist?
Art is central to cultural life and can teach us about values, development, and belief systems from earlier civilizations. One of the earliest distinct fields in this vast category of artistic endeavours was painting-- a way to realistically or symbolically represent the surrounding world on a canvas. This quiz will span from biblical representations commissioned in the fifteenth century to more political and unorthodox twentieth century pieces.
Earlier artists often relied on commissions and so were often given a subject matter or thematic instruction for their work. They also relied more on epic poems or biblical narratives for inspiration; drawing from renowned events that their target observers would recognize. Many of these spiritual or national scenes were meant to promote a moral message.
Artists today reference political or historical events as they experience them, an emphasis on real emotions and actual descriptions of human life (instead of prescriptions for human life) came out of the modern era. The invention of the camera in the nineteenth century also filled the need for life-like images to be rendered by painters. Instead, artists turned to Freud to better understand their own perspectives of reality, making modern art much more subjective.
Can you match these timeless pieces to their creators?
"The Starry Night"
Realized by this Dutch post-impressionist in 1889, "The Starry Night" remains one of the most celebrated paintings of all time. A self-taught artist, the painter created this work after falling into deep depression. Though only an active painter for ten years, the artist regularly drew on nature to inspire his oil and watercolour work. "The Starry Night" is layered with personal symbolism and imagination because though he created the work in France many aspects of it are reminiscent of his home country, Holland.
"Campbell's Soup Cans"
This artist spearheaded the pop art movement in the mid-1950's playing on the post-war reliance on manufacturing and steep rise in consumerist behaviours. In 1962 the artist displayed these soup cans, 32 varieties like a choice in the grocery isle. "Campbell's Soup Cans," was made to mock mass production and uniformity, but the painter also admits to enjoying the soup product itself. The artist would later adopt a photo-silkscreen technique, making his art closer to advertising methods. He remained an active figure in New York and commissioned talented young artists until his death.
"The Wounded Deer"
This composition evokes the physical and emotional trauma this artist experienced in her youth and throughout her adulthood. She modeled the animal after a pet deer she kept in place of the children she failed to have. Along with her partner this artist used her paintings to challenge notions of femininity, imperialism, Mexican politics, and class. This icon often produced self-portraits to confront her suffering and fears. Despite the many struggles she endured she had an insatiable thirst for self-knowledge and thus was extremely alive.
"Autumn Rhythm"
This Wyoming-born artist deeply impressed critics with his unconventional "drip period". In this Abstract Expressionist period he produced his most famous works, coming out with "Autumn Rhythm," in 1950. His technique first involved making a black skeleton that soaked through the canvas. He would then add extra layers of colour and texture, using different tools to apply them. This is the type of painting you might skeptically appraise, thinking, "that's art?". But it helped create a new chapter in American modernism.
"Guernica"
This Spanish artist experimented with many mediums and is the most celebrated artist in the twentieth century. He developed analytic and synthetic cubism and was a source of inspiration for many artists during and after his time. Completed in 1937, "Guernica" symbolizes many terrifying themes of war as it concretizes the German bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The bull is a recognized metaphor for the threat of Fascism in that era. Both the bull and the horse are reoccurring characters in many of this artist's paintings.
"The Birth of Venus"
This Italian painter was active in the early Renaissance when he completed this work commissioned by Medici family. The demand came from a culture engulfed in humanism. The ancient poet Homer narrated "The Birth of Venus," who was taken on a seashell to the island of Cythera. Zephyrus, laden with the nymph Chloris, creates the wind to guide Venus to her destination. Venus is an immaculate, unblemished beauty and must be taken as the representation of an ideal woman in the fifteenth century.
"The Persistence of Memory"
This eccentric Surrealist was a public personality active in the twentieth century. He was intrigued by Freud's theories about the subconscious as he frequently considered his paintings to be created in a limbo dream-scape. In "The Persistence of Memory" the painter chooses everyday objects and presents them in an incorrect or distorted form. This manipulated reality reflects how the painter thought imagination impacted our perspectives and ultimately the world around us. These themes were always apparent despite whatever specific trope he was working on.
"The Great Wave off Kanagawa"
This artist was born around October 1760 to an artisan family in Japan. "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" is technically a woodblock print of the ukiyo-e genre. However since the work is so popular it should be included here. The print is the first of a series entitled 36 Views of Mount Fuji. The enormous print wave is detailed so the whitecaps about to fall look like claws that would dig into the vulnerable boats below. Also the smaller waves look like miniature versions of the Mount.
"The Creation of Adam"
Another Italian Renaissance man, this artist was inspired by figures from classical antiquity. He was commissioned by Pope Julius II to fill the 65 ft. high ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He ended up completing this project alone, after firing all his apprentices for incompetence. "The Creation of Adam" is at the centre of the ceiling and depicts the Book of Genesis narrative of God breathing life into Adam, the first man. It is the first major biblical portrayal that does not picture God as a monarch.
"Four Seasons"
Ok, so though "Four Seasons" is strictly a mosaic it is necessary to place it here to acknowledge the work of this prolific Russian-French artist. The complete oeuvre "Four Seasons" (a detail of which you see here) is a mosaic mural spanning 70 ft. long and 14 tall. This artist's creative instinct is not restricted by medium; he has experimented in costume design, set-making, and stained glass. His earlier work represented Jewish lore, while later pieces like "Four Seasons" convey more dream-like, mystical motifs.
"Black Iris III"
A painter in the tradition of American modernism, this artist began her training at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She also turned to contemporary photographers for inspiration. Her paintings draw on themes of nature, architecture, landscape and her works in each theme are celebrated. "Black Iris III" focuses on an enlarged flower that has been interpreted as a metaphor for female genitalia. This artist herself wanted to cement the image of the fleetingly beautiful black iris and enlarge it for everyone to appreciate.
"The Last Supper"
A leading Italian artist and intellectual, this individual provides reference for the term "Renaissance man". Commissioned by Ludovico in 1495, the "Last Supper" is well-recognized and referenced in today's popular culture from Lamar's recent "Humble" video to Dan Brown's scandalous novel. The scene reimagines the moment when Jesus tells the Twelve Apostles that one of them will betray him. The drama is enacted further as this artist captures fleeting facial expressions and the defensive body language during this sad revelation.
"Nighthawks"
This American artist is recognized for his ability to feel and depict the individual estrangement or silences people feel in a crowed city. "Nighthawks," created in 1942, was perhaps intended to document wartime anxieties. The artist was inspired by a restaurant on Greenwich Avenue in New York. This haunting painting shows insomniacs who have free reign on the empty midnight streets but have nowhere to go. So the diner is filled with an exclusive group of individuals carrying heavy woes and concerns.
"The Scream"
This Norwegian artist was a prolific creator though he is only remembered for this striking work. He was dedicated to portraying the rawness of emotion, often absent from portraits or landscapes. This picture is autobiographical, showing his feelings anxiety and morbidity; his body is distorted by the forces of nature around him. It is a depiction of a human being swallowed by his surroundings. The artist was aware of the danger of creating such art, on the edge of reality and insanity and soon abandoned the style. "The Scream" has been the target of numerous attempts of art theft.
"New Kids in the Neighbourhood"
This American painter was dedicated to showing scenes of suburban life with an emphasis on family. These everyday landscapes are optimistic portrayals of the American lifestyle until his work became more politically charged in the 1960's. Created in 1967, "New Kids in the Neighbourhood," encourages tolerance during the integration of Chicago's Park Forest community. The children, perhaps hesitant and skeptical at first, will fast become friends. The older but face observing from the window makes us wonder how the adults will react.
"Dream of A Sunday Afternoon"
This Mexican painter is known for completing politically charged works in the United States, famously including Stalin and Lenin in a commissioned mural at Rockefeller Centre. The piece was of course destroyed before it was finished. The fifty foot "Dream of A Sunday Afternoon," depicts Mexico City's first municipal park (Alameda Park) and remains fifty feet away from it. The mural is crammed with historical figures and shows three pivotal eras in Mexico's tumultuous history: The Conquest, The Porfiriato Dictatorship, and The Revolution of 1910.
"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte"
After breaking away from the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, this painter went beyond Impressionism to the genre Pointillism. This technique required dabbing tiny points of colour onto the canvas until the work was completed. An avid scientific reader, he was inspired by theories of perspective and colour harmony to produce this laborious technique. "A Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte," completed in 1884 is his most celebrated work, and displays a Parisian afternoon, but one where the characters are more static than in other contemporary representations.
"Woman at Her Toilette"
This French artist was embraced by the Impressionists and married the younger Manet, Eugène. Her work was accepted at the Paris Salon when she was only 23. In "Woman at Her Toilette," she subtly explored female eroticism, a subject addressed by other Impressionist painters but never before a woman. The composition is soft, with feathery mix of whites, pinks, and lavenders blurring the background the mirror and the woman's dress together. She was featured in all but one of the personal Impressionist shows.
"Summertime"
This American woman was an active member of the French Impressionists in the 1870's. She adopted their practice of recording everyday events and brought a a drawing journal with her everywhere to document them. This scene is a testament to the practices she learnt from the Impressionist method. However, the colours are less vivid in this piece than her earlier works, and the composition more realistic. "Summertime" explores the relationship of a mother and her child, a favourite trope of this artist's.
"Raft of Medusa"
This painter was a starting point for the romantic period and experimented with realism. After studying in Italy he returned to France to create the 16ft by 24ft "Raft of Medusa" in 1813. The scene depicts the sensational tragedy of a French ship that sunk on its way to Senegal. Captained by an incompetent seaman chosen for his monarchist political views, the ship soon ran aground and a lack of lifeboats resulted in this makeshift raft. The painter was inspired by this event and interviewed survivors to depict an image of the primitive nature of human survival.
"Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1"
This painting goes by a much more famous moniker, but using it would give away the answer. An oil painting, its simplicity has captivated the art world for decades. It has been referred to as the American Mona Lisa, owing to its fame both in and outside of the U.S., which is no small feat considering American artists have had to work hard to make a name for themselves in the art world. Do you know which American painter created this?
"Kimdir"
An Ottoman administrator and graduate of the military academy, this painter became interested in anatomy and perspective during his stint at medical school. He is an embodiment of the Tanzimat reform period, which sought to "modernize" the Empire. Ottoman elites became interested in European culture and "Kimdir" still-life exemplifies this study. The painter visited Paris during his military career and viewed an exhibition of oil paintings there in 1871. After his return he organized one of the first painting exhibits in Istanbul in 1873.
"The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp"
The style alone of this masterpiece should give away its creator, who was part of a number of artists who used deep color. His work seems ethereal and smoky on first viewing, and has been long noted for the severity of the shadows and movement in composition. However, you might be surprised to know that upon cleaning some of this master's works, the colors that were once believe to be dark and gloomy actually brightened up, forcing connoisseurs everywhere to rethink their analyses. It turns out that the varnish used to preserve them had a dulling and darkening effect.
"Bride's Toilet"
This artist flourished in realist watercolour, bringing vitality and bold colour to her works in the 1930's. She was inspired by common people in her native Hungry and South India, carrying out their inevitable traditions solemnly and with grace. She had a cross-cultural upbringing, in the "Bride's Toilet" she captures the sadness and reflection of her subjects as they prepare for her wedding. Unfortunately her paintings were only revered posthumously as she died at the young age of 28 before people welcomed her deviation from the Bengal school.
"Bonheur de Vivre"
Remembered for his work on Fauvism, this French artist had a friendly rivalry with Picasso during which each painter learnt from the other's techniques. This 1905 work, "Bonheur de Vivre" was the second of his imaginative products and developed a unique colour scheme and style he would reference the rest of his artistic career. He saw colour as a means of expression or emotion. In the background we can see the budding inspiration for his iconic 1910 piece, "The Dance".
"The Floor Scrapers"
This painter's artistic career began as an understudy of Leon Bonnat. He then joined the Impressionists at their second exhibition, rejecting the rigid art style of the Salon academy. This was the painting that admitted him to the Impressionist exhibitions. "The Floor Scrapers" is one of the first paintings that focused on the urban proletariat, however this artist does not inject the painting with any moralizing overtones. Instead, it is an exact and realist documentation; Zola even remarked, the painting "is so accurate that it makes it bourgeois".
"Olympia"
Another French painter, this painter was unfettered by the complaints of critics instead seeming eager to provoke them. He incorporated nudity, evocative glances, and irreverence in his work but still hoped to achieve formal success at the academic Salon. "Olympia" was the most scandalous as the nude woman looks unapologetic and even inviting. Critics thought the prostitute protagonist might be this artist's way of mocking their realist style. This artist was chasing acceptance for social prestige but despite this was not willing to compromise on his subject matters or compositions.
"Tahitian Women on the Beach"
Both pupil and patron of Camille Pissarro, this French-Peruvian man dropped his stockbroker career to join the Impressionists. He was intrigued by dreams, mystery, and evocative symbolism. He went to Tahiti twice for inspiration, painting "Tahitian Women on the Beach" during the first trip in 1891. He kept the Impressionist mantle of depicting everyday scenes, using many of the native women there as subjects. Manet, another daring Impressionist, was one of the artistic inspirations for his portraits of Tahitian women.
"American Gothic"
Another American artist who found acclaim, this painting depicts a sallow looking couple, with somewhat enigmatically negative expressions on their faces. The artist actually used their sister and dentist as models for this work, though in pictures of the pair, they seem far from the two gloomy figures pictured here. The piece evokes a strong sense of Americana for some and has been parodied quite a bit in pop culture. Say what you will though, Andy Warhol proved that kitsch can be art too.
"La Moulin de la Galette"
Originally from a working class family in Limoges, this artist discovered his love of painting at a porcelain factory. In the 1870's his work was recognized at the informal Impressionist exhibit in Paris. He was also invited to display two paintings in London. "La Moulin de la Galette" is one of his famous compositions and is hailed for depicting such a joyous and relaxing setting. It was composed as a series of portraits and includes some of his friends enjoying the popular district of Montmartre.
"Workers"
A leading Brazilian modernist, this painter was active in the twentieth century. She was one of the "Grupo dos Cinco" and aided the formation of the Antropófagia (Cannibalist) Movement which explores how Brazil encompasses many cultures and ethnicities. This Manifesto was a backlash against European colonialism and legacy of cultural domination. She completed "Workers," after travelling to the Soviet Union; this visit marked the beginning of her fascination with social realism and class realities. After seeing stark social inequalities abroad she was able to see Brazil through the same lens of stark stratification.
"Land of the Lotus Eaters"
Known by the 1860's as the greatest landscape artist in the United States, this artist held a unique place in society as a well-respected African American in the antebellum time period. Through mystical scenes the painter captured a nationalistic optimism many Americans felt about the expansion West. He worked with how light fell and reflected off water and different textures in untouched natural scenery. Underlying messages of racial tension are apparent in some of the characters that punctuate his work.
"The Kiss"
This Austrian Symoblist was known to have created several works in this similar gilded style. Inspired by Byzantine mosaics, "The Kiss" incorporates layers of gold to supplement the oil textures. Though his earlier work was criticized as too evocative and pornographic this painting was bought before it was finished setting record prices in Vienna. The work differs from his other depictions of lovers because the woman is at the centre of the piece, warmly receiving her partner's affection. She plays a more dynamic and human role here.
"The Old Plantation"
Consensus tells us this work was created by a South Carolinan slaveholder. Painted before the turn of the nineteenth century, this depiction highlights the rich cultural lifestyles African Americans lived despite the terrors of slavery. This is evident in music, clothing, and practices that African Americans celebrated- culture that was to gain wider popularity once African Americans were enfranchised. The clothing represents traditional West African dress and the protagonists engaging in a shared cultural activity. Strange that a rice plantation owner would capture in watercolour the rich culture and vitality of those he enslaved.
"Obnoxious Liberals"
This young painter was raised in New York by parents of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent. Inspired by Picasso and Klee's abstractions, he created a type of chaotic abstraction of his own, always with a crown painted in somewhere, as a sort of signature. He often explores racial and class injustices, like in "Obnoxious Liberals,"he shows people financially chained to capitalism. These themes were visible in his street art and he remained loyal to them when elevated to a more elite art world.