Top 10 Most Famous Artists in History

No two people will agree on the top ten most famous and influential artists, since every person has his or her own view of what type of painting is the most articulate. Every art lover sees each painting in their own way, so that any list is purely subjective. Here is a compilation that will cover some of the most famous artists:

1. Pablo Picasso is widely accepted as the most influential artist of his time, with a unique style and an ambitious attitude. It is widely believed that he surpassed the masters who came before him, and he defined the concept of art as it would be known.

2. The "Mona Lisa" secured Leonardo da Vinci as the creator of the painting that is more well-known than any other. Others have often attempted to imitate his style and stroke, with no success. He was an artist and a humanist.

3. Vincent van Gogh is one of the most famous names in any study of art. He suffered a great deal in his life, and his paintings reflect the pain with their personal look. He was a great influence on the painters of the twentieth century.

4. Claude Monet has sometimes been overlooked by art lovers, who see simple beauty but little else in his works. His work showed complex technique but he wanted the works only to be loved and not necessarily understood.

5. Michelangelo Buonarroti actually thought of himself as a sculptor, although he was among the top artists of all time. He will forever be known by his painting in the Sistine Chapel, and that work alone deems that he is included in any top ten artist list.

6. Rembrandt van Rijn used shadows and light to express a lot of his own personal experiences. He was one of the main faces of European painting in the 17th century. He painted one of the most remarkable self-portraits.

7. Jackson Pollock is a very modern artist in this group of older masters. He was the main artist in American Abstract works, and his "drip" paintings are said to be truly emblematic of his most popular style.

8. Henri Matisse stands behind only Picasso as the master of 20th century painting. He used a purity in color in many of his works, and it is believed to have influenced many artists who came after him.

9. Paul Cezanne was called "the father of us all" by either Matisse or Picasso (it has been, over time, attributed to both of them). He painted during the same time span as Impressionist artists, but he left them behind and developed an entirely new painting style that had never been seen before.

10. Paul Gauguin is quite a fascinating artist, as they all tended to be, to one degree or another. He began with works of Impressionism, but he soon abandoned that for vigorous and colorful works, like his Polynesian paintings. If you are an art aficionado, you would never be able to understand Fauvism and Matisse without first understanding Gauguin's works.

This top 10 list of famous artists as stated before is subjective as many fine masters could also be included in this list. Write down your own list and see how it compares.