Art is best defined as a product of pure imagination by which influences the emotions, intellect, and senses. It is a way by which one can express his intentions or feelings freely without the need of saying a word. Some also say that art is a mirror of our self and how we truly feel. Art can be expressed in various forms such as visual arts, literature, painting, sculpture, dancing, and many more. It has been, since the beginning of time, a part of people’s culture, lifestyle, and history.

 

However, where did art really came from? Or rather, what is its beginning and where it all began?

 

Up until now, there still have been many speculations of where art originated and what it really refers to. Hence, the history of art is generally defined to be linked in visual art and the actions made in a visual form for the purpose of expressing personal ideas, emotions, and point of view.

 

Through the years, art have also transformed and has been aligned into many ways ever since the medieval era’s liberal and mechanical arts up to the modern day differentiation of applied arts and fine arts.
During the 20th century, expansion of the main divisions of arts has reached in to nine parts which are namely: (1)Dance, (2)Architecture, (3)Sculpture, (4)Poetry, (5)Painting, (6)Music, (7)Comics, (8)Photography, and (9)Film.

 

Over the years, there has been an overlap of the concepts of visual arts and plastic arts that were added in graphic arts and plastic arts. Added to the older forms of arts includes gastronomy and fashion, while the newer forms includes video, performance, computer, advertising, television, animation, and video games.

 

Arts historical concepts refer to the multidisciplinary science that seeks the objective evaluation of arts for years. It classifies the cultures, establishes periodizations and observes distinctive influential characteristics of arts. The history of art began during the Renaissance period; however, the scope during that time was still limited.

 

Today, it has been widely known that art caters a vast network of learning, distribution, and preservation of its various artistic legacies all throughout the time.

 

20th century has shown the different conceptualisations from various institutions, organizations, museums, foundations, and art galleries. Hence, the continuing improvement of media has influenced greatly for the dissemination of artistic concepts and likewise art itself.

 

There have also been international exhibitions and events such as the Biennales of Venice and São Paulo the Documenta of Kassel and Whitney Biennial which had helped in facilitating the development of modern styles or concepts of art. The prices which includes the Pulitzer of photography and the Oscar of cinema, Turner of the Tate Gallery, the Pritzker Prize of architecture, the Wolf Prize in Arts has greatly contributed for the promotion of the best of the creative minds and works internationally. There are also some institutions such as UNESCO in cooperation of the World Heritage Site that helps in preserving the major monuments found all over the world.

Rembrandt van Rijn was greatly considered as one of the most important painter and printmaker in the history of Dutch and an important icon if the whole European history. Rembrandt was the son of a miller named Harmen Gerritszoon van Rijn and his mother Neeltgen Willemsdochter van Zuytbrouck who is a daughter of a baker. Rembrandt was born on July 15th of 1606 with the full complete name of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. 

Although Rembrandt was born from not a wealthy family, his parents ensured that he gets proper education. He was first enrolled in a Latin School and was later enrolled to study in the University of Leiden at the mere age of 14. When he realized that the program in the university does not take his interest, he quite school and went to study arts by apprenticing from a local art master named Jacob van Swanenburch. After Swanenburch, he apprenticed himself with a famous historical painter in Amsterdam named Pieter Lastman. It only took 6 month for Rembrandt to master what he was taught by his masters, and after which he decided to return to Leiden. He was just 22 years old during the time he return to Leiden after his apprenticeship and was greatly recognized for his accomplishment at such as young age. He then began accepting his own pupils, to which one of them was the well-known Gerrit Dou.

 

In 1631, Rembrandt moved in Amsterdam. Three years later, he married Saskia van Uylenburgh, a cousin of a well recognized art dealer. This marriage did a great help promoting Rembrandt’s art works which eventually had him taken by wealthy people to do portraits. After earning a profile of being a well-renown teacher, Rembrandt’s art studio received many students. Some of which are already trained artist.

 

Despite his great success in the field as a painter and teacher, Rembrandt experienced a lot of melancholy in life. His wife, Saskia died at an early age of 30 in the year 1642 leaving Rembrandt four children. He had involved himself with Hendrickje Stoffels, a housekeeper which later on also became his legal wife and likewise a model to most of his works. Although Rembrandt made a lot of money from his art works, being a well-recognized teacher, and art dealer, he turned into bankruptcy in year 1656 due to his egotistic way of living. This instance forced him to sell his art collections and as well as his antiquities in order to pay for his debts. Though in the end, the results of the auction of his art works were quite disappointing.

 

Rather than resulting depression to Rembrandt, his misfortunes turned into inspirations of some of his great paintings which includes the 1665 – “The Jewish Bride”, the 1661 – “The Syndics of the Cloth Guild”, the 1654 – “Bathsheba”, and “Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph” in the year 1656.

 

His melancholy in life continued as his second wife Hendrickje died in year 1663, afterwards his son Titus of age 27 in 1668. After 11 months of grief and sadness, Rembrandt died ob the 4th of October year 1669 in Amsterdam.

 

Though his life was filled with misfortunes and mostly loss of loved-ones, Rembrandt’s works were up until now serves as an inspiration all over Europe, most especially in the Dutch Republic or now known as Netherlands.

Born on October 5th of 1881 in Malaga, Spain, Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso or most commonly referred to as Pablo Picasso was considered as one of the most influential artist of the 20th century and was a world-wide famous Spanish sculpture, painter, ceramicist, stage designer, and printmaker. He is the son of a Spanish painter and art teacher José Ruiz Blasco who teaches in the Art Academy of La Lonja located in Barcelona.

 

In 1895, Picasso attended the same school where his father teaches in Barcelona and has later continued his studies in Madrid Academy in 1897. During 1900, he travelled into France which is the art capital city of Europe and performed his first one-man show in Paris with Ambroise Vollard.

 

The early works of Picasso began with the “Blue Period” which are also referred to as gloomy paintings, hence was followed with the bright illustrated pictures of the “Rose Period” from 1905 up until 1907.

 

During 1907, Picasso created his “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” which evidently started his works in Cubism together with a friend named Georges Braque. Cubism is separated into two distinct categories namely Analytical Cubism and Synthetic Cubism.

 

Picasso was also known to be a lover of young women and has many relationships with women that are decades younger than him. His famous works also shows his nature of being a lover of younger women and has often influenced most of his arts by the women he is involved with.

 

Blue Period: A period of Picasso’s works during 1901 to 1904 where showcases monochromatic pictures which are often in the shades of blue-green and blue, but eventually used warmer colours. Picasso was said to have difficulty in selling these works during these times but are now one of his most popular works. His usual subjects of these paintings were beggars, prostitutes, and drunks. It was also said the Picasso’s Blue Period paintings were influenced after he learned the death of his dear friend –Carlos Casagemas who committed suicide by shooting himself at L’Hippodrome Café in Paris, France.

 

Rose Period: During this period, Picasso used bright colours of shades of orange and pink in contradiction to his Blue Period. It was said that his relationship with Fernande Olivier has greatly influence his style of art from this era onwards.

 

In 1958, Picasso purchased the Castle of Vauvenargues located in Provence. It was in 1961 that Picasso married Jacqueline Roque and lived with her in the remainder of his life. Picasso died at the age of 91 on April 8, 1973.

Who would not know Michelangelo? From paintings to sculptures, to poets, architecture, and engineering, Michelangelo has proved his genius and skills to be called as one of the greatest artist that have ever lived during the Renaissance era. 

Michelangelo was born with the full name of Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni on the 6th of March year 1475 in Italy. His parents were Lodovico di Leonardo di Buonarroti di Simoni and Francesca di Neri del Miniato di Siena. The family of Michelangelo’s father ran a small bank for generations however, Michelangelo’s father failed to maintain it which eventually led his father to enter the government. At the age of 6, Michelangelo’s mother died which led him to live in Settignano in the shelter of a stonecutter and his family. One of the famous quote noted by Giorgio Vasari from Michelangelo was “If there is some good in me, it is because I was born in the subtle atmosphere of your country of Arezzo. Along with the milk of my nurse I received the knack of handling chisel and hammer, with which I make my figures.”

 

At a young age, Michelangelo was sent by his father to study grammar. However, just like other successful and famous artists, Michelangelo showed no interest in grammar, rather, he preferred to replicate church paintings and spend time with his fellow artists. When he reached the age of 13, he became an apprentice of Domenico Ghirlandaio who is also a painter.

 

In 1489, Ghirlandaio was asked by the ruler of Florence Lorenzo de’ Medici to send two of the best apprentice that he have. Ghirlandaio sent Michelangelo alongside with Francesco Granacci for proper education. After studying at a Humanist academy, he became an apprentice of a well-known sculpture Bertoldo di Giovanni.

 

In 1496, the famous Renaissance artists went to Rome with the goal of creating his world-renowned masterpiece – Pietà in St. Peter’s Basilica. After going back to Florence, Michelangelo finished another creation “David” which he made from 1501 to 1504. “David” is now being displayed in Academia.

 

During 1505, Michelangelo was again invited to return to Rome by the then Pope Julius II. He was tasked to create the decorations of the Sistine Chapel, which became widely-popular today because of its distinct paintings in the ceilings.

 

In February 18th of 1564, Michelangelo died in Rome at the age of 88 but was buried back in Florence. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was indeed a great man, though he was also regarded to be a pessimist and had himself most of the time withdrew from the company of other people.

 

One of the most popular quote from Michelangelo states “The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”

What basically enters your mind when you hear the name Leonardo da Vinci?

 

The Last Supper? Mona Lisa? The Vitruvian Man ? First design of a flying machine?

 

Well yes, who would not know a genius such as Leonardo da Vinci?
Leonardo da Vinci or Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was born in April 15th, 1452 as an illegitimate son of a wealthy notary Messer named Piero Fruosino di Antonio da Vinci and a peasant girl named Caterina. Both his parents married separately and had children but not with each other making a total of 17 half sisters and half brothers for Leonardo. A common fact that not many knows is that Leonardo does not have a surname. The “ser Piero” in his name means that his father was a gentleman, and thus “da Vinci” means “of Vinci” where Leonardo was born.

 

At a young age, Leonardo grew up at his father’s house at Vinci where he was able to gain access to all the academic books that is own by his father’s family. At the age of 15, Leonardo was set by his father to be an apprentice of Andrea del Verrochi who owned a well known workshop in Florence. It was said that at a young age, Leonardo showcased his talent that has even surpassed his master, Verrochio’s works. It as likewise told that Verrochio pledge never to paint again after seeing how his apprentice surpassed him.

 

In 1482, Leonardo worked for the Duke of Milan – Duke Ludovico Sforza and spent 17 years of his life in Milan exploring his capacity and knowledge in both arts and science. It was then that Leonardo was tasked by the Duke to create paintings, sculptures, and thus also include designing of buildings such as churches and fortresses, machinery such as flying machines, and likewise advanced weapons which included designs for submarines, vehicles for war, and devices used for combat.

 

Leonardo da Vinci was also noted to be a man who has broad interests and has often captivated by new subjects that he fails to finish what he started. During 1490 up until 1495, he had established a practice of documenting his studies in accurately-done illustrations in notebooks. The main themes that most of his studies contemplated are studies with architecture, painting, human anatomy, and mechanical elements. These studies were all documented in sketches and published documents which are now considered as valuable items by museums and big time personnel’s for collections.

 

This worldwide famous and multi-talented genius died at the age of 67 on May 2nd of 1519.

Fisherman at Sea, Fishing Fleet, Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus, The Grand Canal of Venice – do these paintings sound familiar to you? These works of art are created from the hands and mind of one of the most well known painters of the English history – Joseph Mallord William Turner.

 

Joseph Mallord William Turner or commonly known for J. M. W. Turner has made his way to artistic stardom through his landscape paintings. Born on the 23rd of April, 1775 at Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London, England and the son of a barber named William Turner, from which he has attained most of his fundamental education since his mother died when he was still young.

 

A remarkable accomplishment of young Turner was during 1789 when he entered the Royal Academy of Art Schools at the mere age of 14. A year after studying in the academy, his watercolour work was included in the 1790 Summer Exhibition. On 1796, Turner exhibited his first oil painting titled “Fishermen at Sea”, and has afterwards exhibited his works almost annually at the academy. At the age of 18, young Turner set up his very own studio and was accepted as a full pledge member of the Royal Academy of Art schools during 1802.

 

Starting 1802, he has then travelled to Europe including France and Switzerland to continue his education in arts. Also in 1802, Turner enrolled in Louvre, Paris to study.

 

During his travel in Europe, he also visited Venice, where he became captivated with its seascapes and has devoted a part of his time on captivating the light patterns of colour on the waters. One of his famous works “A Stormy Scene” was inspired from one of his visits in Dorset, England. This painting is now exhibited in Cincinnati Art Museum.

 

At the age of 22, Turner visited Otley and was attracted to its environment as an inspiration for his painting works. The “Hannibal Crossing The Alps” was said to be inspired from one of his visits in Otley where there was a storm during his stay.

 

Despite the fact the Turner has used mainly oils in his works, it is quite undeniable that he is rather quite known for being a watercolourist and was been noted as one of the persons who established the English landscapes using watercolour painting.

 

Other than being noted as a popular watercolourist, Turner is also regarded to be an impressionist type of artist since he does not replicate what he saw, rather paints what he felt of the scene that he saw.

 

Joseph Mallord William Turner died on the 19th of December year 1851 at the age of 76, and was buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral. He is said to have an estimated total of 300 paintings, 19,000 drawings, and about 20, 000 watercolours which was evidently displayed in the Clore Gallery at 1987 in accordance to Turner’s last will.