Author: The Artist Editorial

Mark Tobey was an American painter born in 1890. His work fell into the Abstract Expressionism movement even though it differed philosophically from most Abstract Expressionist art. He was greatly inspired by Asian calligraphy.  From 1906 to 1908 Tobey studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago, although he is largely considered to be a self-taught artist. He moved to New York City in 1911 where he worked as a fashion designer to support himself. In 1917 he held his first solo show in lower Manhattan. A year later, Tobey converted to the Baha’i faith which led him to explore…

Josef Albers, born in 1888, was a German-American painter, sculptor, teacher, part, and art theoretician. His color square paintings positioned him as an important innovator of the styles known as Op art and Color Field painting.  Albers studied printmaking and painting in various cities in Germany from 1908 to 1920 while also teaching at an elementary school in the town of his birth. In 1920 he became a student of the famous colorist, Johannes Itten when he attended the Bauhaus in Weimar. He joined the Bauhaus as a stained glass maker and later dabbled in furniture making, typography, and metalwork. …

Adolph Gottlieb, born in 1903, was an American painter included in the first generation of Abstract Expressionists. He grew up in turbulent times, being born during the Great Depression, and experiencing the times between the two World Wars and the rise of Hitler. The trauma of this time greatly influenced the artist’s work, and still gives us insight into how to deal with and express trauma today.  Gottlieb was born in New York City and spent his entire life in the city. His parents intended for him to inherit his father’s stationery business, however, to their dismay, he developed a…

Raja Ravi Varma was an Indian painter and artist who was born on 29 April 1848 in Kilimanoor and died on 2 October 1906 in Attingal. He is one of the most famous and among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. This article features collection of 20 most famous paintings by Raja Ravi Varma. Sri Krishna as Envoy Sri Krishna as Envoy is a painting produced by Raja Ravi Varma in 1905. This is an oil painting on canvas which depicts Sri Krishna in his role as an Envoy of Pandavas in front of the Kaurava Court. This painting…

A round-up list of top paintings of love in art. The theme of “love” is one of the most commonly used metaphors in all artistic mediums. Claude Monet, Edouard Monet, Raja Ravi Varma, Renoir, etc. are few of the great artists who have created the greatest works of art using love as the central theme. Christ among Doctors by Albrecht Dürer Christ among doctors is a painting produced by Albrecht Dürer in 1506. There is an inscription which says Opus Quinque Dierum’ meaning ‘Made in five days’ so it is believed that Christ among doctors was completed in just five…

Maximilien Luce, born in 1858, was a French artist. He created art in the Neo-Impressionist style and became known for his engravings, illustrations, and paintings.  At the age of 14, Luce became an apprentice for a wood engraver while also going to art classes in the evenings. Four years later, in 1876, he began working in an art studio making wood-cut prints for various publications. It was here that he met some French Impressionist painters and enrolled in portrait painting classes.  Luce was called up for French military service in 1879. He served for the next four years, during which…

Mark Rothko, born in 1903, was a Russian-born American painter. His family immigrated to the United States when he was a young boy due to the Russian Federation being a hostile place for Zionist Jews. Rothko’s father died shortly after the move, which meant that the young boy had to learn English so he could provide for his family from a young age. Despite the resentment he felt surrounding his lost childhood, Rosko graduated early from Lincoln High School with more of an interest in music than the visual arts. He was awarded a scholarship to Yale University although he…

Evelyn De Morgan was an English artist. She was born in 1855 to an upper-class family in London. De Morgan is known for her colorful canvases filled with messages about feminism, spirituality, and the rejection of wealth and war, which ensured the timelessness of her work. De Morgan was born into a prestigious family, with a long line of politicians on her patriarchal side and a direct line to nobility on her matriarchal side. In keeping with custom for a family of their stature, she was educated at home by private tutors. This meant she was taught with her brothers,…

Carl Bloch was a Danish artist. He was born in 1834. He is most well-known as the artist who produced the best portrayals of the life of Jesus Christ. Still today, many modern artists attempting to achieve this monumental feat turn to Bloch’s work for guidance.  From an early age, the only thing Bloch was interested in was drawing and painting. Despite his parent’s best attempts to encourage him to become a Naval officer, Bloch was obsessed with the idea of becoming an artist. This dream took him to the Royal Danish Academy of Art.  Following this, he took off…

Piet Mondrian, born in 1872, was a Dutch painter. Mondrian grew up in a staunchly religious family, following the Calvinist faith. Mondrian’s father and uncle were both amateur artists, who taught the child to draw and paint from a young age. He grew up in a stable home environment where creativity was encouraged.  Mondrian was determined to become a painter, although his family insisted he pursues a degree in education first. In 1892 he had qualified to teach drawing in secondary schools. After graduation, instead of pursuing a career in teaching, he moved to Amsterdam and enrolled in the Rijksakademie.…