Top 10 Famous Abstract Painters
Do you like abstract art? Do you want to know about the most influential abstract artists in history ?
As enthusiasts of this unique artistic movement, we have spent a long time studying the list of key figures. The greatest abstract artists have shaped this art as we know it today.
By standing in opposition to figurative art, the works of the great names of abstract art took time to be understood by their contemporaries. Yet, they succeeded in evoking strong emotions and feelings through their work with colors, shapes, and textures. The most famous abstract painters of all time are compiled for you in the following pages. Let's discover together their history, their style, and their most significant works...
1) Wassily Kandinsky
Wassily Kandinsky is among the most influential abstract artists of contemporary art. Born in Moscow on December 4, 1866, this Russian, German, and French painter was introduced to art through lessons given by his aunt during his childhood. After studying law, this pioneer of abstract art could have become a distinguished professor at the University of Tartu. But he decided to follow his passion for art and extravagant colors.
At 30, he began studying art more seriously and enrolled at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Considered one of the pioneers of abstract art , Wassily Kandinsky is known for having founded the Blue Rider group with other artists such as Franz Marc. He also taught painting at renowned schools like the Bauhaus.
He is also the author of works such as "Concerning the Spiritual in Art and in Painting in Particular." Published in 1911, this book details his vision of art and his theories on color. Among his best-known works are "Mixed Life," "Composition VII," "Sky Blue," and "Tempered Impulse." Blending bold colors and complex geometric forms, some of his paintings are exhibited in museums in Paris, Moscow, Athens, and New York.
1) Piet Mondrian
Born Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan in 1872, this Dutch painter is also considered one of the great abstract artists of the 20th century . He is even regarded as one of the pioneers of this discipline. After growing up in Amersfoot (Netherlands), he enrolled at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam at the age of 20.
Throughout his career, Piet Mondrian drew inspiration from Cubism, Theosophical thought, and artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Bart van der Leck. He thus gradually developed a unique style. Playing with geometric lines, the renowned abstract artist He uses pure or primary colors to detach himself from reality. "Silver Tree", "Composition XIV", "Victory Boogie-Woogie", or "Composition in Red, Yellow, Blue and Black" are among his most beautiful compositions.
3) Jackson Pollock
Jackson Pollock is also among the icons of abstract painting. A world- renowned abstract painter , the artist was born in Wyoming in 1912. He had a tumultuous childhood and a chaotic school career. But his setbacks did not prevent him from pursuing his passion, supported by his older brothers. He notably studied under the realist painter Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League of New York.
Having created over 700 works, the American artist is recognized as the father of abstract expressionism and the inventor of action painting. Among the most innovative abstract artists , he became famous for his distinctive technique involving rapid gestures to project paint onto his canvas spread directly on the floor.
This is "dripping," a technique which, along with "all-over," aroused both controversy and admiration from art critics. "Painting (Silver over black, white, yellow and red)," "Number 26 A, Black and white," "Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist)," and "No. 5, 1948" are some of his finest canvases.
4) Mark Rothko
One of the masters of modern abstract painting , Mark Rothko was an American artist of Latvian origin. His family emigrated to the United States to avoid being drafted into the Imperial Russian Army. After his studies, he taught drawing to children at the Jewish Center in Brooklyn until he was 49.
In the meantime, he married, founded the Artists' Union of New York, changed his name (his original name being Markuss Rotkovičs), and began to make a name for himself in the art world. This renowned abstract painter is considered a leading figure of American Abstract Expressionism , and more specifically, Color Field Painting. Mark Rothko effectively used color to compose sublime works that evoke a range of emotions.
However, the artist rejects these classifications, which he considers "alienating." His most expensive painting to date is titled "Orange, Red, Yellow." It sold for a staggering $87 million at auction on May 8, 2012.
V) Kazimir Malevich
It is difficult to compile a list of the most renowned abstract painters without mentioning Kazimir Severinovich Malevich. Born into a family of Polish origin, the Russian artist was born in Kyiv in 1879. He trained to become a technical draftsman after studying at the Kyiv School of Painting.
He began his career as an industrial draftsman for the railways. Considered one of the most influential abstract painters, Kazimir Malevich is the creator of Suprematism . This modern art movement is characterized by two-dimensional forms and black or primary colors on a white background.
Among his notable works are "Black Square on a White Background," "The Knife Grinder," "The Woodcutter," and "Black Cross." He was also a writer and theorist, author of numerous manuscripts, including "From Cubism and Futurism to Suprematism" and "The Non-Objective World; The Manifesto of Suprematism."
6) Joan Miró
Born on April 20, 1893, in Barcelona, the Spanish painter Joan Miró is among the most renowned abstract painters. In addition to his talents as a painter, he distinguished himself as a Catalan ceramicist and engraver. Furthermore, although he owes his fame to the Surrealist movement , other artistic movements such as Fauvism, Cubism, and Dadaism influenced him throughout his life.
Miró began painting at the age of 14 and studied at the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona. He quickly developed his own artistic style, characterized by the simplicity of forms, the vibrancy of his colors, and the use of abstract symbols and motifs . His works are often considered imaginative, poetic, and playful.
Among Miró's most striking works are "The Farm" (1921-1922), an abstract farm scene featuring animals and everyday objects; "Harlequin's Carnival" (1924-1925), a canvas filled with vibrant shapes and colors depicting imaginary characters; and "Constellations" (1940-1941), a series of paintings showcasing constellations and stars.
7) Barnett Newman
Among the masters of abstract art , Barnett Newman was born in New York City on January 29, 1905. The American artist also died there on July 4, 1970, at the age of 65. Barnett Newman was one of the leading figures of American Abstract Expressionism, an artistic movement that emerged after World War II.
It was in the 1930s that he began to create his first paintings. However, he experienced a period of artistic transition in the 1940s. At that time, he experimented with creating large-scale abstract canvases . These were mostly monochrome and covered with one or more vertical bands of color.
Barnett Newman's works minimize the use of color and focus instead on the surface of the canvas. As such, he favored simple yet monumental compositions. Among Newman's most impressive works are his paintings titled "Ornament," "Vir Heroicus Sublimis," and "Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue."
8) Clyfford Still
This American painter was born in Grandin, North Dakota, on November 30, 1904. Abstract Expressionism is the art movement that helped promote the talent of this renowned abstract painter. Clyfford Still truly began his artistic career in the early 1930s.
It was in 1940 that he began to develop his distinctive style. His canvases were often very large and featured a bold use of color and texture, as well as organic forms. He became known for his exceptional works such as "1944-N No.1" (1944) and "1957-D No.1" (1957).
This artist also gained notoriety for his commitment to freedom of expression, particularly artistic independence . To demonstrate his resolve, he preferred to keep most of his works for himself rather than sell them to collectors and museums.
9) Robert Motherwell
Robert Motherwell was an American artist born on January 24, 1915, in Aberdeen, Washington. He died on July 16, 1991, in Provincetown, Massachusetts, at the age of 76. He is considered one of the founding members of Abstract Expressionism and a pioneer of abstract art . Motherwell studied art at Stanford University and Harvard University before moving to New York City in the 1940s.
He was quickly influenced by the ideas and works of his contemporaries, such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning . Motherwell's style is recognizable by its use of simple, geometric forms, such as vertical or horizontal bands of color, often painted on a white background. His collages, combining abstract and figurative elements, made him one of the most fashionable abstract painters of his time.
Among Robert Motherwell's most significant works is the series "Elegies to the Spanish Republic" (1948-1967), comprising over 150 paintings, drawings, and prints inspired by the Spanish Civil War. Motherwell was also deeply committed to art education and the promotion of abstract art. He was an influential teacher and lecturer and co-founded the art journal "Documents of Modern Art" in 1944.
10) Lee Krasner
Lee Krasner was an American artist with unparalleled talent for painting . She was born on October 27, 1908, in Brooklyn and died on June 19, 1984, in New York City. She was one of the leading figures of abstract art.
Krasner studied art at Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design before working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the art projects department during the Great Depression. It was during this time that she met the painter Jackson Pollock, with whom she had a significant romantic and artistic relationship. In fact, they were together from 1945 to 1956!
Krasner's style evolved throughout her career, but it is characterized by a blend of organic and geometric forms , often painted in bright, contrasting colors. She was also known for her "dripping" technique. The works that helped establish her reputation include the "Little Images" series (1946-1950) and her large abstract canvases such as "The Eye is the First Circle" (1960).
Now that you know the greatest masters of lyrical abstraction , you can talk about them with others and with other art enthusiasts.
These great 20th-century abstract painters remain etched in history: they brought innovation to the world of painting and art in general. They succeeded in influencing the contemporary art world by creating unique compositions with meanings that are sometimes indefinable.
That's why we were keen to offer our visitors a wide selection of abstract paintings to beautifully decorate your interiors. An empty wall is a soulless wall. Want some advice? Give it a try! 😌
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The Lofty Trend Team.
