Famous Artists and their Tragic Lives
The quest for beauty did not always end well for many artists
For persons engaged in the creation of beauty, the lives of many famous artists did not always go well or have happy endings. In the course of their pursuit of art, many had to endure criticism, ridicule and deprivation. Others became drug dependent, lost their minds or killed themselves.
- Frida Kahlo de Rivera was born of German parents in Mexico in 1907. Kahlo had polio when she was 6 years old and suffered the effects all throughout her life. As a teenager, she was involved in a traffic accident which left her with many health problems after going through thirty five operations. Kahlo married the Mexican artist Diego Rivera and their marriage was a turbulent one. In 1954, just after turning 47, she had bronchopneumonia and then gangrene which required an amputation of her right leg. Shortly thereafter, she died. Her painting The Frame was bought by the Louvre and her other works have been exhibited around the world.
Art Sales Records of Famous Artists
They keep on going up, up, up
The levels of art sales from the works of famous artists continues to climb higher and higher. Art sales, like sales of anything else depend on supply and demand and the market for works of art can go up or down. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that art sales have continued on an upward trend through the years. A 1983 painting by the German artist Gerhard Richter recently fetched $16.5 million at a Christie’s auction, leading the artist himself to find the price incredible. Art sales at the Christie’s event amounted to ₤55.7 million in spite of surveys that show investors reluctant to buy art during difficult economic times.
Adjusted for exchange rate and inflation, the highest art sales recorded in US dollars are the following:
- 2006 was a good year for art sales with the top three selling paintings changing hands in that year. At the top of the list is No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock which sold for $156.8 million in 2006. Next on the list is Woman III by Willem de Kooning for $154 million followed by Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustave Klimt for $150.2 million. Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van Gogh sold for $144.1 in 1990 as did Bal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir for $136.4 million.
The Influence of Art Dealers on Famous Artists
Their knowledge and instinct can make or break famous artists
Art dealers, persons who buy and sell art, can be responsible for building the careers of famous artists. Signing up artists to represent, art dealers must be knowledgeable and competent in both the artistic and business aspects of the industry. From an artistic standpoint, art dealers need to be familiar with different styles and the talents of individual artists, in the process spotting future famous artists. On the business side, art dealers must be familiar with market trends and establish relations with large customers especially museums and art collectors.
With this combination, art dealers are able to influence the market. They travel extensively to exhibits and auctions as well as visit artists all over the world. Art dealers buy and sell the works of artists in their galleries, or take the work on consignment for a percentage of the selling price. This way, acceptance by a well-known art dealer can be the stepping stone to becoming one of the famous artists of the future. To become an art dealer, one must study the history of art. Experience as a curator of a museum or auction house, or as an art critic or art teacher is also helpful in establishing a career as an art dealer. Art dealers carefully inspect the artwork, compare them with other art in the market and estimate the value of the artwork. Art dealers become art experts to the point where they can identify the artist even from unsigned work or detect forgeries. Many authoritative books on art have been written by art dealers.
Famous Artists and their Work
They have influenced the history and culture of the world
Many famous artists have the misfortune of gaining fame after they are no longer around to enjoy it. Nevertheless, the imprint they have left in history is undeniable and the world has become a lovelier though not necessarily happier place because of their work.
- Leonardo da Vinci is one of the earliest of the famous artists whose impact extended beyond art into science, architecture, music, mathematics, sculpture and engineering. Born in 1452 in Italy, da Vinci belonged to the Realist school of art. His famous paintings include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Madonna and Child and Virgin on the Rocks.
