An Introduction to Some Famous Oil Paintings

Oil painting is one of the most popular art forms . When anyone asked if you know of any such paintings or artists who used this technique, you may say “no.” But, I bet there are several pieces of artwork that you didn’t realize were famous oil paintings. Oil painting began in Middle East sometime between the 5th and 9th centuries. By the 15th century it became an extremely popular as knowledge of it and its benefits spread westward. Artists found that oil based paint suffered from less yellowing and that different oils would create different pigments and consistencies. Typically, an artist will begin by sketching his or her subject onto a canvas with charcoal or other material. Oil paints may be mixed with turpentine or other paint thinners for a paint of specific thickness and greater or lesser drying time. The general rule of practice is that you want to be sure that each layer of paint has more oil than the previous layer. This helps the painting to dry properly. Otherwise, the paint is likely to crack or peel. Most often a paint brush is used to apply an oil paint. Other tools are palette knives or rags. Oil paints stay wet longer than other types of paint which gives artists the opportunity to alter textures and colors. Sometimes, a dissatisfied painter may even remove an entire layer and begin again. A cloth with a little turpentine can remove a layer easily assuming it is still wet; if dried, paint must be scraped off. There are many famous oil paintings that have come to us throughout the ages. Many of them are so famous, that even people who do not consider themselves to be “art lovers” have seen or heard of these pieces of artwork. Perhaps one of the most famous oil paintings ever created is the Mona Lisa. We have all seen this enigmatic woman looking out at us on TV, in magazines and elsewhere. She was painted by Leonardo da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance. Da Vinci began working on the piece in 1503 and labored over it for many years. After moving to France, he resumed painting and the Mona Lisa was completed shortly before his death in 1519. This painting is possibly the single most talked about, analyzed and revered painting ever made. Other well know pieces are Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, Water Lilies by Claude Monet, The Rape of Europa by Titian, The Card Players by Paul Cezanne, La Donna Velata by Raphael, Night Watch by Rembrandt and Nude by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. There are also many famous self portraits by artists like Van Gogh, Titian, Rembrandt, Albrecht Durer and Frieda Kahlo.
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