Artists and their info

Vincent Van Gogh

• Bio: Dutch Post-Impressionist painter (1853-1890) whose work, notable for its raw beauty, emotion, and color, profoundly influenced 20th-century art. He struggled with mental illness and only achieved fame posthumously. - Period: Late 19th Century (Post-Impressionism). - Themes: Nature, rural life, self-portraits, still life, mental battles, emotional expression, the struggles of the working class. - Mediums: Primarily oil on canvas; also extensively used drawings (pen, pencil, charcoal). - Styles: Characterized by thick impasto, vivid colors, dramatic and expressive brushwork, and a distinctive swirling or turbulent quality, conveying intense emotion and psychological states. - Famous Works: The Starry Night, Sunflowers series, The Potato Eaters, Café Terrace at Night, Bedroom in Arles, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.

Michelangelo Buonarroti

• Bio: Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance (1475-1564), he is widely considered one of the greatest artists of all time due to the immense scale and profound impact of his works. - Period: High Renaissance. - Themes: Biblical narratives (especially Genesis and the Passion of Christ), classical mythology, human anatomy, religious devotion, the heroic male nude. - Mediums: Predominantly marble for sculpture, fresco for painting, and also worked with drawing (chalk, pen, ink) and architectural design. - Styles: Known for monumental scale, idealized and robust human forms, dramatic compositions, emotional intensity (often called terribilità), and mastery of anatomy and perspective. - Famous Works: David (sculpture), Pietà (sculpture), the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (fresco, including The Creation of Adam), The Last Judgment (fresco), the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Charles White

• Bio: American artist (1918-1979) known for his powerful depictions of African American life, history, and culture, often focusing on themes of dignity, struggle, and resilience. - Period: Mid to late 20th Century (Social Realism, figurative art). - Themes: African American history, civil rights, labor, human dignity, social justice, heroism of ordinary people. - Mediums: Drawing (charcoal, pen and ink), printmaking (lithography, etching), oil painting, murals. - Styles: Monumental, empathetic, and realistic figures; strong lines, chiaroscuro, often monochromatic or limited color palettes, influenced by Mexican Muralists. - Famous Works: The Contribution of the Negro to Democracy in America, General Moses (Harriet Tubman), Awakening.

Artemisia Gentileschi

• Bio: Italian Baroque painter (1593-c. 1656), one of the first female artists to achieve significant recognition. Known for her powerful and dramatic interpretations of historical and biblical heroines. - Period: Early Baroque. - Themes: Biblical and mythological heroines, female strength, self-portraits, revenge, empowerment, often exploring light and shadow. - Mediums: Oil on canvas. - Styles: Tenebrism and chiaroscuro (strong contrasts of light and dark, inherited from Caravaggio), dramatic compositions, psychological realism, strong female figures. - Famous Works: Judith Slaying Holofernes, Susanna and the Elders, Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting (La Pittura).

Wayne Thiebaud

• Bio: American painter (1920-2021) associated with Pop Art, known for his still lifes of food objects (cakes, pies, gumballs) and everyday items, as well as landscapes and figure paintings. - Period: Mid to late 20th Century (Pop Art adjacent, New Realism). - Themes: Consumer culture, everyday objects, food, urban landscapes, repetitive forms, nostalgia. - Mediums: Oil paint (thick impasto), watercolor, pastel, drawing, printmaking. - Styles: Thick, defined brushstrokes (like frosting), bright colors, strong shadows, often singular objects against plain backgrounds, emphasis on texture and form. - Famous Works: Cakes, Pies, Gum Ball Machine, Lick-Up, Canyonlands.

Barbara Kruger

• Bio: American conceptual artist (b. 1945) known for her photo-collages, which combine black-and-white photographs with declarative, provocative statements in white on red sans-serif type. - Period: Late 20th Century to present (Conceptual Art, Feminist Art). - Themes: Consumerism, power, identity, media critique, gender roles, social justice, capitalism. - Mediums: Photography, graphic design, text, installation, video. - Styles: Bold, confrontational text overlayed on appropriated black-and-white images, often using Futura Bold or Helvetica, direct address to the viewer, sarcastic or critical tone. - Famous Works: I shop therefore I am, Your body is a battleground, Untitled (We don't need another hero).

Mark Bradford

• Bio: American artist (b. 1961) known for his large-scale abstract paintings and collages, often made from repurposed found materials from urban environments, reflecting social and political issues. - Period: Late 20th Century to present (Abstract art, mixed media). - Themes: Urban decay, social inequality, racial identity, AIDS epidemic, community, cartography, gentrification. - Mediums: Mixed media collage (paper, salvaged materials like flyers, posters, decaying billboards), paint, string, caulk. - Styles: Layered, deconstructed and reconstructed surfaces, often resembling maps or aerial views; painterly abstraction, textural richness, monumental scale, urban archaeology. - Famous Works: Mithra, Scorched Earth, Potable Water, Helter Skelter I.

Edward Hopper

• Bio: American realist painter (1882-1967) known for his melancholic depictions of isolated figures and desolate urban and rural landscapes that capture the quiet mood of American life. - Period: Early to mid-20th Century (American Realism). - Themes: Solitude, alienation, urban isolation, modern American life, light and shadow, quiet contemplation, voyeurism. - Mediums: Oil on canvas, watercolor, etching. - Styles: Stark realism, strong geometric compositions, dramatic use of light and shadow, muted color palette, psychologically charged atmosphere, often depicting solitary figures in everyday settings. - Famous Works: Nighthawks, Automat, Gas, House by the Railroad, Chop Suey.

Yayoi Kusama

• Bio: Japanese contemporary artist (b. 1929) active in painting, sculpture, performance, and installation art, known for her prolific use of polka dots, nets, and immersive environments exploring infinity. - Period: Mid-20th Century to present (Pop Art, Minimalism, Surrealism, Feminist Art, Performance Art). - Themes: Infinity, self-obliteration, hallucinatory visions, psychological states, obsession, accumulation, polka dots, nets, pumpkins. - Mediums: Painting (acrylic, oil), sculpture (soft sculpture, nets), installation (infinity rooms), performance art. - Styles: Repetitive patterns (dots, nets), vibrant colors, organic forms, mirror installations creating infinite reflections, sensory overload, autobiographical elements related to her hallucinations. - Famous Works: Infinity Mirror Rooms, Pumpkin sculptures, Narcissus Garden, Obliteration Room.

David Hockney

• Bio: British painter, draftsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer (b. 1937) known for his vibrant depictions of California life (swimming pools), portraits, and landscapes, exploring different media and perspectives. - Period: Mid-20th Century to present (Pop Art, figurative art). - Themes: California landscapes and lifestyle, portraits of friends and family, domestic scenes, swimming pools, still life, perspective, cubism, perception. - Mediums: Acrylic and oil paint, photography (photo collages, "joiners"), drawing, printmaking, iPad drawings, video. - Styles: Bright colors, flat surfaces, bold lines, often depicting affluent or relaxed environments; experiments with perspective and multiple viewpoints, "joiner" photo collages. - Famous Works: A Bigger Splash, Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, Pearblossom Hwy.

Henry Moore

• Bio: British sculptor and artist (1898-1986), best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures that often depict recumbent figures and explore the relationship between natural forms and the human body. - Period: Mid-20th Century (Modernism). - Themes: Reclining figures, mother and child, family groups, abstract forms, natural landscapes, universal human experience. - Mediums: Bronze, stone (marble, elmwood), plaster, drawings (often preparatory for sculptures). - Styles: Organic forms, often hollowed or pierced; emphasis on mass and volume, biomorphic shapes, abstraction rooted in natural and human forms, monumental scale for public art. - Famous Works: Reclining Figure series, Helmet Head series, Family Group.

Henri Matisse

• Bio: French artist (1869-1954), leader of the Fauvist movement, known for his use of color and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. A master of painting, sculpture, and graphic arts. - Period: Early to mid-20th Century (Fauvism, Neo-Impressionism, Modernism). - Themes: Decorative patterns, domestic interiors, nudes, still life, portraits, vibrant color, joyous celebration of life. - Mediums: Oil on canvas, paper cut-outs (gouaches découpés), sculpture, drawing, printmaking. - Styles: Bold, non-naturalistic use of color (Fauvism), simplified forms, strong lines, decorative patterns, emphasis on expressive color and line rather than literal representation, fluid and rhythmic compositions. - Famous Works: The Dance, The Red Room, Woman with a Hat, La Danse, Blue Nude (Souvenir de Biskra), The Snail (cut-out).

Jean-Michel Basquiat

• Bio: American artist (1960-1988), rose to prominence in the 1980s as part of the Neo-expressionism movement. His work often explored themes related to race, class, identity, and wealth. - Period: Late 20th Century (Neo-expressionism, Primitivism, Contemporary Art). - Themes: Identity, race, black history, street culture, social commentary, wealth, poverty, death, heroism, music, art history. - Mediums: Acrylic, oil stick, spray paint, collage on canvas, wood, or found objects; drawing. - Styles: Raw, visceral, childlike drawing combined with sophisticated collage; mix of words, symbols, figures, and abstract marks; urban primitive aesthetic; strong graphic elements; often messy and energetic. - Famous Works: Untitled (Skull), Irony of Negro Policeman, Dustheads, Pez Dispenser.

Betye Saar

• Bio: African American artist (b. 1926) known for her assemblages and installations that address issues of race, gender, and spirituality, often transforming derogatory images into powerful statements. - Period: Mid-20th Century to present (Assemblage, Feminist Art, Black Arts Movement). - Themes: Racism, sexism, spirituality, memory, black identity, folk art, ancestral connections, social justice, reclaiming derogatory imagery. - Mediums: Assemblage (found objects, historical artifacts, photographs, textiles), collage, printmaking, installation art. - Styles: Highly symbolic and narrative-driven assemblages; use of found objects imbued with new meaning; often critiques racist depictions (e.g., Aunt Jemima); mystical and ritualistic elements. - Famous Works: The Liberation of Aunt Jemima, Black Girl's Window, Spirit Catcher.

Frank Gehry

• Bio: Canadian-American architect (b. 1929) known for his deconstructivist designs characterized by unconventional shapes, fragmented forms, and the use of unusual, often metallic materials. - Period: Late 20th Century to present (Deconstructivism, Contemporary Architecture). - Themes: Deconstruction, fluidity, movement, urban regeneration, sculptural forms in architecture. - Mediums: Titanium, stainless steel, corrugated metal, glass, concrete, wood; computer-aided design (CATIA). - Styles: Irregular, non-rectilinear shapes; complex, curvilinear facades; crumpled paper-like forms; dynamic and expressive structures that appear to defy gravity; innovative use of software for design. - Famous Works: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Louis Vuitton Foundation, Dancing House (Prague).

Frank Lloyd Wright

• Bio: American architect (1867-1959) considered America's greatest architect. Known for his philosophy of "organic architecture," designing structures that are in harmony with humanity and its environment. - Period: Late 19th to mid-20th Century (Prairie Style, Organic Architecture). - Themes: Harmony with nature, integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, American individualism, natural light, efficiency of space. - Mediums: Concrete, brick, stone, wood, glass, cantilevers. - Styles: Prairie Style (low-pitched roofs, strong horizontal lines, open floor plans, central chimney); Usonian homes (small, single-story, L-shaped, modest homes); cantilevers; geometric forms; integration with landscape ("organic architecture"). - Famous Works: Fallingwater, Taliesin West, Robie House, Guggenheim Museum (NYC).

Leonardo Da Vinci

• Bio: Italian polymath of the High Renaissance (1452-1519) renowned as a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, inventor, anatomist, engineer, cartographer, botanist, and writer. An embodiment of the "Renaissance Man." - Period: High Renaissance. - Themes: Human anatomy, psychology, religious narratives, portraiture, natural phenomena, scientific observation, engineering. - Mediums: Oil paint (especially sfumato), tempera, fresco, charcoal, pen and ink (extensive drawings and notebooks). - Styles: Sfumato (soft, diffused light and shadow, blurring outlines), Chiaroscuro (strong contrasts of light and dark), anatomical precision, psychological depth in portraits, dynamic compositions, innovative techniques. - Famous Works: Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Vitruvian Man (drawing), Annunciation.

Pablo Picasso

• Bio: Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer (1881-1973), co-founder of Cubism. One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, known for his radical stylistic innovations. - Period: Early to late 20th Century (Blue Period, Rose Period, Cubism (Analytic & Synthetic), Surrealism, Neoclassicism). - Themes: Portraits, still life, mythology, war, bullfighting, sexuality, artist and model, political commentary. - Mediums: Oil on canvas, sculpture (bronze, found objects), ceramics, etching, lithography, drawing, collage. - Styles: Constantly evolving. Blue/Rose Periods (monochromatic, melancholic/warm colors). Cubism (geometric fragmentation, multiple viewpoints, collage). Surrealism-influenced dreamlike forms. Expressive, often distorted figures. - Famous Works: Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Guernica, The Weeping Woman, Three Musicians, Girl Before a Mirror.

Alexander Calder

• Bio: American sculptor (1898-1976) best known for inventing the mobile (kinetic sculptures moved by air currents) and stabiles (stationary abstract sculptures). - Period: Mid-20th Century (Modernism, Kinetic Art, Abstract Art). - Themes: Movement, balance, abstract forms, playfulness, nature (celestial bodies, animals), engineering. - Mediums: Sheet metal (steel, aluminum), wire, paint, wood, found objects. - Styles: Abstract, biomorphic shapes, primary colors, delicate balance in mobiles, monumental scale in stabiles; often playful and whimsical; exploration of space, weight, and motion. - Famous Works: Lobster Trap and Fish Tail (mobile), Flamingo (stabile), Cirque Calder, various mobiles and stabiles.

Edvard Munch

• Bio: Norwegian Expressionist painter (1863-1944) best known for his intense and evocative depictions of psychological themes, often focusing on sickness, isolation, and death. A key figure in the development of Expressionism. - Period: Late 19th to early 20th Century (Symbolism, Expressionism). - Themes: Anguish, fear, love, jealousy, death, isolation, psychological states, modern anxiety, human relationships. - Mediums: Oil, tempera, pastel on cardboard, lithography, woodcuts, etchings. - Styles: Vivid, often distorted colors; fluid, wavy lines; strong emotional intensity and psychological realism; simplified forms; symbolic use of color and light to convey inner states. - Famous Works: The Scream, Madonna, Anxiety, The Sick Child, Death in the Sickroom.

James Van Der Zee

• Bio: American photographer (1886-1983) and a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Known for his portraits of African American New Yorkers, often capturing the vibrancy of the community. - Period: Early to mid-20th Century (Harlem Renaissance, Documentary Photography). - Themes: African American life, portraiture, Harlem culture, social commentary, civil rights, celebration of black identity and fashion. - Mediums: Photography (silver gelatin prints, sepia tones). - Styles: Studio portraits with a theatrical quality; nuanced use of lighting; subjects often posed to convey dignity and elegance; captured candid moments of street life; pioneered techniques in darkroom manipulation to enhance images. - Famous Works: Couple, Harlem, Street Scene, Harlem, Dancing in the Dark, Marcus Garvey portraits.

Dorothea Lange

• Bio: American documentary photographer (1895-1965) celebrated for her powerful images of the Great Depression, which profoundly influenced the genre of documentary photography and photojournalism. - Period: Mid-20th Century (Documentary Photography, Photojournalism). - Themes: Great Depression, poverty, migration, human suffering, resilience, social inequality, rural American life. - Mediums: Photography (large format camera, black and white prints). - Styles: Direct, empathetic, and unposed portraits; stark realism; strong compositions; often captured the dignity and desperation of her subjects; focused on capturing the human condition and social impact of economic hardship. - Famous Works: Migrant Mother, White Angel Breadline, Damaged Child, Shacktown, Elm Grove, Oklahoma, Ditched, Stalled, and Stranded, San Joaquin Valley.

Gordon Parks

• Bio: American photographer, musician, writer, and film director (1912-1990). A prominent figure in photojournalism and a versatile artist who documented African American life and civil rights. - Period: Mid to late 20th Century (Photojournalism, Documentary Photography, Social Realism). - Themes: Poverty, racial injustice, civil rights, fashion, urban life, segregation, African American experience, social commentary. - Mediums: Photography (black and white, color), film, literature. - Styles: Powerful, empathetic, and often stark realism; strong narrative quality; chiaroscuro lighting; combination of social commentary and aesthetic elegance; capable of capturing both hardship and resilience. - Famous Works: American Gothic, Washington, D.C., Rationing in a Harlem Supermarket, Emerging Man, The Learning Tree (film).

Piet Mondrian

• Bio: Dutch painter (1872-1944), a pioneer of 20th-century abstract art. He developed "Neoplasticism" (De Stijl), characterized by geometric abstraction, primary colors, and straight lines. - Period: Early to mid-20th Century (De Stijl, Abstraction, Modernism). - Themes: Universal harmony, spiritual purity, essential forms, balance, order, abstract representation of reality, rhythm. - Mediums: Oil on canvas. - Styles: Strict geometric abstraction; use of only primary colors (red, yellow, blue) plus black, white, and gray; compositions based on horizontal and vertical lines; grids separating colored squares and rectangles; emphasis on flatness and two-dimensionality; sought to express universal truths through geometric harmony. - Famous Works: Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow, Broadway Boogie Woogie, Trafalgar Square.

Andy Warhol

• Bio: American artist (1928-1987), a leading figure in the Pop Art movement. Known for his iconic images of consumer culture, celebrity, and everyday objects, often incorporating silkscreen printing. - Period: Mid to late 20th Century (Pop Art, Contemporary Art). - Themes: Consumerism, celebrity culture, mass media, advertising, death, disaster, popular icons, repetitive imagery, commercialism. - Mediums: Silkscreen printing, painting (acrylic), drawing, film, sculpture. - Styles: Repetitive serial imagery; bold, flat colors; appropriation of commercial images (e.g., Campbell's soup cans, Coca-Cola bottles); portraits of celebrities; detached, impersonal aesthetic; blurring of art and commerce; often machine-made appearance. - Famous Works: Campbell's Soup Cans, Marilyn Diptych, Eight Elvises, Shot Marilyns, Banana (album cover).

• Bio: American painter (1903-1970) of the Abstract Expressionist movement, closely associated with Color Field painting. Known for his large-scale paintings featuring soft, rectangular fields of color. - Period: Mid-20th Century (Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting). - Themes: Spirituality, transcendence, emotion, the sublime, human tragedy, timelessness, color as subject. - Mediums: Oil on canvas (often diluted and stained onto raw canvas to create soft edges). - Styles: Large, often monumental canvases; rectangular blocks of color that seem to float or pulsate; soft, blurred edges created by washes of thinned paint; emphasis on color and its emotional impact rather than form; intended to evoke a meditative or contemplative response from the viewer; often devoid of discernible subject matter. - Famous Works: No. 61 (Rust and Blue), Orange and Yellow, Red on Maroon, *Blue