The most famous portraits are known even to those people who have never been to the museum. The fate of the authors of these paintings is different, but they are united by the original skill and the mass of research into their work.
Jan Vermeer - author of Girls with a Pearl Earring
The portrait "Girl with a Pearl Earring" can be called a classic of Dutch painting. There are many mysteries associated with the painting. For example, it is not known who ordered the portrait and which girl served as a model for the painting. According to one version, Vermeer portrayed his eldest daughter, according to another - a servant. The portrait is unusual in that movement is conveyed here. The girl seems to be looking back at the viewer, attracted by a hail or an unusual sound.
Vermeer himself was a fairly famous artist. He received many orders and had patrons of art patrons. However, he took up painting less often, which indicates a source of alternative income. Vermeer had 15 children, 11 of whom survived to adulthood. The artist had great authority in the field of painting, but after the war with France, his position was shaken, and he died in debt.
Ivan Kramskoy - author of "Unknown"
The painting depicting a young woman in a carriage was painted by the Russian painter Ivan Kramskoy in 1883. The name of the portrait speaks for itself - almost nothing is known about its prototype. It is only clear that the model was a woman of a noble family. She is dressed according to the latest fashion, in rather expensive and elegant clothes, and travels in her own carriage. The woman looks at the viewer as if from above, conquering with her regal posture and demeanor.
Ivan Kramskoy served as a clerk in his hometown of Ostrogozhsk. His good friend, artist and photographer M. Tulinov, taught Kramskoy to retouch photographs using watercolors. The future artist was carried away by his new activity and soon began to create his own portraits. Due to the nature of his studies, Kramskoy's portraits are very photographic. The artist painted realistically, paying attention to the smallest details of the painting.
Leonardo da Vinci - author of La Gioconda
La Gioconda, or Mona Lisa, is one of the most popular paintings in the world. Hundreds of materials have been written about her, documentaries and feature films are devoted to her. Even people far from art know this picture. According to the official version, da Vinci painted a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant. However, researchers note the similarity of the woman in the portrait and da Vinci's mother, and some see in the "La Gioconda" the image of the artist himself.
Leonardo da Vinci is one of the legendary personalities. He was not only an artist, but also a sculptor, architect, inventor, writer and scientist. Historians unanimously state that da Vinci was ahead of his time. He created many inventions that are in demand today. And his discoveries in the field of painting and sculpture gave a powerful impetus to the development of realistic art.
