Raphael is one of three master painters during the High Renaissance, alongside Leonardo and Michelangelo. Born Rafaello Sanzio, he left a large body of work, the most important of which being the frescoes found in the Vatican Palace.

Georgia O’Keeffe is known as the Mother of American Modernism. She is famous for her paintings of enlarged flowers, southeastern landscapes, and animal skulls. She was also elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Born in Chur, Switzerland, in 1940, Swiss artist H.R. Giger is best remembered for his award-winning work on the movies Alien, Poltergeist II, and Prometheus. The “biomechanical” melding of man and machine that so often characterized his paintings made his work perfect for science fiction and horror...

Georges Seurat was a French painter and draftsman who pioneered the painting technique known as Pointillism. Born to a mother whose family produced many sculptors, Seurat spearheaded Parisian avant-garde in his time.

Cubism is one of the most well-known visual styles created during the early 20th century. Art produced in this manner usually has a geometric and deconstructive appearance.

Piet Mondrian was a Dutch painter known for his simplistic, yet distinct style developed as part of the De Stijl movement. Known as “The Style” in English or Neoplasticism, he used straight lines and a limited palette to deconstruct reality and depict its “true” form.

René Magritte was a Belgian artist known for his surrealist paintings. He challenged his viewers’ perception of reality by placing everyday objects in unusual contexts. Behind his provocative artworks, here are the following facts...

The Rococo period emerged in 18th century France as a reaction to the Baroque period. Many describe Rococo as the whimsical and carefree child of the somber and virtuous Baroque era.

The High Renaissance era spanned from the late 15th century to the sack of Rome by Emperor Charles V in 1527. This period is defined by a renewed interest in Humanism and the most realistic depiction of man.

Impressionism is an artistic movement that began in France during the 1860s. Many consider it as the earliest distinguishable modern development in painting. It rejects realism in favor of “impressions” created by light and captured in the blink of an eye.

Gustav Klimt is known as one of the best decorative painters of the twentieth century. He is also Vienna’s greatest Art Nouveau proponent. His work is characterized by a heavy use of symbolism, ornamental gold leaf

Mark Rothko (born Markus Rotkovich) is one of the principal figures associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement. A painter of Russian Jewish descent, he immigrated with his family to the United States when he was a child.

Elie Saab is best known for his stylish wedding gowns and haute couture dresses designed to flatter and enhance the feminine silhouette. A favored designer among many of the world’s most high-profile women

Fauvism is one of the first Modern art movements that took place during the turn of the 20th century. The Fauvists’ dramatic and eye-catching masterpieces reestablished Paris as a center of art.

During his time, Andy Warhol was the highest paid and most prolific commercial artist in New York. He was a leader of the Pop art movement which blurred the line between “high” and “low” forms of art. His famous works remain relevant in America’s (and the world’s) ever growing consumer culture. Behind the iconic paintings, here are the following facts:

Post-Impressionism (circa 1886-1905) began with Impressionist artists who pursued specific aspects of painting. They redirected their focus from “impressions” of the outside world to personal subjects. This innovative era gave rise to many unique styles and movements in modern art. To learn more about this influential period, here are the following facts: