Artists from which countries have made the most significant contribution to the history of art? Italy, Holland, Russia, Spain, China — this is how art lovers will most likely answer this question. And they will be right. But it is completely in vain that Great Britain is not in this rating. At auctions, canvases by English painters are not as popular as the works of Russian Itinerants or French Impressionists. But the influence of artists born in Foggy Albion on modern art is difficult to overestimate. We will tell you about 10 of the most outstanding creative personalities from the point of view of the VeryImportantLot portal, whose paintings are worth paying attention to collectors.

Ten Most Famous English Artists. William Hogarth.

The worldview of William Hogarth (1697-1764) was formed in a difficult period for England — feudalism was replaced by the bourgeois system. As in any era of change, there was a revision of moral values. Enrichment was perceived as the norm (remember how it was in Russia in the 90s of the 20th century, when schoolchildren seriously dreamed of a career as a prostitute or a killer and were not embarrassed to not only talk about it out loud, but also write about it in essays). Hogarth decides to remind his compatriots of the biblical commandments.

He does this with the help of his works, debunking new morals. The engravings created by the artist are bought with pleasure. Fame was brought by the cycle of paintings “A Prostitute’s Career”. William Hogarth was the first in history to unite 6 works with a through plot. Another innovation introduced by the artist is to use dramatic techniques. Like a well-thought-out script, the created series of drawings have a central plot and several secondary ones. The artist carefully described the facial expressions and gestures of the heroes of social dramas. When viewing the engravings, you get the feeling that you are looking at illustrations for a gripping novel.

Joshua Reynolds

Joshua Reynolds is another English artist who worked in the 18th century.

There are not many painters who managed to become famous during their lifetime. And not just earn large fees by painting portraits of noble people, but make a special contribution to art. One of such darlings of fate is he, Joshua Reynolds, a British citizen. Reynolds fell in love with colors in early childhood, got great pleasure from drawing. He did not even think about another career. His talent quickly gained recognition. Unlike many other artists, Joshua had an easy character, knew how to make a good impression, and captivated with his charisma. This helped him in receiving orders. At the age of 45,

Reynolds was appointed to the post of President of the Royal Academy of Arts. The artist was especially successful in portraits. He had no equal in this at that time. Joshua truly fell in love with his hero, even in an unpleasant person he knew how to find qualities worthy of respect. He painted complimentary portraits, emphasizing human virtues with the help of a well-chosen costume, entourage, and pose that revealed character.

Thomas Gainsborough

Thomas Gainsborough is a friend and eternal rival of Reynolds. They had a complicated relationship, although they were united by a sincere love for art. They appreciated each other’s skill, but at the same time always strove to achieve more than their colleague.

Their works are not at all similar. The difference between the portraits created by the artists is obvious even to a person who knows little about painting. Ironically, Gainsborough, who was most drawn to landscapes, became famous as a wonderful portraitist. In his works, the artist often compromised: he painted his heroes against the backdrop of colorful nature. In the 18th century, such a technique was not entirely typical, so Thomas Gainsborough is considered an innovator. The artist’s works are recognizable by their smooth, as if shaded lines. The manner of making brushstrokes also attracts attention. If you look at a painting created in this technique from a distance, it seems alive.

William Blake

William Blake was a bright personality with his own worldview since childhood.

Blake was interested in mysticism, shared the beliefs of anarchists, did not consider himself obliged to observe Christian commandments and laws invented by society. The painter was sure that this was how human freedom was oppressed. He gained a reputation as a convinced atheist, believing that religious postulates limit independence. Rebellion was reflected in Blake’s work. His most famous paintings are “The Architect of the World”, “The Ghost of a Flea”, illustrations for Dante’s “Divine Comedy”.

John Constable

Some consider John Constable to be the inspiration for impressionism.

John Constable strove for realism in landscape painting. He painted his works from life, not in the studio. Before him, artists in Great Britain most often painted Mediterranean landscapes from memory. He had an excellent command of color technique, accurately selecting natural shades. The works that made Constable famous: “Salisbury Cathedral”, “Hay Wain”, “Boat and Stormy Sky”. His paintings are filled with love for England. It is not for nothing that John Constable’s works are often used as illustrations for art calendars.

William Turner

William Turner is called the master of the romantic landscape. Even as a child, he showed great promise, and at the age of 14 he was enrolled in the Royal Academy in London.

William Turner was a virtuoso in various techniques: he painted equally well in watercolor and oil. The painter became the youngest artist to be awarded the title of Royal Academician. He is known as the creator of a new type of landscape – in them he not only glorified the beauty of the English province, but also sought to convey his emotional attitude to the object. In his last years, a riot of color appeared in his paintings, which was not to the liking of the Victorian public. But descendants awarded Turner the pompous title of “King of Light” for his skill and love of sunny views.

John Millais

John Everett Millais became famous as one of the founders of the “Pre-Raphaedite Brotherhood”. He studied at the Royal Academy of Arts.

At the age of 18, the leadership of the educational institution awarded young John a gold medal. He received this honor for his work “The Attack of the Tribe of Benjamin”. His works were distinguished by technical perfection. Millais is known for his radical views on art and passion for excessive detail. After his marriage, John Millais abandoned the Pre-Raphaelite technique that had brought him scandalous popularity and began to paint portraits to order for the sake of his family’s material well-being. His most notable works include: “The Death of Romeo and Juliet”, “Christ in the Parental Home”, “Ophelia”, and “Soap Bubbles”.

Mark Lancelot Symons

Mark Lancelot Symons became famous for his portraits and unusual allegorical paintings, some of which can be attributed to Victorian fairy-tale painting. He inherited his love for art from his father, who earned his living by creating illustrations. Symons professed Catholicism, which is reflected in his paintings “Crucifixion”, “My Lord”. But Symons did not paint all of his religious paintings in accordance with accepted canons. Some of his works caused heated debates among believers and art critics.

Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon is a master of figurative painting. He preferred to paint in the triptych format (28 works have survived).

Bacon attracted the public’s attention with a set of paintings called “Three Studies”, he managed to convey suffering and pain. Not everyone liked his interpretations. Despite the fact that his paintings are included in the list of the most expensive modern paintings sold at auctions, Margaret Thatcher spoke unflatteringly about Francis Bacon, thereby increasing interest in the artist’s work.

Lucian Freud

As a student of Stanley Spencer, Lucian Freud borrowed from him a realistic approach to depicting people.

Lucian Freud preferred portraits and nudes. The artist did not decorate his characters on principle, on the contrary, he emphasized existing imperfections in every possible way – unaesthetic warts, scars, ulcers. And he chose a gloomy background for his works, reinforcing the negative impression. Freud’s painting “The Social Warden Sleeps” was sold at auction in 2008 for 33.6 million dollars.