Influential Modernist Visual Artists

Vincent Van Gogh was one of the most influential modernist era painters. He was born in 1853 and died in 1890. Through out his life he created more than 2,100 art pieces. Through most of his life he was poor and suffered from mental illness which led to him taking his own life. During his lifetime his work was unknown, however after his death it became wildly popular. His work inspired many modernist artists. Van Gogh used intense colors and rhythms which made his work very emotional allowing for inner self exploration and individualized perspectives. One of his most famous pieces of art is the painting " Starry Night". Van Gogh created this work of art in 1889 in the asylum he was staying.

Claude Monet was an influential artist in the modern area who's work was devoted to capturing the image he saw. He was born was born in 1840 and died in 1926. Monet's focus on the subjective and the valid in his paintings was a key influence in the modernist art work. It started the movement of brighter colors and detailed brushstrokes. Monet's work did not contain the traditional subjects which inspired others to work in the same direction. He was also a big influence in abstract art work , which is present in his famous Waterlilies canvases.