Factual Q on Artists

As far as we can collectively know, have there been any “anonymous” artists? Or, is this just a quirk of authors? - Jinx

What do you mean by “anonymous”? There are some whose name is unknown, usually because the name of the actual artist can’t be tracked down. Here are a few art prints by anonymous artists. The examples shown are prints; while someone certainly knew the artist’s name when they were done, they were not signed and whoever knew is dead by now.

I think the OP refers to books like Primary Colors where the author deliberately wants to avoid being identified (since he mentions the quirks of authors), vs. works of art where the artist is simply unknown. That is, is there a body of work known to be by the same artist but nobody knows who that artist is/was?

I was simply asking if some artists don’t sign their works? I thought only poems were by “Anonomous” until I found some books in the local book store published under “Anonomous”!!!

So, I was wondering if any SDopers have known of paintings left unsigned…or smiply signed as “Anonomous”? Sounds like there are…

  • Jinx

Well, there’s grafitti art…

Lots of older paintings don’t have the artist’s name on them. Michelangelo, for instance, only signed one work in his career (the Pieta), and more recently, Picasso would often leave his work unsigned. I don’t believe the Mona Lisa has a signature, either. Of course, the actual artist is well known.