# Factual Q on Artists **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 22, 2006, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-q-on-artists/345613 "2006-02-22T12:10:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-q-on-artists/345613/1 "2006-02-22T12:10:43Z")
As far as we can collectively know, have there been any “anonymous” artists? Or, is this just a quirk of authors? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-q-on-artists/345613/2 "2006-02-22T13:36:01Z")
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](http://www.postershop.com/Anonymous-k.html). 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. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-q-on-artists/345613/3 "2006-02-22T15:43:16Z")
I think the OP refers to books like [_Primary Colors_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0099743612/qid=1140622113/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2741452-8232147?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) 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? ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-q-on-artists/345613/4 "2006-02-25T02:36:05Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-q-on-artists/345613/5 "2006-02-25T04:09:54Z")
Well, there’s grafitti art… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-q-on-artists/345613/6 "2006-02-25T04:30:57Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > 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 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.