# Ten Most Prestigious Artists to Have in an Encyclopedic Museum Collection? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636 "2014-04-08T14:32:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636/1 "2014-04-08T14:32:37Z")
OK, art aficionados, who would be the top ten artists whose work would lend prestige to an American Art museum - particularly one with no real focus? I’ll start, off the top of my head: Leonardo Michelangelo Rembrandt Monet Picasso Hopper Pollock Cezanne Van Gogh Bernini I realize that an outstanding work by a lesser artist (e.g., Modigliani) would be a much better piece to have than a lesser work by someone like Picasso, but I’m speaking in generalities here. You’re the curator: what ten artists do you want in your museum? ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636/2 "2014-04-08T21:14:22Z")
DaVinci Michaelangelo Rembrandt Monet Renoir Van Gogh Picasso Chagall Pollack Warhol ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636/3 "2014-04-08T23:02:04Z")
You’re asking for a Top 10 of Western Art. - What about a drawing by Durer or a sketch by Raphael or Botticelli (dude knew lines) - What about a great print by Hokusai or Hiroshige? - How about an early Renaissance painting by Duccio or Giotto? - heck, how about a pre-Columbian Mayan calendar? ---
**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:** [April 9, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636/4 "2014-04-09T00:49:14Z")
Given my own personal preferences: Leonardo da Vinci Michelangelo Rembrandt Jan Steen Goya Monet Gauguin Van Gogh Winslow Homer Dali ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636/5 "2014-04-14T10:03:41Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > You’re asking for a Top 10 of Western Art. Not necessarily. There is a difference between the “best” artists or pieces (judged subjectively, or by higher criticism) and those that would lend the most prestige. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636/6 "2014-04-14T12:27:20Z")
I’d take Wyeth over Hopper, personally, and Henry Moore over Bernini. But I’m OK with the rest of the OP’s list. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636/7 "2014-04-17T11:17:57Z")
We’re talking about the most prestigious artists, not necessarily the best ones or personal favourites, right? I’d go with: **Van Eyck Bosch Bruegel Botticelli DaVinci Michaelangelo Rembrandt Van Gogh Monet Picasso** ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-most-prestigious-artists-to-have-in-an-encyclopedic-museum-collection/685636/8 "2014-04-17T12:37:40Z")
Leonardo Michelangelo Donatello Raphael (my ninja turtle wing - great for marketing) Rembrandt The rest I’d go for the impressionist and post-impressionist Pissarro Monet Renoir Van Gogh And a Bierstadt to round it out. This probably reflects my tastes and humor more than a critical opinion.