# Who's your favorite painter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820 "2008-11-03T04:26:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/1 "2008-11-03T04:26:15Z")
My current favorite is **Jean-Léon Gérôme**. Though I have vague memories of seeing his work while I was in college, 16-20 years ago, I have recently rediscovered him and his awesomeness. I almost wish I actually were a time-travelling super-villain so I could hop back a hundred years, conquer France, and spare him from being executed like most of his fellows. Here’s the first paragraph of the [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-L%C3%A9on_G%C3%A9r%C3%B4me) about him: [QUOTE=a surprisingly non-stupid Wiki editor] Jean-Léon Gérôme (May 11, 1824 – January 10, 1904) was a French painter and sculptor in the style now known as Academicism. The range of his oeuvre included historical painting, Greek mythology, Orientalism, portraits and other subjects, bringing the Academic painting tradition to an artistic climax. [/QUOTE] More importantly, here’s the [Wikicommons](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Jean-L%C3%A9on_G%C3%A9r%C3%B4me) page dedicated to him I’m particularly fond of [Painting Breathes Life into Sculpture](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:G%C3%A9r%C3%B4me_-_Painting_Breathes_Life_into_Sculpture_v1.jpg) (currently adorning my desktop), but there are many other lovely images there. Be warned, though, that some of these paintings contain nudity. Anyway, that’s just me. I’m sure others hereabouts have opinions on which artists are worth praising. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/2 "2008-11-03T04:31:37Z")
Norman Rockwell. Sorry. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/3 "2008-11-03T04:42:22Z")
Wow. It changes frequently, but usually comes back to Rothko. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/4 "2008-11-03T05:52:10Z")
Gustav Klimt. I saw a lot of his work in Vienna, and it’s way better in person than in reproductions. Especially his use of gold. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/5 "2008-11-03T06:21:17Z")
[Turner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._W._Turner) ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/6 "2008-11-03T06:59:54Z")
I dig [Rembrandt v.Rijn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt). Was lucky enough to see many of his paintings up close and personal at [The Old Masters Museum in Germany](http://www.kassel.de/cms03/highlights/museen/01216/index.php). Probably the best Rembrandt collection in Europe (the Landgraf was a patron). I just like his style and brushwork: 1. Classical with a fuzzy realism, just a hint of impressionism. 2. Nuance in shade and blend. Dark contrasted with light, instead of the opposite. 3. Hi, Opal! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/7 "2008-11-03T07:13:50Z")
Wassily Kandinsky. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/8 "2008-11-03T10:35:13Z")
Camille Pissarro [landscape](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Camille_Pissarro_025.jpg) I tend to prefer landscapes to portraits. But I don’t have an all time single favorite painter. Just to be contrary, my other current fav is Vermeer. So much for no portraits… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/9 "2008-11-03T10:37:27Z")
My [brother-in-law](http://www.comhghall.com/paintings.html), because he did a painting of me, heheh. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2008, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/10 "2008-11-03T11:31:18Z")
It varies between Cézanne, Van Gogh, Picasso, Pollock and Andrew Wyeth, depending on mood. Nowadays, mostly Wyeth. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/11 "2008-11-03T12:40:49Z")
Yves Tanguy. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/12 "2008-11-03T14:28:56Z")
I’m near carnivorousplant’s level. I’m at a loss to choose between N.C. Wyeth and Maxfield Parrish. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/13 "2008-11-03T14:34:42Z")
I love everything from El Greco to Rothko, but I always come back to Cezanne and Manet. For current painters, I love [Scott Prior’s](http://scottpriorart.com/) work. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/14 "2008-11-03T15:38:37Z")
Velázquez. Sorry. The first time I saw The Surrender of Breda in the original, I could have just stayed there for days if my parents hadn’t dragged me away. So many years of seeing washed-away, tiny pictures in school books and then there it was, life-sized and so realistic it almost smelled. Mind you, The Weavers and Vulcano’s Forge were next, but I was still on so much awe over Breda that these and the Meninas simply didn’t register as much… Can’t stand Picasso in any form. Dali was good, the bastich, or at least good at drawing; I don’t like all his work but he was good. Have I said he was good? I like many of the impressionists as well. Once I took a friend to visit El Prado and by sheer happenstance we happened to go in through Goya’s door: we saw the Dark Paintings, then went through all the museum, then up to the first floor, then we’re looking at some tapestry designs and he says “you know, it’s sort of completely different, but this does remind me a lot of those dark paintings we saw at the beginning” “same guy” “:eek:” - while Goya isn’t particularly pleasant for me, the combination of his paintings with his times is a subject that interests me very much. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/15 "2008-11-03T15:41:19Z")
**Nava** , I see no reason either you or **carnivorousplant** shouldl apologize for liking what you like. This isn’t a criticial analysis thread; if I were I’d have talked about line and color and eroticism and the virtues of photorealism versus more stylised renderings. The only thing you should come CLOSE to apologizing for is not posting a link that what you praise. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/16 "2008-11-03T15:44:14Z")
I’m at work and while my client hasn’t realized the Dope is a timewas… ehm, a good tool for improving my English skills… they do frown on sites with lots of pictures. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/17 "2008-11-03T15:46:25Z")
I’m fond of the surrealists, specifically, Dali and Magritte. My (Catholic) high school had a print of [Dali’s Last Supper](http://www.ellensplace.net/dali.html) in the office, which is my favourite religious painting of all time - Blows Leonardo’s Last Supper out of the water. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/18 "2008-11-03T15:48:19Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I’m at work and while my client hasn’t realized the Dope is a timewas… ehm, a good tool for improving my English skills… they do frown on sites with lots of pictures. Sorry! There is no apologizing in baseball! Wait. That’s crying, and this is the internet. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/19 "2008-11-03T15:51:32Z")
[Ivan Albright](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=ivan%20albright&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi). Lucky for me he was a local boy and there’s a great deal of his stuff at the Art Institute of Chicago and, oddly enough, at the village hall in the western suburb of Warrenville including there his Dorian Grey portrait that is one of the most haunting images I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820/20 "2008-11-03T15:55:20Z")
I agree with **Nava** : paintings must be seen in person to feel their full impact. Case in point–I was always tepid on Van Gogh, until I went to see his exhibit at the Art Institute. His painting fair shouted off the walls at me. I finally understand what everyone was raving about re “Starry Nights” etc. Same with Monet (although I still say his painting of turkeys is just turkeys and nothing special). I have found that as I grow older, I appreciate more complex works. As a child, I loved Renoir, but now I find him too “pretty”. I also find I have more patience with more modern art (and less patience with art critics or snobs, but that’s another thread). I have prints of Whistler (not his mother), Hockney, Wyeth, Benson and Monet in my house. I’d like to have many, many more, but have run out of room. I like a lot of Victorian or Edwardian era art as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-painter/470820.md?page=2)