Renoir's painting is probably the most carefree and lightheaded one among the impressionists: his scenes are happy, funny, sometimes sensual, the artist is fascinated by feminine beauty, and there are no other purposes in his works except personal pleasure.  Even his teacher used to yell at him, complaining that he was representing too frivolous scenes..

Friedrich probably was the most influencial (and important) painter of the Romantic movement. His works are known for the contemplative and allegoric view of nature which - for the first time in the history of art - becomes the main character of a picture.

Landscape is not only the background of religious and mythological events (as it was until the 18th century), nor a simple visive show, but a source of ispiration and suggetions. Man and nature aren't two separate worlds anymore: the former can recognize himself in the latter, and discover a bit more about himself by feeling the emotions which a natural sight can bring.

Antonio Canova is worldwide regarded as the greatest neoclassical sculptor ever seen in the world. He was born in a small town near Venice, where the young Antonio began his artistic studies.
His father was of stone-cutter and also the first teacher of Canova, who was initiated to drawing after the very first years of his life.

Vincent Van Gogh is often regarded as a post-impressionist painter. Indeed, after a very brief period inspired by the realist painter Millet (whose influence is clearly visible in the picture "The Potato Eaters"), Van Gogh became friend of the French painters Pisarro and Signac, from whom he inherited the impressionists' typical themes (sight of cities, flowers...) and styles (bright and clear colors, fast brushstrokes).

Piet Mondrian (oringally Mondriaan) was one of the main contributors of the De Stijl movement (also known as neoplasticism).

Around the end of the 20th century, young Mondrian’s paintings followed the prevailing trends of art in the Netherlands: landscapes and still-lives were his preferred subjects, and were chosen from the meadows and polders around Amsterdam (see section below "Chosen Works").

Andrew Warhola, known as Andy Warhol, was an American artist and leading figure of the pop art movement. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became famous worldwide for his works as a painter, avant-garde filmmaker, printmaker and record producer.

Monet was a pure impressionist, a real master of the style, entirely focusing his attention on the colours and light effects of the landscapes that he used to paint en plain air.

He was a very prolific artist, who went on painting until the age of 86. During these years, he always remained loyal to the impressionism's guidelines, even when the movement started to decline in its popularity.

William Turner has always been interested in the relationship between men and nature, and the resulting sese of energy and terror felt by te former in front of the unleashed force of the elements (what the romantics used to call 'sublime').

Tempestuos seas, shipwrecks and typhoons are some of his main themes, where nature is hostile and overwhelming.

The trasgressive nights in Paris were the main theme not only of Lautrec's artistic works, but also of his entire life: he spent most of his 37 years of life at the tables of clubs like the "Moulin Rouge", among alcohol and ballet dancers. Here, he used to draw many sketches of what he saw, constituing the basis of his paintings on canvas and advertisements.

Edvard Munch is considered as one of the major symbolist painters, forerunner of the expressionist movement.
"I don't paint what i see, but what i've seen" he said, to underline his distance from the (post)impressionism.

Munch is interested in showing what happens inside his head, how his unrational side takes over the rational one and modifies the reality perceived: he wants to let the viewer see the world through his eyes, with all the pain and anxiety he felt.