During his lifetime, he witnessed a large amount of political upheaval and violence, which left him disillusioned with the world. Whilst he had all the technical skills of an old master, he also had the desire to make a statement with his art that many modern artists possess. He is an important figure in the history of art as he is known for bridging the gap between the old and the new. Oil on plaster wall (transferred to canvas)įrancisco Goya was a Spanish painter of the Romantic era. However, even those that love to use color can see the value in creating black-and-white art. Many of the artists in this list will surprise you, as they are known for their bright, colorful paintings. Some of the most celebrated artists in the world are black-and-white painters, even if you don’t know it. This is likely why black-and-white Abstract art is so emotive. Whatever symbolism one chooses, it is almost universal that black and white create a paradox. In the East, however, white is often associated with death and mourning, with black representing power. For example, in many Western cultures white symbolizes life and purity, whilst black is linked to death and the macabre.

Many of these cultures have different opinions on what each color symbolizes though. The colors black and white are symbolic in many cultures around the world. This might explain why, subconsciously, we are drawn to famous black-and-white art. The human eye can also distinguish more shades of gray in a black-and-white image than shades of color in a polychromatic one. Therefore, the first colors we see in infancy are black, white, and shades of gray. Scientists have determined that when we are born, the cones that help us interpret color are not yet fully formed. At this time, black-and-white art was rare, making it dramatic and eye-catching. Rather than simply a guide, they decided to use this technique to create famous black-and-white paintings on canvas. Jump forward to the 1900s, many artists took inspiration from these black-and-white replicas of famous artworks. 1824 – 1834) by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons To make their artworks easier for engravers to transfer, they would create black-and-white copies. However, a few hundred years later, artists realized they could use this same press to create reproductions of their artworks, allowing them to sell multiple copies. At first, it was simply used to print important books, most notably the bible. In 1436, the printing press was created by Johannes Gutenberg. To show off their mastery of chiaroscuro, artists would make use of only pure white and black, mixing the two to create tonal value. It is when artists use high-contrast shades (like black and white) to add volume to a painting, thus making it appear three-dimensional. This is mainly because of the development of the chiaroscuro technique.Ĭhiaroscuro is an Italian word that translates directly into “light-dark”. There was a massive shift in art from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. In this section, the thought process of black-and-white artists will be examined. Sometimes, these choices relate to the visual effect the artist wants to create, whilst others are more personal and symbolic. There are several reasons why artists may choose to create black-and-white artworks. 3.2 What Do You Call Black-and-White Paintings?.3.1 Which Artists Are Known for Being Black-and-White Painters?.2.10 Elegy to the Spanish Republic No.

2.5 Horse Skull With White Rose (1931) by Georgia O’Keeffe.

2.4 Morning Glory With Black (1926) by Georgia O’Keeffe.

2.3 The Black Square (1915) by Kazimir Malevich.2.2 Cart With Black Ox (1884) by Vincent van Gogh.2.1 Witches’ Sabbath (The Great He-Goat) (c.1 Why Do Artists Make Black-and-White Art?.

Beholder art black and whit