The greatest Spanish artists

The Spanish artistic sense manifests itself in different forms. Spanish culture is rich in works of art thanks to the talent of great painters and artists recognized throughout the world. All this makes Spain an artistic haven that attracts many tourists. Discover in this article the greatest Spanish artists and the culture of this beautiful country.

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso, whose real name is Pablo Ruiz Picasso, is a painter born in Malaga, Spain. He created sculptures and paintings that are part of the history of Spanish art. A true prodigy of contemporary creation, he is considered the founder of Cubist art. During his life, the artist's work consisted of 50,000 pieces. Today on the headlines of international exhibitions and in the biggest museums, Picasso's work is easily recognizable and attracts many visitors.

Francisco de Goya

Francisco de Goya is a famous painter and engraver born in Fuendetodos in Spain. This renowned Spanish artist introduced several stylistic breaks which heralded the arrival of contemporary painting. He is considered the precursor of the pictorial avant-gardes. The artist's works are still present in major museums and contemporary art exhibitions.

Joan Miro

Defining himself as an international Catalan, Joan de Miro is a Catalan painter, sculptor and ceramist. During his early days in Spanish art, the Fauvist, Cubist and Expressionist influence was strongly felt in his works. To date, several art museums exhibit the artist's works, including the National Museum of Modern Art.

Diego Velazquez

Diego Velázquez, whose real name is Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez, is a Spanish Baroque painter. The painter was born in Seville where he developed a naturalist style. Considered one of the masters of universal painting, Diego Velázquez was appointed painter to King Philip IV at the age of 24. The artist's works reached the peak of recognition and success during the period of impressionist painters.

Francisco de Zurbaran

Francisco de Zurbarán is a Spanish painter of the Golden Age. It is an integral part of the history of Spanish art. The artist's works reflect a deep mysticism and move away from Velasquez's realist style. His artistic influences come mainly from Caravaggio, then his dark style evolved to get closer to Italian painters. Although he is one of the painters of the Golden Age, Zurbarán is particularly skilled in religious paintings. In 1628, he moved to Seville where, a few years later, he proclaimed himself "master painter" of the city.

Bartolomé Estéban Murillo

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo is a painter who is one of the main representatives of Spanish painters of the Golden Age. Several of his works are kept in art museums such as the Louvre and Alte Pinakothek. His paintings are essentially religious and are distinguished by portraits of poor women and children. The majority of his works are exhibited in the Prado Museum in Madrid. It is one of the largest Spanish museums and one of the most important art galleries in the world.

Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali is a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor and printmaker. From a very young age he drew his artistic influences from impressionist styles. In 1929, he adopted an entirely surrealist style and invented the paranoid-critical method. He then lived through the Spanish Civil War in exile in Europe. He returned to Catalonia in 1949 where he approached Renaissance painting. He draws inspiration in particular from contemporary works of art and the scientific advances of his time to create another style. Dalinian sculpture has remained anecdotal, except for a few rare exceptions. Salvador Dali is one of the greatest painters who created modern contemporary art among his peers.

Joaquim Sorolla

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida or Joaquim Sorolla in Catalan is one of the Spanish artists who used the impressionist style. Sorolla is a famous painter best known for his genre scenes combining lyricism and realism. He began his career by submitting works to national fine art exhibitions. In 1883, he managed to win a medal at the regional collective exhibition with his artistic works. Most of his works are exhibited in major Spanish museums and others have been donated to the State. The artist's works are now the subject of international exhibitions all over the world.

Eduardo Arroyo Rodriguez

Eduardo Arroyo Rodrigez is a modern-day Spanish painter and sculptor. The artist went to Paris to escape Francoism without having completed his initiation to painting. Contemporary creation is one of its specialties. He notably denounces the remaining fascist realities in Spain through his paintings. One of his group exhibitions was closed to the general public for this reason. He is one of the major representatives of narrative figuration which developed in the 1960s. As for sculpture, Arroyo finished the “Chimney Sweep” in 1986. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including the Biennale from Venice in 1997.