Another prolific artist, Cassatt continued painting despite a raft of health issues, finally being forced to stop in 1914 after she almost went blind due to her health. She lived for another 12 years before passing away at her home in Paris.

14. Johannes Vermeer 

Johannes Vermeer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Part of the Dutch Golden Age crew, Johannes Vermeer specialized in Baroque-style paintings. He often depicted middle-class life in his art, using a mixture of dark colors, such as browns and greys, and more saturated colors such as reds, yellows, and blues. Many also point to his use of the pigment lapis lazuli–a deep blue color–as a major contribution to the beauty of his creations. There is a warmth to many of his paintings, with his use of colors spectacular. 

Vermeer only created around 50 paintings during his short life and wasn’t held in the same high regard as he is today. It wasn’t until two centuries later that his paintings got the praise they deserved. 

15. Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This famous painter is known for his work in the field of abstract painting in the West. It wasn’t until he hit 30, when he gave up a promising career teaching law and economics, that the Russian began to express himself through his painting. He moved to Munich and enrolled in the Munich Academy before returning to Russia after World War I where he helped establish the Museum of the Culture of Painting. He then made his way back to Germany to teach at the Bauhaus school of art and architecture, before finally settling in France where he lived out the remainder of his life.

Wassily Kandinsky’s paintings are vibrant, colorful designs that pop off the canvas. While his early work is inspired by the Impressionist era, his best pieces came about in his later years when his paintings got more abstract. These artworks often found him ruminating on religion (he was a devout Christian) and consisted of shapes and patterns in bright and dazzling colors.