Okay, so I was messing around online today, trying to figure out who everyone thinks is the, like, best painter ever. You know, the GOAT. It’s a totally subjective thing, obviously, but I was curious what the general consensus was, and if there even was one.
My Deep Dive into “Best Painter” Arguments
First, I hit up good old Google. Just typed in “who is the best painter in the world” and, boom, information overload. Lots of different lists, opinions, and historical figures popped up. It was a jumble of names I recognized and some I totally didn’t.
So, I started clicking around, reading articles and blog posts. Mostly, it was the same big names over and over:
- Leonardo da Vinci – Mona Lisa, The Last Supper… duh.
- Vincent van Gogh – Starry Night, Sunflowers… the ear guy.
- Michelangelo – Sistine Chapel ceiling, David… more sculpting, but whatever.
- Rembrandt – The Night Watch, lots of self-portraits.
- Pablo Picasso – Guernica, The Weeping Woman, Cubism pioneer.
I spent a good hour just falling down this rabbit hole, reading about their lives, their techniques, and why people thought they were so amazing. It was pretty interesting, not gonna lie. Each article seemed pretty confident in its choice, citing brushstrokes, use of light, historical impact… all that fancy stuff.
Then I decided to broaden my search. I checked out some art forums and online communities. This is where things got really heated. People were passionately defending their favorite artists, throwing around terms like “chiaroscuro” and “impasto” (which I had to Google, of course). It was like a sports rivalry, but with oil paints.
I even tried some polls and “versus” websites. The results were all over the place! One site would have Van Gogh on top, another would crown Da Vinci, and yet another would be all about some obscure Baroque painter I’d never heard of.
My Conclusion (or Lack Thereof)
After all this “research,” I’ve come to the conclusion that… there is no conclusion! It’s all just personal preference. There’s no single “best” painter. It depends on what you like, what moves you, what kind of art speaks to your soul.
It’s like asking what’s the best flavor of ice cream. Some people go crazy for Chocolate, others for good old Vanilla.
So, yeah, that’s my little adventure in art history for the day. Did I find the answer? Nope. Did I learn some stuff? Sure. Was it a fun way to waste an afternoon? Absolutely!
