Defining a list of the greatest artists ever is almost impossible – after all, art is deeply personal. But there are names that continually appear across centuries, globally and across genres, for reshaping the way we see the world.
Below is a list of the top 10 artists (in our opinion), whose work has profoundly influenced art history, each making a lasting mark in their own way.
Leonardo da Vinci
Inventor, scientist and master painter, Leonardo da Vinci redefined creative ambition. His paintings, like Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, amazed contemporaries with lifelike detail and psychological depth. Beyond art, his notebooks reveal a curious mind endlessly sketching anatomy, machinery and nature, an enduring symbol of Renaissance genius.
Michelangelo
Michelangelo wasn’t just a painter, he was also a sculptor, architect and poet. His statue David and the ceiling frescoes of the Sistine Chapel remain among the most celebrated works in Western art. His raw depiction of the human body showed a new intensity and dramatic realism that still inspires awe.
Rembrandt van Rijn
Rembrandt’s genius lay in his use of light and shadow. Through intimate portraits and scenes filled with emotion, he captured the inner life of his subjects. His later works, even in rough brush strokes, convey a depth of experience and empathy that feels intensely modern.
Vincent van Gogh
Van Gogh lived a brief, troubled life, yet his impact on art is immense. Bright colours, energetic brushwork and emotional honesty shine through works like Starry Night and Sunflowers. His expressive style paved the way for many modern art movements, even if recognition came too late for him to enjoy it.
Claude Monet
Founder of Impressionism, Claude Monet changed the way we experience light and atmosphere in art. His Water Lilies series and studies of Rouen Cathedral show time, colour, and shifting light as subjects in their own right. He convinced viewers that perception and experience mattered as much as subject matter.
Pablo Picasso
Few artists were as prolific or as influential as Picasso; from the Blue and Rose periods to Cubism, his styles evolved constantly. Works like Les Demoiselles d’Avignon shattered traditional form, introducing abstract perspectives. Picasso’s career is a testament to daring creativity and relentless reinvention.
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo’s art comes from lived experience, as her self-portraits explore identity, pain, gender, and Mexican heritage with honesty and surreal symbolism. With each vibrant canvas, she offers a direct, emotional dialogue, creating a legacy that resonates with art lovers, activists and feminists around the world.
Jackson Pollock
At the forefront of American Abstract Expressionism, Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings felt revolutionary. Standing above huge canvases laid on the floor, he created energetic, instinctive movements with paint. His groundbreaking style focused attention on action and form over subjects or representation.
Georgia O’Keeffe
Desert landscapes, flowers in bloom and sweeping natural forms, Georgia O’Keeffe captured nature with elegance and strength. Her close-up compositions reveal subtle textures and timeless beauty. She became one of the foremost American modernists, forging a distinct visual language rooted in her own vision.
Salvador Dalí
With his melting clocks and dreamlike scenes, Salvador Dalí remains one of the most recognisable surrealists. His paintings like The Persistence of Memory play with time, space, and perception in unnerving ways. Dalí challenged us to question reality itself, using bizarre, hyper-real images to unsettle and surprise.
Yayoi Kusama
Kusama’s vast installations and polka-dot environments invite viewers into worlds of infinite repetition and play. From psychedelic Infinity Mirror Rooms to bold sculptures, her work captures both joyful exuberance and deeper themes of identity, mental health and cosmic connection, making her one of the most loved contemporary artists.
Honourable Mention
Modern audiences have also responded strongly to artists like Banksy, whose street art holds political wit and satirical power. Though Banksy’s identity remains a secret, his influence is undeniable, reminding us that art can be fleeting, public and provocative all at once.
What Makes These Artists So Remarkable?
Every one of these ten artists did more than create, they challenged accepted norms. Their work reshaped our visual conventions, inspired later generations, and showed how art could question, reveal, heal or unsettle society.
Even as their styles differ, whether hyper-realistic, abstract, surreal or autobiographical, they share a willingness to explore beyond the boundaries of their time and medium.
Who’s Your Favourite Artist?
Lists like this are never definitive, and there are countless other artists who deserve recognition. But these ten names do capture a spirit: innovation, courage and originality. Let us know who your favourite artist is of all time – it’d be great to hear your thoughts!