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“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”

– Leonardo da Vinci

Art is something that can’t be defined in some words. Some define it as the expression of freedom. Artists see it as a medium of communication. Their incomprehensible speech changes to a meaningful masterpiece.

It is said that in order to understand the true meaning of something, you need to read between the lines. Similarly, in case of a painting, according to Marcel Duchamp, it is not the art that you perceive from the eyes. It is the gap which is art, the one you feel after absorbing the concretized one. If we accept this, art is always abstract.

The True Purpose of an Artist

The purpose of an artist is to provide avenues to people, to tread the path they generally avoid. Our surroundings become what we let them become. And people seldom face their own demons. An artist comes into the picture here.

Through his art, he makes sure that he shows our true nature to ourselves and how it has affected the society in which we live. It makes them stop, think, contemplate and then introspect. As Aristotle has said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Thus, thought-provoking art becomes a movement, a movement of change and cleanse.

What is the Objective of Art?

To Define Beauty

Have you ever observed how the warmth of a maiden ray of the sun waking you from your slumber makes your day! The content you feel when you watch a dewdrop rolling from the petal of a Lily. Have you ever stood back and absorbed the living artwork of the creator himself?

Frida Kahlo through her art made this miracle of nature immortal. She said,” I paint flowers so they will not die”. Paintings capture the youth and grace of sheer beauty. The artists of the Renaissance breathed, ate and drank the surprises which nature could offer. They depicted them on canvas for us to see with wonder, the divine inspiration. Sometimes, it is made for pure pleasure.

To Communicate and Stir

Art, as understood by most of the people, is not confined to the act of treating your eyes with scenic beauty. For some, it becomes a tool for professing their ideas. These modern art paintings are made to exercise a very important fundamental right- the right to freedom of expression.

What is not seen with the eyes is not lamented by the heart. Art becomes a powerful motivator for those who want to revolutionize and stir the minds of masses. Because anything we could visually see strikes the most.

In order to fulfil the aim of its existence, and artwork must reach people. In dark ages, artists made paintings to please the king or on his command to decorate places of worship. Sometimes, a nobleman demanded a personal portrait format. Painters either enjoyed royal patronage or a stoic life. Art was a privilege. Now, with raised living standards, people are themselves reaching out to art.

How Art Reaches the Masses in Modern Times

An online art gallery is a place where art is displayed either for sale or for visual pleasure. It might be curated under the aegis of government or private philanthropists. It may be accessible to the public at large or may have some restrictions. They host a plethora of exhibitions every now and then for the promotion of art and to spread awareness regarding the same.

These exhibitions act as a catalyst in advancing the interests of art zealots into different genres of art. It helps the general public to feel connected with artists and artists also feel that they are not being shunned by the mainstream. They experience belongingness when their art is praised and accepted by the people.

The Culmination of Art Galleries

Gates of many private art collections were thrown open to the general public in the second half of the eighteenth century. Nationalization of royal collections took place at the time of French Revolution and Napoleonic wars despite the fact that monarchy still persisted in Spain and Bavaria.

The British Museum was established in 1753 and manuscripts curated by the Old Royal Library were donated to it for public viewing. A proposal was made to the British government in 1777 by MP John Wilkes. He wanted to buy the art collection of late Sir Robert Walpole who was known to have one of the great collections in Europe.

He desired that a special wing to be built for housing this collection and public viewing. This faced many criticisms. As a result, this project was abandoned because of its extravagance. Later, Tsaritsa Catherine, the great of Russia brought it. now, it is under the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.

Modern Art Gallery in India

The oldest art gallery in India is Bimbetaka, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. It dates back to the Stone Age. They are 30,000 years old. Interesting thing is that there are pieces of evidence to support the claims that the site was used by humans from the older period as latest paintings are superimposed on the older ones. The oldest drawings are from upper Paleolithic to Mesolithic age.

The National Gallery of Modern Art was established on 29th March 1954 by the Government of India. The main museum is situated at the Jaipur house in New Delhi. It has spread its branches in cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. It has a collection of 14,100 paintings by Indian artists like Raja Ravi Verma, Abanindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, etc.

India Art Ideas is a modern art paintings gallery available online. We have curated the collection of best paintings by modern artists. We support the cause of social awakening by art and freedom of expression. That is why we have tried that our collection has artwork relating to every genre and taste. We have traditional paintings like Madhubani, Warli, Gond, Rajasthani and many more. We also feature original artworks of all the artists. Visit our website, take a sneak peek and avail the best offers.