11 best films about art and artists

Films About Art and Artists covers a wide variety of topics, from biographies of deceased or imaginary artists to documentaries about the living. However, the best of them can teach us something about the environment they represent or the people who create it.

These films depict artists who are forced to create from an inner urge, whether for therapeutic, spiritual, or philosophical reasons. They celebrate the unique worldview that such people often possess, while highlighting their limitations, from heightened emotionality to a predisposition to mental illness.

At the same time, they explore the relationship between art and the viewer, as well as the somewhat disturbing connection between art and wealth and power.
 
11 PHOTOS

1. Torment and joy / 1965 / Carol Reid.

The film shows the tumultuous relationship between Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison) and Michelangelo (Charlton Heston), which resulted in the creation of the Sistine frescoes. Harrison's performance is as energetic as Heston's (albeit sometimes over the top), and the monumental scenery never fails to impress.

2. Frida / 2002 / Julie Taymor.

Art, politics, and romance are equally well portrayed in this visually colored biopic about Frida Kahlo. Featuring the compelling and career-defining performance of Salma Hayek and the equally excellent Alfred Molina as Diego Rivera, the film celebrates both Kahlo's free-spirited sexuality and manly resilience in the face of debilitating trauma.

3. All works of Vermeer in New York / 1990 / John Jost.

John Yost explained that the title "All Vermeer's Works in New York" reflects both the Dutch artist's unrivaled collection of paintings and his former identity of New Amsterdam, based roughly where Wall Street is now. This seemingly random but strange connection between the world of art and money is a good metaphor for the plot of a film that inhabits a place where beauty, chance, and love meet greed, power, and materiality.

4. Lust for life / 1956 / Vincente Minelli, George Cukor.

Lust for Life is a quintessential Hollywood biopic about a typical tortured artist. Kirk Douglas plays Vincent Van Gogh, who leaves his Dutch homeland for Paris to live with his brother Theo, played by James Donald.

5. Cinematographer (Camera Buff) / 1979 / Krzysztof Kieslowski.

There are many excellent films about filmmaking, the so-called "seventh art" as the French say. These films often highlight the collaborative aspect that has shaped the filmmaking process since the inception of the Hollywood studio system. Camera Buff instead offers a vision of filmmaking as the purely personal work of a lone artist.

6. American in Paris / 1951 / Vincent Minnelli.

The musical is set against a backdrop of magnificent reproductions of Parisian locations, culminating in an extended ballet inspired by famous French paintings. An American in Paris looks like an extravagant love letter from Hollywood to Paris.

7. Blood of a poet / 1930 / Jean Cocteau.

Jean Cocteau's film "Blood of a Poet" is dedicated to art and artists like a surreal film. Described as a “group of allegories,” the film is composed of four distinct parts that reflect the theme of danger and confusion inherent in artistic life. In the first excerpt, the Poet draws behind an easel, and the Battle of Fontenoy rages on the street.

8. My left leg / 1989 / Jim Sheridan.

My Left Foot: The story of Christy Brown, backed by stellar performances and a wonderful real story, is an inspiring tribute to the life of an Irish artist and writer who lived with severe cerebral palsy. Daniel Day-Lewis handles Christie's intimidating role with surprising persuasiveness, unafraid to hint at the less poignant aspects of his personality.

9. F for Fake / 1973 / Orson Welles.

Based on documentary material filmed by François Reichenbach about art forger Elmira de Hori, interviews with biographer de Hori and fraudster Clifford Irving, newsreels, and video footage, Orson Welles and his girlfriend Oya Kodar came up with this ingenious but incoherent art .d.

10. Contract of the draftsman / 1982 / Peter Greenway.

Set in 17th century Britain, it features a Michael Nyman parody of Purcell's parcel. It tells the story of the fraudulent artist Mr. Neville (Anthony Higgins), who was hired by the wealthy matriarch Mrs. Herbert (Janet Suzman) to create drawings of the estate. while her husband was away on business. A contract has been drawn up, which stipulates that Mr. Neville must also fulfill Mrs. Herbert's demands in the bedroom if he expects to receive his money.

11. The color of the pomegranate / 1969 / Sergey Parajanov.

The filmography of Sergei Parajanov covers three cultures. A Soviet citizen, he was born in Georgia into an Armenian family and lived for many years in Ukraine. His second “official” film, The Color of Pomegranate, is a cinematic portrait of Sayat-Nova, an outstanding Armenian poet and musician of the 18th century.