Old Masters Art
Encompassing centuries of change in Europe between 1300 and 1800, from booms of prosperity to bloody revolutions, Old Masters describes a wide range of artists. The informal term was derived from the title of an artist who trained in a guild long enough to become a master, such as Leonardo da Vinci, who studied in a Florence painters’ guild. However, Old Masters paintings, prints and other art is now used to refer to work made by any artist with a high level of skill in painting, drawing, sculpture or printmaking who worked during this era.
The 15th century’s expansive trade and commerce spread culture across borders. A vibrant period of art emerged, bolstered by studies of anatomy and nature that influenced a new visual realism. From Raphael and Michelangelo in the Renaissance to Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer in the Dutch Golden Age, artists expressed emotion, naturalism, color and light in new ways. El Greco and Paolo Veronese were leaders in the dramatic style of Mannerism, while Caravaggio and Peter Paul Rubens demonstrated the movement and meticulous detail of Baroque art.
Historically, most attention was concentrated on male artists, but recent research and exhibitions have elevated the impactful work of women such as Rachel Ruysch and Artemisia Gentileschi. In late-18th-century France, female artists like Adélaïde Labille-Guiard and Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun were prominent names. Nevertheless, access to the academies and guilds was highly restricted for women, and even those able to establish practices were expected to adhere to portraits and still lifes rather than the grand history paintings being created by men.
Find a collection of Old Masters prints, paintings, drawings and watercolors and other art on 1stDibs.
18th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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2010s Old Masters Art
C Print
2010s Old Masters Art
C Print
21st Century and Contemporary Old Masters Art
Canvas, Oil
1740s Old Masters Art
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18th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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1870s Old Masters Art
Oil
17th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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18th Century Old Masters Art
Charcoal
18th Century Old Masters Art
Canvas, Oil Pastel
Early 18th Century Old Masters Art
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1740s Old Masters Art
Watercolor, Pencil
19th Century Old Masters Art
Engraving
1760s Old Masters Art
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1670s Old Masters Art
Engraving
17th Century Old Masters Art
Engraving
Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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18th Century Old Masters Art
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19th Century Old Masters Art
Gouache
Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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Early 1900s Old Masters Art
Oil, Board
Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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18th Century Old Masters Art
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1740s Old Masters Art
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
18th Century Old Masters Art
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1810s Old Masters Art
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1780s Old Masters Art
Engraving
18th Century Old Masters Art
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18th Century Old Masters Art
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1970s Old Masters Art
Color
Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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19th Century Old Masters Art
Oil
19th Century Old Masters Art
Gouache
19th Century Old Masters Art
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18th Century Old Masters Art
Etching, Paper
19th Century Old Masters Art
Engraving
18th Century Old Masters Art
Gouache
18th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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1780s Old Masters Art
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1720s Old Masters Art
Laid Paper, Engraving, Etching, Intaglio
Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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17th Century Old Masters Art
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18th Century Old Masters Art
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Mid-17th Century Old Masters Art
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2010s Old Masters Art
Oil, Acrylic
17th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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17th Century Old Masters Art
Oil
Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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Late 18th Century Old Masters Art
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1870s Old Masters Art
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