Mesmerizing Painting Albums of the Era

There is so much work by the great artists available across the internet, and it can be daunting to try to see it all — you must keep searching for each piece separately. But I have a lovely solution to that problem. There are many painting albums online, curated by art experts and easy to reach, that gather all the work of a favourite painter into one place. Here are some worth exploring.

François Barraud

A Swiss painter born in 1899, Barraud developed an interest in art very early in life. He painted still lifes, female nudes and several double portraits of himself and his wife. He died at just thirty-four, but left behind a legacy that inspires many modern painters and artists to this day.

Balthus

Balthasar Kłossowski de Rola was a Polish-French modern artist. Born in 1908, he became one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century. His work was primarily classical, his techniques inspired by the pre-Renaissance painters, and his art strikes the perfect blend of Renaissance and modernism — admired the world over. Among his notable paintings are The Guitar Lesson, Girl with a Cat and The Street.

Gustave Van de Woestyne

An expressionist painter born in 1881, he belonged to the "First Group of Latem" — a circle of artists who worked in a rural village on the banks of the Lys. His art is mostly religious in inspiration and rich with symbolism. Among his famous works are The Two Springs, Portrait of Prudence de Schepper, Farmer or Evening and Boerin met hoed.

Édouard Joseph Dantan

A French painter born in 1848, Dantan was very famous in his day, though at times overshadowed by painters of the more modern styles. He won many awards over his career. His work was more classical, and he often painted portraits of others; much of it draws on classical mythology and religious subjects — very common themes in his time. Among his notable works are Episodes of the Destruction of Pompeii, The Trinity, a Portrait of 1872, Hercules at the Feet of Omphale and A Monk as a Wood Sculptor.

An album does what a single canvas cannot — it lets you watch a whole life's eye slowly change.

Auguste Toulmouche

A French painter whose work belonged mainly to the academic realm, Toulmouche leaned towards idealism even as the trend of his time moved towards realism. Born in 1829, he is considered one of the greatest artists of his day. Among his notable works are La Robe bleue, The Love Letter, Young Woman in an Interior, Vanity, A Tranquil Afternoon, The Letter, The Reluctant Bride, The New Arrival and Consolation.

Master of the Osservanza Triptych

Also known as the Osservanza Master, this Italian painter's work dates from the 1430s to the 1450s. It went unrecognised until the Italian scholar Roberto Longhi noticed that the "two triptychs" long thought to be the work of Stefano di Giovanni were not by his hand at all. Longhi also found a further group of similar paintings, and so the Osservanza Master was identified. Among the works attributed to him are the Birth of the Virgin, the Burial of Saint Monica and Saint Augustine Departing from Africa, and a series on Saint Anthony — the Mass, the Temptation, the Resurrection, and Saint Anthony distributing his wealth. Like most work of that time, his is grounded in religious and mythological themes.