Don't forget to like and subscribe for more neat facts to discover the world, one click at a time!
As a form of self-expression and a discipline itself, art has reflected the human experience
throughout history.
From prehistoric cave paintings to emerging forms of contemporary art, humans have always
felt the need to create and illustrate pieces of themselves into their works.
You may not think about it, but even the houses you live in, the places you visit, and the
carefully-crafted meals you eat have artistic aspects.
Aside from the greatest artists of our time, what else is there to know about art?
Watch on to find out.
Wood was the first art medium.
The earliest forms of art were found in prehistoric cave drawings dating back to the Stone Age.
These drawings were made with charcoal, which is essentially burnt wood.
Pencil actually means “paintbrush.”
The word “pencil” comes from the Old French word pincel, which translates to “a small paintbrush.”
Paint used to be kept in pig bladders.
In the 19th century, pig bladders were used to store an artist’s paint.
The organ would be sealed with a string and pricked to get the paint out.
Because it would often break open, the American painter John G. Rand eventually made paint
tubes from tin with screw caps.
Leonardo Da Vinci invented the concept of painting by numbers.
What we know today as popular hobby craft
was based on Leonardo Da Vinci’s old teaching methods.
In 1950, Dan Robbins created the first paint by number sets.
Originally a children’s book illustrator, Robbins had to think of a way to sell more
paint at his workplace.
From there, paint by numbers took off as a timeless craft activity.
The Mona Lisa may have had eyebrows.
One look at the famous portrait may suggest otherwise, but in October 2007, French scientist
Pascal Cotte claimed that Leonardo da Vinci originally painted eyebrows and eyelashes
on the Mona Lisa.
Using a high-definition camera, the French engineer and inventor zoomed in 24 times on
Mona Lisa’s face and found a single brushstroke of a hair.
However, this theory is yet to be confirmed, and remains one of the biggest mysteries of
the Mona Lisa.
Films used to be hand-painted to have color.
As early as 1902, films were colorized through a lengthy process of hand-painting each frame.
A filmmaker once created a 10-hour “film” of paint drying.
To protest high tariffs, filmmaker Charlie Lyne submitted a 10-hour “movie” of drying
white paint to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
As standard procedure, the board had to watch Paint Drying in its entirety - in all its
10 hour and 7 minute glory.
Leonardo Da Vinci only has 15 existing paintings.
Despite being one of the most proliferous painters of the Renaissance, Leonardo Da Vinci’s
portfolio isn’t too extensive.
Because of his tendency to procrastinate and experiment, Da Vinci only had a record of
15 finished paintings in his lifetime.
It took 12 years to paint Mona Lisa’s lips.
Leonardo da Vinci took his sweet time on his biggest masterpiece.
In total, Mona Lisa’s pretty pucker took 12 years to paint.
The Starry Night was painted in a psych ward.
Vincent van Gogh painted his iconic piece during his stay at the Saint Paul de Mausole
Psychiatric hospital in Saint Remy.
The painting depicts the view he saw through his room window along with his additional visions.
The Lover’s eye was a popular accessory during the 18th and 19th centuries.
At the time, this was considered a secret romantic gesture that originated from
Prince Wales who fell in love with a widow.
He proposed by giving her a locket with a painting of his eye inside.
Wearing this locket would symbolize the love you have for your partner.
Soon enough, it became a trend.
Bob Ross once helped a color-blind viewer.
A fan once approached the artist and stated that he could not be a painter due to his handicap.
Ross helped encourage the young viewer by spending an entire episode painting only in grey.
The Art Institute of Chicago has a real-life replica of Van Gogh’s bedroom painting.
Not just an exhibit, the bedroom is available for rent on Airbnb for $10 a night.
The Art Institute states that it hopes to help open fresh eyes and perspectives to the painting.
Michelangelo’s sculpture of David was supposed to be a statue of Hercules.
Originally, Agostino di Duccio was supposed to work on a marble slab to sculpt Hercules.
However, the slab was cut 3 years early by Michelangelo into the David statue.
Michelangelo began working on the sculpture in 1501 and completed it in 1504.
Art competitions used to be a part of the Olympics.
Between the years of 1912 and 1948, medals were awarded for painting, sculpting, music,
architecture, and literature.
Olympic athletes were required to be amateurs in the arts for them to qualify.
Michelangelo didn’t want to work on the Creation of Man.
Before painting the fresco ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo had been working
on sculpting Pope Julius II’s marble tomb.
However, he had to shelf the project as per Julius’ request.
Michelangelo had to step out of his comfort zone and paint the ceiling, entirely standing
up through the lengthy process.
He also invented a special scaffolding that would help the painting stick to the chapel walls.
There are four versions of The Scream.
Edvard Munch painted four different versions of the famous painting, The Scream.
The first version was painted in 1893 and was exhibited in Oslo.
In the same year, a pastel version was also made.
The third version was said to be privately owned, with the final version given to the
Munch Museum.
Kim Dong Yoo has a unique portraiture style.
The artist Kim Dong Yoo is known for creating images of famous icons out of smaller images
of other famous individuals.
What’s even more surprising is that each of these smaller portraits are hand painted.
Among his notable works is a painting of Albert Einstein using portraits of Marilyn Monroe.
The Mona Lisa wasn’t famous until it was stolen.
Before the year 1911, most people weren’t aware of the existence of the Mona Lisa.
By this time, the painting was already over 350 years old.
Critics and scholars only began paying attention to the art piece after it was stolen.
Several people gathered to see the empty exhibition of where the Mona Lisa was placed rather than
to see the painting itself.
A Soviet-era monument was once vandalized with art.
Found in Voronezh, Russia, this Soviet-era monument featured a star.
In 2016, someone vandalized the star by painting it in Patrick Star’s image, a popular character
from the cartoon Spongebob Squarepants.
One of Picasso’s pieces was deemed immoral.
Picasso’s abstract depiction of five prostitutes from Barcelona was called immoral during its
release in 1907.
Over 100 sketches and studies were used before the artist set his vision onto canvas.
In some incarnations, one of the prostitute figures is depicted as a man.
Van Gogh has only sold one painting during his lifetime.
During his time, Van Gogh struggled as an artist.
Out of his 900 paintings, he only sold one in the time he was alive.
Van Gogh sold his painting, Red Vineyard at Arles for 400 Francs in Brussels only a few
months before he passed away.
The pop-art depiction of Campbell’s Soup comes in a set of 32.
Each canvas represented separate soup varieties that the brand sold at the time.
The artist Andy Warhol did not give instructions as to how they would be displayed, so the
paintings were arranged in chronological order of when the soups were introduced.
The Easter Island heads have bodies.
The sculpted heads that adorn Easter Island are only the tip of the iceberg.
Their bodies are buried underground to keep them stable.
These statues are also known as Moai by the Rapa Nui people who carved them.
The Easter Island heads are one of the most notable world monuments dating from 1100 and
1500 CE.
The largest statue in the world is the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Mount Rushmore began construction in 1927 and was completed 14 years later in 1941.
It features the heads of four former presidents of the United States, including George Washington,
Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson.
Banksy is the most famous graffiti artist in the world.
This street artist is greatly known for his controversial and politically themed pieces.
Many believe that he is of English origins born around the time of the mid-70s.
Banksy’s art rose in popularity in the late 90s and is the subject of a 2010 documentary
titled ‘Exit Through the Gift Shop.’
To this day, Banksy’s true identity remains unknown.
Leonardo da Vinci was ambidextrous.
Leonardo da Vinci was known to be able to write with one hand while simultaneously drawing
with the other.
Researchers were able to conclude this by observing certain writings in his works that
were mirrored or written backward on one side and normal on the other.
The American Gothic depicts the ideals of rural America.
Although people commonly think that the woman standing next to the man is his wife.
It’s actually his daughter.
Claude Monet was told to be a grocer instead of an artist.
Before being one of the biggest pioneers of impressionism, Monet’s father did not approve
of him pursuing art.
Instead, his father wanted him to work as a grocer to find a stable source of income.
Monet’s most iconic work is his water lily paintings inspired by his garden.
The Thinker was originally much smaller.
Auguste Rodin’s first original cast of The Thinker was much smaller, only measuring around
70cm.
However, as it was recasted and replicated, the sculpture had bigger versions.
The most popular rendition of The Thinker sits at the Musée Rodin in Paris at 168 cm high.
As humanity continues to develop, so does art.
Each day, new methods and mediums are introduced to the world, whether it’s a hit or a miss.
Trends or fads aside, art holds many untold stories and mysteries.
Great art leaves a lasting legacy that survives long after the artist or the time period has passed.
Though we may not always understand the techniques behind art, it’s important to appreciate
the things that once held meaning to someone.
If you enjoyed our video, don’t forget to like, share and subscribe to our channel for
more Facts videos!