The Times Top 200 Artists of the 20th Century to Now, created in association with the Saatchi

The Times Top 200 Artists of the 20th Century

Interestingly, it was almost a 5-way tie for first, but Picasso ultimately triumphed, as he probably should have.

The most difficult part of a poll like this is setting the definitions. Van Gogh is not on the list, but Paul Cezanne, Renoir, and Paul Gauguin, although all older than Van Gogh, some of them quite a bit older, are on the list. The reason is that Cezanne and Gauguin each lived to a ripe old age and barely crept into the 20th century before kicking the paint bucket. Renoir actually did live well into the 20th century - he died after WW1. That fact notwithstanding, I think of Renoir as a 19th century painter. On the other hand, given that Renoir's name was allowed on the list, it's difficult to accept him finishing as low as 47th!

Van Gogh missed the list because he died in his mid 30s, in 1890. Van Gogh was not too much older than Matisse (about 16 years), but Van Gogh died before my grandmothers were born, and Matisse was still alive when I was in kindergarten, some 64 years later.

The voters really missed the boat on two guys: (1) Salvador Dali is voted as the 26th greatest artist of the 20th century. It would not be difficult to make a case for placing him in the #2 spot; (2) Diego Rivera at 155th??? That guy needs a better publicist.