In art history, we tend to recognize the individual artist.
Vincent van Goghand Paul Gauguin, for instance, had one of the most well-known and tumultuous friendships.
They lived together for nine weeks in southern France and exchanged views on painting.
Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt were another pair of famous friends.
They began as mentor and mentee and steadily grew into a steady partnership in different artistic pursuits.
Scroll down to learn about five famous artist friendships.
Left: Edgar Degas, “Self-Portrait,” 1854-55 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)Right: Mary Cassatt, “Self-Portrait,” c.1880 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Learn about five sincere artist friendships that nurtured creativity.
And while Van Gogh definitely regarded Gauguin as a friend, it was not an easy friendship.
Their contrasting temperaments and views on art led to numerous quarrels.
Left: Camille Pissarro, “Self-Portrait with Hat,”1903 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)Right: Paul Cézanne, “Self-Portrait,” 1880-81 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
They began collaborating together, and their work quickly caught the attention of New York City’s art scene.
Some, like Warhol’s own studio assistant Ronny Cutrone, believed it was motivated purely by personal gain.
Jean-Michel thought he needed Andys fame, and Andy thought he needed Jean-Michels new blood, he said.
Left: Vincentvan Gogh, “Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat,” 1887-88 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)Right: Paul Gauguin, “Self-Portrait,” 1893 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Others, however, insisted that their pairing was both professional and platonic, and inspired by creativity.
Left: Man Ray, “Portrait of Marcel Duchamp,” 1920-21 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)Right: Carl Van Vechten, Photograph of Man Ray in Paris, 1934 (Photo: Library of Congress viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
From left to right: Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Bruno Bischofberger, and Fransesco Clemente, 1984 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 4.0)
