While the world of art is the quintessence of what people call beautiful and aesthetic, not everything in it is sunshine and rainbows. Very few people know about the colorless side of the global industry and market. Art history is full of facts that can make you change your perspectives on some artists and art in general. Below you will find a selection of historical facts that might shock you. Read with caution!

Art History Facts That Will Turn Your World Upside Down

Many famous artists died poor or unknown

In the past, if you weren’t an acclaimed artist, it was hard to make ends meet. Many famous artists, despite their talents, died poor or unknown. Among them are Paul Gauguin, Johannes Vermeer, Egon Schiele, and even Vincent van Gogh. Fame came to them after death.

Some performance art can go too far

Performance art is very experimental, and not every experiment is worth it. A good example is “Shoot,” a performance by Chris Burden. The idea was that another person had to shoot the artist with a non-lethal weapon. He survived.

Salvador Dali was weirder than people tend to think

The symbol of surrealism and an inalienable part of modern art, Salvador Dali was famous for his extravagant behavior. His clothing and words are just the tip of the iceberg. Obsession with Hitler, masturbation addiction, and weekly orgies (he didn’t participate, though) were quite normal for the painter.

Pablo Picasso had a wicked personality

Pablo Picasso is, without a doubt, an extraordinarily famous painter. However, he also made it into art history as an ardent misogynist, rapist, and abuser. The question is whether we should separate art from an artist or not.

Many iconic artists were actually queer

From Donatello and Albrecht Dürer to Frida Kahlo and Andy Warhol, a lot of influential artists were important contributors to the LGBTQ+ art movement. It shouldn’t surprise people, though.

The world of art is a competitive ground with its own challenges, peculiarities, heroes, and villains. And the art history facts above just prove it.