My favorite artist of all time, hands down, is Michelangelo.
The Sistine Chapel was amazing, but you were not supposed to take pictures and of course, everyone was flashing away like a huge bolt of lightning as soon as we were allowed inside. It made me a little sad to see such a great work of art disrespected (because as many people may know, the constant camera flashes eventually fade and ruin the paintings.) I tried to do my part by purchasing postcards (instead of taking pictures) but I understand the meaning behind a photo you actually took while standing in awe of the actual structure -- especially if one is keeping up a blog, YouTube channel, or Instagram/Snapchat feed
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However, my favorite work there was actually Michelangelo's Pieta:
A professor in a college art history class had said that while Michelangelo was a champion at recreating the male figure, he knew very little about women's bodies because there were no examples to be seen in that day, and so even the amazing Michelangelo basically had to guess at what women's bodies looked like. This is why his depictions of women often look like the equivalent of a woman's head and face that was placed on a slightly modified male body.
The professor had explained that this is why Mary's body is so chunky and squared off, and that her carved robes helped disguise the fact that even Michelangelo was limited by what he could personally see and study.
On the flip side, I was able to see the Mona Lisa in person and just couldn't understand the big deal about it, as there were so many other works at that same museum that seemed so much more interesting.
I also love glasswork, such aby Dale Chihuly:
This work is featured at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, and it was astonishingly beautiful to me. A flower garden that never dies!
Personally, I think it's possible to love many forms of art for many different reasons. I love a lot of pictures done by Thomas Kinkade because I love Victorian-style houses and snowy scenes, but I've read that many art fans scoff at the idea of anyone calling him a "real" artist.
I just kind of shrug my shoulders at this -- we're all made differently and are attracted to different things. A stick-figure drawing of the "family" by my 5-year-old nephew is a treasured work of art, and I feel that way about many "artists" whose works I'm drawn to for my own reasons.
Another good example would be comic books, as I am always attracted to drawings that can depict realistic human emotions and interactions, even if the figures themselves are not entirely realistic.
And, kudos to G00WZ for mentioning Lisa Frank. I love bright colors too, and read an article about the entire process that went into some of what went into printing Lisa Frank's designs -- they might not be High Renaissance, but they took a lot of careful consideration and technique.
As someone who loves art in many forms but can't create a single scrap even if her life depended on it, I have to give a nod of respect to anyone who can express something in a way I am completely inept at, even if it's not particularly my style.