Who is the most disturbing European classical (realist) painters and why?

Question

It just occured to me really. Of all the classic painters of history, who was really being the most twisted but without being overtly fantastical (Bosch etc) or just plain weird. Does that make sense?

My definition of 'classic' and 'realist' is only a vague layman's one, just as a casual interested observer.

Answer 1

All of the people who did Nazi art from the 1930s thru 1945.

Answer 2

I don't know whether you mean the Classical period or just any Realist painter, but Egon Schiele seems to fit the bill as far as Realism goes. He uses a very nervous looking line which shows a neurotic personality in itself, but the way he cuts off limbs right at the joints is guaranteed to make you squeem. I've seen some of his self portraits, which are life size and as disturbing as any shlock horror film, though a lot more refined in their execution of course.

Answer 3

Francois de Nome, a French artist of the 17th century would be my nomination. Have a look at his work on the Web Gallery of Art-link below. The compositions are very unorthodox and unsettling, they are full of strange fantastic architecture and there is an underlying sense of violence in a lot of his painting.

Answer 4

I find some of the work of Edvard Munch disturbing, particularly the paintings purported to display emotional states (Jealousy for example).

But its all relative to the age in which we live.

Modern Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum is probably as shocking to us as Munch was in his day.

Answer 5

Dali, and to an extent Magritte. Both very surreal, but Dali is the odder of the two, even some of his more normal paintings have a disturbingly sexualised undertone.

Answer 6

Heironymous Bosch was pretty sick-making. Also Frances Bacon is pretty gross, I think. Khnopff and Jean Delville can be quite spooky too

Answer 7

Hi
Try out this site: http://www.oddnerdrum.com/
Some of his work is disturbingly depressing but also excellent. He calls himself the modern Goya, based on how he is using the effect of the light in his paintings.
Nerdum is only using the finest oil paint in his works, and one of his customers is David Bowie. I know he has exhibitions in the US, and can be seen in various places.