The term “modern art” refers to the artistic practice that began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is characterized by an emphasis on formal experimentation, the use of new materials and technology, and a break with traditional artistic conventions. Though there is no single artist who can be credited with creating modern art, many of its major movements were pioneered by a handful of influential figures.
Impressionism is considered to be the first modern art movement. It was developed by artists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir in France in the 1860s and 1870s.
The style was characterized by its focus on capturing fleeting natural light effects, often using rapid brushstrokes and loose compositions to create a sense of movement. Impressionism had a major impact on subsequent movements such as Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism.
Fauvism was a short-lived but influential movement that emerged in France in 1905. It was pioneered by artists Henri Matisse, André Derain, Maurice de Vlaminck, and others who sought to push the limits of color theory and expressionistic brushwork.
Fauvist works often featured large areas of vibrant colors set against each other in dynamic compositions. The boldness of Fauvist painting provided inspiration for later movements like Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism.
Cubism is perhaps the most famous modern art movement. It was developed by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in Paris between 1907 and 1914 as an attempt to represent three-dimensional forms on flat surfaces using geometric shapes and fragmented forms. The style had an enormous impact on 20th century art, influencing later movements such as Surrealism and Conceptual Art.
Dadaism, also known as Dada, began as an anti-war protest movement during World War I in Zurich Switzerland in 1916. It was led by artists such as Tristan Tzara, Hans Arp, Marcel Duchampand Sophie Taeuber-Arp who sought to challenge traditional forms of art making through their use of humor, chance operations, found objects and readymades — everyday objects presented or altered as works of art — among other strategies for subverting artistic conventions. Dada’s influence can be seen throughout much of postwar avant-garde art movements such as Surrealism, Pop Art, Fluxus and beyond.
The development of modern art is complex; it cannot be attributed to any single individual or group but rather to a broad range of artists from different countries working within different mediums.
Conclusion: Though there is no single artist who created modern art outright, many seminal figures have made great contributions to its development over time including Claude Monet (Impressionism), Henri Matisse (Fauvism), Pablo Picasso (Cubism), Tristan Tzara (Dada) among others.