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'Frida' (2002) -

Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was revolutionary in her style and attitude, but her life was fraught with turmoil. She faced hard times with a disability and a challenging marriage. This fantastic film starring Selma Hayek faithfully depicts the life of the artist.

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'The Agony and the Ecstasy' (1965) -

Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, but it was no easy feat. To create such a momentous work, Michelangelo toiled with himself and those around him. The film tries to capture his inner struggle during the process.

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'Girl with a Pearl Earring' (2003) -

In the house of the painter Johannes Vermeer, a young maid worked. He becomes inspired by her and asked her to model for him for his most famous painting. The brilliant adaptation stars Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson.

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'Modigliani' (2004) -

Andy Garcia plays Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) in this sad depiction of his life. Although we know his works now, Modigliani was not famous during his lifetime. He also did not have a lot of luck in love.

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'Nightwatching' (2007) -

Director Peter Greenaway created a sumptuous account of Rembrandt's life. The film centers itself on the mystery of the painting 'The Night Watch,' where the painter may have revealed the identity of a murderer.

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'Goya’s Ghosts' (2006) -

Starring Javier Bardem and Natalie Portman, this film is all about Spanish painter Francisco Goya (1746-1828) and his scandalous relationship with his heretic muse.

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'Pollock' (2000) -

Ed Harris plays the famous abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock (1912-1956). He was a very modern painter, and so faced much criticism. His troubles are well told in this film.

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'Mr. Turner' (2014) -

Timothy Spall plays the incredible watercolor painter J.M.W. Turner. The film chronicles the painter's final years before his death.

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'Klimt' (2006) -

Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) famously painted sensual scenes of lovers in gold and bold shapes. This film follows Klimt, played by John Malkovich, as he develops his painting style.

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'Lust for Life' (1956) -

This is an accurate depiction of the life of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). He is known for his innovative way of painting and his battle with mental illness.

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'Caravaggio' (1986) -

The film is set in the Italian underworld where the infamous Baroque painter battles his demons trying to create the perfect masterpiece. It is a fictionalized account of the painter, but entertaining nonetheless.

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'Basquiat' (1996) -

Jeffrey Wright plays Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988). He was originally a street painter until Andy Warhol (1928-1987) picked him up. His life was filled with artistic strife, identity crises, and drugs.

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'Edvard Munch' (1974) -

You may know Edvard Munch as the painter of 'The Scream.' He was a prolific contributor to the art scene in the 19th century. This TV movie documents his life and struggles.

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'Goya in Bordeaux' (1999) -

In his final years, Francisco Goya (1746-1828) goes to live in Bordeaux in order to escape the rule of Ferdinand VII. His last years are harrowingly depicted in this well-made film.

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'My Left Foot' (1989) -

Daniel Day-Lewis applies his spectacular method acting to the role of Christy Brown (1932-1881). He was a painter and writer who had cerebral palsy, and so could only do things with his left toe. It's a truly inspiring story.

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'Final Portrait' (2017) -

If you go around a modern art museum, you will probably recognize the slender sculptures of Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966). This film with Geoffrey Rush and Armie Hammer is the story of his life up until the end.

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'Camille Claudel' (2013) -

Camille Claudel (Juliette Binoche) was the assistant of the famous sculptor Auguste Rodin, but she harbored great talents herself. The film shows her life when she was banished to an asylum and was not allowed to sculpt.

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'Carrington' (1995) -

The beautiful tale is about the friendship between artist Dora Carrington (Emma Thompson) and writer Lytton Strachey (Jonathan Pryce). Their friendship supersedes traditional love and forms them as people.

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'Séraphine' (2008) -

The film's story is based on the life of prolific female painter Séraphine Louis (1864-1942). She was a painter who spent most of her life as a cleaner until an art collector discovered her.

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'The Mill and the Cross' (2011) -

Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525-1569) painted detailed canvases of religious figures and events. This film cleverly follows Christ and Bruegel's characters in 16th-century Flanders.

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'Andrei Rublev' (1966) -

Andrei Rublev (c. 1365- c.1427) is considered the best pinter of Christian Orthodox icons in the world. This film documents his life in Russia as an iconographer.

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'Artemisia' (1997) -

It was no easy thing being a female painter in the 17th century. This story is about painter Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653) and the trials she faced as a woman in the art world.

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'Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present' (2010) -

The Serbian artist created a piece where she literally sat in a room for hours. It questioned the relationship between the viewer and the artist. This film looks at the process behind her work and her inspiration.

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'Exit Through the Gift Shop' (2010) -

In this topsy turvy film, two street art enthusiasts go on a search for Banksy, but little do they know that Banksy is actually following them.

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'The Beautiful Troublemaker' (1991) -

In this film the artist is fictional, but the story explores the sacred relationship between the artist and the muse. It is loosely based on Honoré de Balzac's (1977-1850) story 'The Unknown Masterpiece.'

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'The Draughtsman's Contract' (1982) -

Although this film is not about a specific artist, it is an entertaining watch, to say the least. It follows an artist who is asked to draw a house but gets sucked into some amorous affairs.

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'Utamaro and His Five Women' (1946) -

Director Kenji Mizoguchi created this film about the life of the printmaker and painter Kitagawa Utamaro. It is based on the fictional account written by Janji Kunieda.

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'Yumeji' (1991) -

Yumeji Takehisa (1884-1934) was a Japanese painter and poet. In this film, he gets tangled up in a love triangle with a ghost and an ex-lover of the woman he hopes to be with.

Sources: (Widewalls) (Art & Object) (Art in America)

See also: The stories of art's most alluring muses

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