Cover of the 500th issue of Beaux-Arts Magazine.
Let it be known that it is no mere stereotype: The French have a genuine appreciation for art – and for the most contemporary creations. That is the key takeaway from a survey unveiled on Thursday, January 22, commissioned by Beaux Arts Magazine from Ipsos-BVA to mark the publication’s 500th issue and new format. According to the survey, conducted in December 2025 among a sample of 1,000 people about their artistic interests, photography leads the way with 45% of responses, followed by painting (40%) and drawing (26%). Among younger respondents, fashion ranks third.
A deliberately subjective list of 24 artists was presented to those surveyed. They were instructed to select only three from a roster that included Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Claude Monet (1840-1926), Yayoi Kusama, JR, Daniel Buren, Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1654) and Maurizio Cattelan, among others. Unsurprisingly, the giants of art history topped the preferences. Leonardo da Vinci garnered 36% of votes, far ahead of the rest, followed by Van Gogh, Monet and Picasso.
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