What do you want your legacy to be when you’re gone? Perhaps you want loved ones to remember you for your warmth and incredible baking skills. Or maybe you hope that they’ll look back on you fondly for the hilarious jokes and stories you were always ready to share. Everyone leaves some sort of legacy behind, whether it’s remembered by ten or ten million people.
But some influential individuals manage to make such a huge impact on the world that they’re remembered for centuries after they’re gone. Bored Panda has compiled a list down below of some of the most powerful legacies that have been left by artists, scientists, philosophers and more. Enjoy reading about these famous figures’ accomplishments, and be sure to upvote the stories that you hope will live on forever!
#21 Johannes Vermeer
While Johannes Vermeer created his exquisitely detailed and light-filled paintings of domestic life in 17th-century Delft, he achieved only modest recognition during his lifetime and produced a relatively small number of works. After his death, he fell into obscurity for nearly two centuries. It wasn't until the mid-19th century that art critics and historians rediscovered his exceptional talent, particularly his masterful use of light and intimate portrayals, leading to his current celebrated status as one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age.
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As Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” At the end of the day, you’ll never regret treating people with love, kindness and respect. The vast majority of us won’t be remembered hundreds of years after we pass, like some of the figures on this list, but someone will remember you. And you probably want them to think of you fondly.
#22 Herman Melville
Although Herman Melville penned what would later be considered a masterpiece, Moby D**k, his literary career during his lifetime saw declining success, with his later shift to poetry also failing to gain traction. By the time he died in 1891, none of his books were in print, and he was largely forgotten in American literature. However, a significant revival of interest in his work began in the early 1900s, leading to retrospective acclaim and securing his place among America's great authors.
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#23 Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat burst onto the New York art scene in the early 1980s, rapidly gaining fame for his powerful, neo-expressionist paintings that often incorporated text and critiqued social and racial issues. Though he achieved significant recognition and collaborated with artists like Andy Warhol during his short but prolific career, his untimely death at the age of 27 cut short his immense potential. In the decades since, his work has only grown in stature and value, solidifying his legacy as one of the most influential and iconic artists of the late 20th century.
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#24 John Keats
English Romantic poet John Keats crafted some of the most celebrated odes and lyrical poetry in the language, yet he died young from tuberculosis before his work achieved widespread fame. While he gained some critical notice during his brief career, his profound influence and status as one of the most beloved figures in English literature truly solidified in the decades following his death. This posthumous recognition has ensured his enduring legacy, with his poems continuing to be studied and cherished.
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We hope you’re enjoying reading about all of these influential individuals, pandas. Keep upvoting the stories that you hope are remembered for many more generations, and let us know in the comments below if any of their legacies have had a lasting impact on your own life. Then, if you’d like to check out another Bored Panda article discussing similar themes, look no further than right here.
#25 Nick Drake
With his gentle, intricate guitar work and melancholic, poetic lyrics, English singer-songwriter Nick Drake released three albums during his short lifetime that, while critically respected, found little commercial success. Plagued by depression, he died young, and it was only in the subsequent years and decades that his uniquely atmospheric music garnered a significant cult following and widespread acclaim. Today, Drake is regarded as a highly influential, albeit tragic, figure whose introspective songs continue to resonate deeply with new generations of listeners.
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