An old master is a painting by one of the famous European painters of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. These painters can also be referred to as the Old Masters.
...his collection of old masters and modern art.
...portraits by Gainsborough, Rubens and other Old Masters.
old master in British English
noun
1.
one of the great European painters of the period 1500 to 1800
2.
a painting by one of these
old master in American English
1.
any of the great European painters before the 18th cent.
2.
a painting by any of these
Examples of 'old master' in a sentence
old master
It covers old masters to contemporary art and asks for a minimum of 125,000.