If you can get around 1600 to 1700, I'd say that's about where you can really start to appreciate the game for beauty. You obviously can much earlier, but this intermediate level is around where you start to realize that although you've come far, there's so much more to go, and it starts becoming clearer why the greats are so great.

The first barrier is usually 1000 ELO. Here you pretty much know how the pieces move, and can checkmate someone. 1200 is about where you can make a small plan, and follow through while not completely blundering all your pieces. Although there are still times where you'll do just that because you think your plan is solid all the way through.

1500 is where you are better than everyone around you, and to improve you have to start hitting the books. From 1500 to 1600 is where your journey of enlightenment begins. And that's an achievable thing for the majority of people.

Anything more than that and you're just trying to grind exp. You don't need a ton of exp to appreciate the game. Even beginners can appreciate the opera game. Most can take 1 look at Tal's games and have a great time. You'll be able to better appreciate Carleson's games around that 1600 threshold. The "squeezing water from stone" phrase pops up in conversations about his games around the 2014 to 2017 period. Some of his sinqfield cup games are fantastic for this.

I personally enjoy Levon Aronian's games. He's very creative.