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Jan 20, 2023 · Explore how paintings, photographs and sculptures have influenced politics, culture and art itself, from cave art to Guernica. See how artists challenged conventions, depicted reality and created symbols of change.
- Pablo Picasso
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- Pablo Picasso
- Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci
- The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo
- The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli
- Guernica by Pablo Picasso
- Girl with A Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer
- Campbell's Soup Cans by Andy Warhol
- The Thinker by Auguste Rodin
- Number 1 (1950) Lavender Mist by Jackson Pollock
- Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
- American Gothic by Grant Wood
It is no surprise to see the Mona Lisa at the top of this list. Da Vinci’s masterpiece is probably the most recognized artwork in the world today, and the most visited. Also known as La Giaconda, the painting is believed to illustrate the wife of wealthy Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo. Alternative suggestions include Leona...
The Creation of Adamis the central element in Michelangelo’s large Sistine Chapel fresco. It is one of the most replicated biblical paintings in history, now blazoned on anything, from placemats to umbrellas. Here God breathes life into Adam, and the creation of man is central to the biblical creative narrative. God floats in a cloud of drapery and...
Botticelli’s famous painting, The Birth of Venus, was commissioned by the influential Florentine Medici dynasty. Painting with tempera on canvas, rather than the more conventional wood panels used (like the Mona Lisa), showed a break away from traditional materials that were becoming popular at the time. The work is revered as a great treasure of t...
Guernica, a political protest piece in Picasso’s distinct cubist style, was a central attraction at the Paris World Fair in 1937. This large-scale monochromatic palette of gray, white and black was Picasso’s response to the recent bombing of the Northern Spanish town, Guernica. The attack by Hitler’s armed forces, sanctioned by Franco’s government ...
Girl with a Pearl Earring, or the “Mona Lisa of the North,” is painted by the 17th-century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. A deceptively simple portrait, Girl with a Pearl Earring is enigmatic. No name is given and all the audience sees is a girl who has a pearl earring and is staring back. Speculation around the girl’s identity ranges from being V...
Campbell’s Soup Cansis just one in a series of paintings Andy Warhol made so incredibly famous through his use of the company’s branding. Painted by hand, with the use of stencils, closer inspection reveals that these cans are not identical in appearance or spacing. Each can represents one of the 32 flavors that Campbell’s had on offer in 1962. As ...
The Thinker is an iconic sculpture of a crouching figure, highly contemplative upon its stone plinth. At nearly 20 feet tall, the body is larger than life-size. The man sits deep in thought, twisting his body with his right elbow resting on his left knee, and his chin resting on his right hand. Rodin’s nude references sculptural works of Michelange...
Jackson Pollock’s painting style was both confronting and controversial for the 1950’s American public. Breaking away from the traditions of the pictorial past, Lavender Mistembodies Pollock’s chosen style, which he had worked on since 1947. Pollock explored the characteristics of the paint itself and the surface it was applied to. Full of energy, ...
Van Gogh’s magnum opus, Starry Night, is another exceptionally famous work that has constantly been replicated on bags, mugs, umbrellas and all manner of objects, a testament to its fame and popularity. It depicts the scene he saw from his room during his stay at a sanatorium. Van Gogh, not being the most robust of characters mentally, tried to cho...
Named from the style of the building in the background of this painting, American Gothichas long been a cultural icon of a nation. Painted in 1930s America, Wood’s painting represents America, Middle America, and small-town America all at the same time. Along with Thomas Hart Benton and some other artists, Wood’s style was linked to the Regionalist...
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- Primavera (1482) by Sandro Botticelli. Artist. Sandro Botticelli. Date Created. 1482. Medium. Tempera on Panel. Current Location. Uffizi Gallery. The image displays a crowd gathered in an orange grove.
- Mona Lisa (c. 1503) by Leonardo da Vinci. Artist. Leonardo da Vinci. Date Created. 1503. Medium. Oil on Panel. Current Location. Louvre, Paris. This portrait of a female, clothed in the Florentine manner and seated in a dreamlike, mountainous scene, is an outstanding example of Leonardo’s sfumato style of soft, highly shaded modeling.
- The Ambassadors (1533) by Hans Holbein the Younger. Artist. Hans Holbein the Younger. Date Created. 1533. Medium. Oil Paint. Current Location. The National Gallery. Hans Holbein, the greatest portrait artist of his day, spent a significant quantity of time in Henry VIII’s courts.
- Judith Slaying Holofernes (1610) by Artemisia Gentileschi. Artist. Artemisia Gentileschi. Date Created. 1610. Medium. Oil on Canvas. Current Location. Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte.
Dec 22, 2023 · Explore some of the most famous artworks in history from ancient Greek sculpture to early 20th century paintings. From Michelangelo's "David" to Van Gogh's "Starry Night," this list includes artworks that have stood the test of time.
Nov 10, 2023 · A ranking of the most famous paintings, from Jan van Eyck’s portrait to Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece. Friday November 10 2023. Written by Howard Halle. Painting is an ancient medium and even with...
- Howard Halle
Many of the world’s most famous and influential paintings are considered meaningful, and their impact and significance have lasted for generations. They often hold cultural, historical, or religious importance and can provide insights into the values, beliefs, and experiences of people throughout history.
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From early Renaissance masterpieces to contemporary abstract art. Each of these works of art has been carefully chosen for its outstanding aesthetic quality, composition, and impact on the history of art. Here are 12 of the most famous paintings in the world. Contents hide.
