The greatest works of world painting, which had a significant impact on the development of world art and human culture generally. The works of art included in this list have largely shaped humanity’s idea of beauty and are the basis for the creative and cultural education of any person.
The main masterpieces of European and world painting
Duccio (c. 1260–1318/1319)
Madonna Rucellai
1285. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Giotto (1266/1267–1337)
The Taking of Christ into custody, or the Kiss of Judas
Between 1303 and 1305. Fresco of the Arena Chapel (Scrovegni) in Padua
Simone Martini (c. 1284–1344)
Annunciation
1333. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Andrei Rublev (c. 1360–1430)
Trinity
OK. 1425–1427. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Masaccio (1401–1428)
Madonna and Child with Four Angels
The central part of the polyptych. 1426. National Gallery, London
Fra Beato Angelico (c. 1400–1455)
Transfiguration
Fresco. 1440–1441. Monastery of San Marco, Florence
Piero della Francesca (c. 1420–1492)
Baptism of Christ
OK. 1450. The central part of the polyptych. National Gallery, London
Jan Van Eyck (c. 1390/1400–1441)
Ghent Altarpiece
Closed everyday view. OK. 1425–1432. Cathedral of St. Bavo, Ghent
Ghent Altarpiece. Opened festive look
OK. 1425–1432. Cathedral of St. Bavo, Ghent
Portrait of a man in a red turban
1433. National Gallery, London
Portrait of the Arnolfini couple
1434. National Gallery, London
Rogier van der Weyden (1399/1400–1464)
St. Luke painting the Madonna
1450. Museum fine arts, Boston
Andrea Mantegna (c. 1431–1506)
Ceiling lamp with false oculus
Fresco. OK. 1464–1474. Camera degli Sposi, Mantua
Dead Christ
After 1474. Pinacoteca Brera, Milan
Hugo van der Goes (between 1435 and 1445–1482)
Portinari Altar
The central part of the triptych. OK. 1476–1478. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Sandro Botticelli (1444/1445–1510)
Minerva and the centaur
1482. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Spring
1478. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Birth of Venus
OK. 1482–1483. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Antonello da Messina (c. 1430–1479)
St. Jerome in his cell
Between 1456 and 1474. National Gallery, London
Giovanni Bellini (c. 1433–1576)
Sacred Allegory (Madonna of the Lake)
1490–1500. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Madonna in the meadow
OK. 1500. National Gallery, London
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
Madonna of the Rocks
1483–1486. Louvre, Paris
last supper
1495–1498. Wall painting. Tempera, oil on plaster. Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan
Madonna Litta
1490s State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg
Mona Lisa (La Gioconda)
1503. Louvre, Paris
Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1460–1516)
Removing the Stone of Stupidity
Until 1500. Prado, Madrid
Garden of Earthly Delights
Between 1510 and 1515. Triptych. Prado, Madrid
Ship of Fools
OK. 1500. Louvre, Paris
Carrying the cross
1515–1516. Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent
Albrecht Durer (1471–1528)
Self-portrait
1493. Louvre, Paris
Self-portrait
1500. Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Altar of All Saints, or Adoration of the Holy Trinity
1511. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Adam and Eve
1507. Diptych. Prado, Madrid
Four Apostles
1526. Diptych. Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480–1538)
Battle of Alexander the Great with Darius III at Issus
1529. Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553)
Portrait of a woman
1526. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Adam and Eve
1526. Courtauld Institute of Art, London
Portrait of Duke Henry the Pious
Michelangelo (1475–1564)
Sistine Chapel
Fresco. 1508–1512. General view of the ceiling painting. Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome
Creation of Adam
The Fall and Expulsion from Paradise
Fresco. 1508–1512. Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome
Holy Family (Tondo Doni)
1504. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Last Judgment
Fresco. 1536–1541. Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome
Titian Vecellio (1476/1477 or 1488/1490–1576)
Caesar's denarius
1516–1518. Art gallery, Dresden
Heavenly love and earthly love
1518. Galleria Borghese, Rome
Venus of Urbino
OK. 1538. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Danae
1560s. National Museum Prado, Madrid
Raphael (1483–1520)
Donna velata (lady under the veil)
OK. 1516. Palazzo Pitti, Florence
Madonna in green
1506. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Sistine Madonna
1514. Picture gallery, Dresden
Athens school
Fresco. 1510–1511. Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican, Rome
Portrait of Pope Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi Rossi
1517. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Hans Baldung (c. 1484/1485–1545)
Three ages of man and death
OK. 1541–1544. Prado, Madrid
Rosso Fiorentino (1494–1540)
Descent from the Cross
1521. Stadt Pinakothek, Volterra
Jacopo Pontormo (1494–1557)
Descent from the Cross
1525–1528. Church of Santa Felicita, Florence
Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/1498–1543)
Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam
1523. Louvre, Paris
Ambassadors
1533. National Gallery, London
Portrait of King Henry VIII
OK. 1539. National Gallery, Rome
Agnolo Bronzino (1503–1572)
Portrait of Eleanor of Toledo with her son Giovanni
1544–1545. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Parmigianino (1503–1540)
Madonna with a long neck
OK. 1535. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Giorgione (1477/1478–1510)
Storm
Between 1506 and 1510. Galleria dell'Accademia, Venice
Judith
Before 1504. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Sleeping Venus
OK. 1508. Picture gallery, Dresden
Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Vertumn. Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II as Vertumnus
1591. Skokloster Castle, Sweden
Paolo Veronese (1528–1588)
Adoration of the Magi
Early 1570s. National Gallery, London
Pieter Bruegel the Elder (between 1525 and 1530–1568)
The battle of Maslenitsa and Lent
1559. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Hunters in the snow
1565. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Tower of Babel
1563. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
El Greco (1541–1614)
Burial of Count Orgaz
1586–1588. Church of Santo Tome, Toledo
Laocoon
1613–614. National Gallery of Art, Washington
View of Toledo
OK. 1600. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Caravaggio (1573–1610)
Bacchus
1594. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Fortune teller
Before 1595. Louvre, Paris
Conversion of Saul
1600–1601. Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome.
Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640)
Self-Portrait with Isabella Brandt
1610. Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Procession of Silenus
1618. Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Toilet of Venus
1615. Private collection
Kidnapping of the daughters of Leucippus
OK. 1618. Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Portrait of the Infanta Isabella's maid
OK. 1625. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Three Graces
Frans Hals (between 1581 and 1585–1666)
Gypsy
1628–1630. Louvre, Paris
Jusepe de Ribera (1591–1652)
Lame leg
1642. Louvre, Paris
Girl with tambourine
1637. Private collection
St. Inessa in prison
1641. Picture gallery, Dresden
Diego Velazquez (1599–1660)
Venus in front of the mirror
1649–1651. National Gallery, London
Spinners, or the Myth of Arachne
1650s. National Prado Museum, Madrid
Meninas
1656. Prado, Madrid
Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641)
Self-portrait
Between 1627 and 1632. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Willem Claes Heda (1593/1594–1680/1682)
Still life with cancer
1650–1659. National Gallery, London
Georges de Latour (1593–1652)
Sharpie with ace of diamonds
1620–1630s Louvre, Paris
Newborn (Christmas)
1640s Museum of Fine Arts, Rhine
Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665)
Landscape with Polyphemus
1649. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Arcadian shepherds
1650. Louvre, Paris
Claude Lorrain (1600–1682)
The Kidnapping of Europa
OK. 1635. State Museum fine arts them. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Morning
1661. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn (1606–1669)
Self-portrait with Saskia on her lap
1635. Picture gallery, Dresden
Danae
1636. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Return of the Prodigal Son
OK. 1668. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Night watch
1642. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/1629–1682)
Landscape with a mill
About 1670. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Jan Wermeer (1632–1675)
Artist's Workshop (allegory of painting)
OK. 1667. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Lacemaker
1664. Louvre, Paris
Girl with a pearl earring
1664–1665. Royal Cabinet of Pictures, The Hague
Jean Antoine Watteau (1684–1721)
Gilles
1717–1719. Louvre, Paris
Pilgrimage to the island of Kythera
1717. Louvre, Paris
Canaletto (1697–1768)
Reception of the French Ambassador in Venice
1725–1726. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
William Hogarth (1697–1764)
Girl with shrimp
1740–1745. National Gallery, London
Jean Baptiste Simeon Chardin (1699–1779)
Girl with a shuttlecock
OK. 1740. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Jean Etienne Lyotard (1702–1789)
Chocolate girl
1743–1745. Parchment paper, pastel. Art gallery, Dresden
François Boucher (1703–1770)
Toilet of Venus
1751. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792)
Portrait of Grenadier Colonel Georg C. H. Kussmaker
1782. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Cupid unties the belt of Venus
1788. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Young Hair
1788–1789. Louvre, Paris
Thomas Gainsborough (1727–1788)
Portrait of a lady in blue
Late 1770s. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Portrait of Robert Andrews with his wife Frances
OK. 1748. National Gallery, London
Anton Raphael Mengs (1728–1779)
Self-portrait
OK. 1773. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Jean Honoré Fragonard (1732–1806)
Happy swing possibilities
OK. 1768. Wallace Collection, London
Johann Heinrich Füsli (1741–1825)
Nightmare
OK. 1790. Goethe Museum, Frankfurt am Main
Francisco Goya (1746–1828)
Umbrella
1777. Prado, Madrid
Maha nude
OK. 1800. Prado, Madrid
Maha dressed
OK. 1800. Prado, Madrid
Portrait of Doña Isabel Cobos de Porcel
1805. National Gallery, London
Thrush from Bordeaux
1827. Prado, Madrid
Jacques Louis David (1748–1825)
The First Consul crosses the Alps at the Saint Bernard Pass
1801. National Palace Museum, Malmaison
Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840)
On a sailboat
Between 1818 and 1820. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
John Constable (1776–1837)
Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Garden
1823. Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Jumping horse
1825. Royal Academy of Arts, London
Hay cart
1821. National Gallery, London
William Turner (1775–1851)
The last voyage of the ship "Brave"
1838. National Gallery, London
Karl Bryullov (1799–1852)
Last day of Pompeii
1833. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Jean Auguste Domenic Ingres (1780–1867)
Portrait of Mademoiselle Caroline Riviere
1805. Louvre, Paris
Great odalisque
1814. Louvre, Paris
Theodore Géricault (1791–1824)
Jellyfish Raft
1819. Louvre, Paris
Camille Corot (1796–1875)
Woman with a pearl
1869. Louvre, Paris
Wagonload of hay
1865–1870. State Museum of Fine Arts named after. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Eugene Delacroix (1798–1863)
Freedom on the Barricades (July 28, 1830)
1831. Louvre, Paris
Alexander Ivanov (1806–1858)
The Appearance of Christ to the People
1837–1857. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Theodore Rousseau (1812–1867)
Clearing. Forest l'Isle-Adam
1849. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Jean François Millet (1814–1875)
Ear pickers
1857. Musée d'Orsay, Paris
Angelus
1857–1859. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Ivan Aivazovsky (1817–1900)
Ninth wave
1850. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Gustave Courbet (1819-1877)
Artist's workshop
1855, Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1824–1898)
Girls on the seashore
Before 1894. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Arnold Böcklin (1827–1910)
Island of the Dead
1880. Kunstmuseum, Basel
Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882)
Syrian Astarte
1877. City Art Gallery, Manchester
Alexey Savrasov (1830–1897)
The rooks have arrived
Edouard Manet (1832–1883)
Flutist
1866. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Breakfast on the grass
1863. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Olympia
1863. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Music in the Tuileries
1863. National Gallery, London
Ivan Shishkin (1832–1898)
Morning in a pine forest
1889. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
James Whistler (1834–1903)
Symphony in White No. 1: Girl in White
1862. National Gallery of Art, Washington
Edgar Degas (1834–1917)
Absinthe (In a cafe)
1876. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Blue dancers
OK. 1899. State Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Woman combing her hair
OK. 1886. Pastel. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Ivan Kramskoy (1837–1887)
Unknown
1883. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Alfred Sisley (1839–1899)
Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne
1872. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Flood in Port-Marly
1876. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Paul Cézanne (1839–1906)
Maslenitsa (Pierrot and Harlequin)
1888. State Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Still life with apples and oranges
OK. 1900. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Smoker
1890–1892. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Mount Sainte-Victoire
1900. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Large bathers
1906. Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia
Claude Monet (1840–1926)
Camille Monet with her son Jean (Lady with an Umbrella)
1875. National Gallery of Art, Washington
"Paddling pool"
1869. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Impression. Sunrise
1872. Marmottan Museum, Paris
Boulevard of the Capuchins
1873. State Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Poppies near Argenteuil
1873. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Rouen Cathedral. Sun effect, sunset
1892. Marmottan Museum, Paris
Pond with nymphs. Harmony of pink
1900. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Odilon Redon (1840–1916)
With my eyes closed
1890. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841–1919)
Lodge
1874. Courtauld Institute Gallery, London
Ball at the Moulin de la Galette
1876. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Rowers' Breakfast
1880–1881. Private collection
Nude
1876. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Portrait of Jeanne Samary
1877. State Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkina
Camille Pissarro (1830–1903)
Red roofs
1877. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Arkhip Kuindzhi (1841–1910)
Moonlit night on the Dnieper
1880. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Berthe Morisot (1841–1895)
At the cradle
1872. Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Vasily Vereshchagin (1842–1904)
Apotheosis of war
1871. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Henri Rousseau (1844–1910)
Jaguar attack on a horse
1910. State Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Self-portrait
1890. National Gallery, Prague
Ilya Repin (1844–1930)
Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan November 16, 1581
1885. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Vasily Surikov (1848–1916)
The morning of the Streltsy execution
1881. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Viktor Vasnetsov (1848–1926)
Bogatyrs
1898. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Paul Gauguin (1848–1903)
Girl holding a fruit
1893. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Oh, are you jealous?
1892. State Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?
1897-1898. Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890)
Self-portrait with cut off ear and pipe
1889. Private collection
Night cafe in Arles
1888. Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven
Starry night
1889. Museum contemporary art, New York
Georges Seurat (1859–1891)
Sunday walk on La Grande Jatte
1884–1886. Art Institute, Chicago
Valentin Serov (1865–1911)
Girl with peaches
1887. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901)
Toilet (Redhead)
Gustav Klimt (1862–1918)
Kiss
1908. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Edvard Munch (1863–1944)
Scream
1893. National Gallery, Oslo
Henri Matisse (1869–1954)
Red fish
1912. State Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Red room
1908–1909. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Dance
1910. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Kazimir Malevich (1878–1935)
Black Suprematist Square
1913. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Georges Braque (1882–1963)
Houses in Estac
1908. Art Museum, Bern
Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920)
Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne in a yellow sweater
OK. 1919. S. Guggenheim Museum, New York
Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944)
Composition VIII
1923, Solomon Guggenheim Museum, New York
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)
Absinthe lover
1901. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Girl with a dove
1901. National Gallery, London
Girl on the ball
1905. State Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Avignon girls
1907. Museum of Modern Art, New York
Portrait of Ambroise Vollard
1909–1910. State Museum of Fine Arts named after. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
René Magritte (1898–1967)
Golconda
1953. Menil Collection, Houston
Salvador Dalí (1904–1983)
Young woman standing by the window
1925. Reina Sofia Center for the Arts, Madrid
Persistence of memory
1931. Museum of Modern Art, New York
Soft design with boiled beans: a premonition of civil war
1935–1936. Museum of Art, Philadelphia
The appearance of a face and a bowl of fruit on the seashore
1938. Wordsworth's Atheneum, Hartwood
A dream inspired by the flight of a bee around a pomegranate a moment before waking up
1944. Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Lugano
200 best paintings of all time. Ranker rating
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100 Great Paintings
100 Great Paintings is a British television series produced in 1980 by the BBC. The series' host and creator Edwin Mullins has chosen 20 thematic groups and focuses on five famous paintings in each group. The selection is quite varied, from 12th century China to the 1950s, with an emphasis on European paintings.
1000 MeisterWerke
"1000 MeisterWerke2 (1000 masterpieces) is a German television series produced by WDR from 1980 to 1994. In each of the 10-minute episodes, one painting is presented and analyzed with the help of art critics. The series was very popular and attracted up to five million viewers in the evening broadcast .
The most famous and significant paintings of the world for the history of art for your inspiration.
The immortal paintings of great artists are admired by millions of people. Art, classical and modern, is one of the most important sources of inspiration, taste and cultural education of any person, and even more so a creative one.
There are certainly more than 33 world-famous paintings. There are several hundred of them, and all of them would not fit into one review. Therefore, for ease of viewing, we have selected several that are the most significant for world culture and are often copied. Each work is accompanied by an interesting fact, an explanation of the artistic meaning or the history of its creation.
Raphael "Sistine Madonna" 1512
Kept in the Old Masters Gallery in Dresden.
The painting has a little secret: the background, which from afar appears to be clouds, turns out to be the heads of angels upon closer examination. And the two angels depicted in the picture below became the motif of numerous postcards and posters.
Rembrandt "Night Watch" 1642
Kept in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The true title of Rembrandt’s painting is “The Performance of the Rifle Company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” Art historians who discovered the painting in the 19th century thought that the figures were standing out against a dark background, and it was called “Night Watch.” Later it was discovered that a layer of soot makes the picture dark, but the action actually takes place during the day. However, the painting has already been included in the treasury of world art under the name “Night Watch”.
Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper" 1495-1498
Located in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.
Over the more than 500-year history of the work, the fresco has been destroyed more than once: a doorway was cut through the painting and then blocked, the refectory of the monastery where the image is located was used as an armory, a prison, and was bombed. The famous fresco restored at least five times, with the last restoration taking 21 years. Today, to view the work of art, visitors must reserve tickets in advance and can spend only 15 minutes in the refectory.
Salvador Dali "The Persistence of Memory" 1931
According to the author himself, the painting was painted as a result of the associations that Dali had with the sight of processed cheese. Returning from the cinema, where she went that evening, Gala quite correctly predicted that no one, once they saw The Persistence of Memory, would forget it.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Tower of Babel" 1563
Kept in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
According to Bruegel, the failure that befell the construction of the Tower of Babel was not due to language barriers that suddenly arose according to the biblical story, but to mistakes made during the construction process. At first glance, the huge structure seems quite strong, but upon closer examination it is clear that all the tiers are laid unevenly, the lower floors are either unfinished or are already collapsing, the building itself is tilting towards the city, and the prospects for the entire project are very sad.
Kazimir Malevich “Black Square” 1915
According to the artist, he painted the picture for several months. Subsequently, Malevich made several copies of “Black Square” (according to some sources, seven). According to one version, the artist was unable to complete the painting on time, so he had to cover the work with black paint. Subsequently, after public recognition, Malevich painted new “Black Squares” on blank canvases. Malevich also painted “Red Square” (in two copies) and one “White Square”.
Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin "Bathing the Red Horse" 1912
Located in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
Painted in 1912, the painting turned out to be visionary. The red horse acts as the Fate of Russia or Russia itself, which the fragile and young rider is unable to hold. Thus, the artist symbolically predicted with his painting the “red” fate of Russia in the 20th century.
Peter Paul Rubens "The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus" 1617-1618
Kept in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
The painting “The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus” is considered the personification of masculine passion and physical beauty. The strong, muscular arms of young men pick up young naked women to put them on horses. The sons of Zeus and Leda steal their cousins' brides.
Paul Gauguin "Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" 1898
Kept in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
According to Gauguin himself, the painting should be read from right to left - three main groups of figures illustrate the questions posed in the title. Three women with a child represent the beginning of life; the middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, according to the artist’s plan, “the old woman, approaching death, seems reconciled and given over to her thoughts,” at her feet “a strange white bird ... represents the uselessness of words.”
Eugene Delacroix "Liberty Leading the People" 1830
Kept in the Louvre in Paris
Delacroix created a painting based on the July Revolution of 1830 in France. In a letter to his brother on October 12, 1830, Delacroix writes: “If I did not fight for my Motherland, then at least I will write for it.” The bare breasts of a woman leading the people symbolize selflessness French people of that time, who went bare-chested towards the enemy.
Claude Monet "Impression. Rising Sun" 1872
Kept in the Marmottan Museum in Paris.
The title of the work is "Impression, soleil levant" with light hand journalist L. Leroy became the name artistic direction"impressionism". The painting was painted from life in the old outport of Le Havre in France.
Jan Vermeer "Girl with a Pearl Earring" 1665
Kept in the Mauritshuis Gallery in The Hague.
One of the most famous paintings Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer is often called the Nordic or Dutch Mona Lisa. Very little is known about the painting: it is undated and the name of the girl depicted is unknown. In 2003, based on the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier, it was filmed feature film“Girl with a Pearl Earring”, in which the history of the creation of the painting is hypothetically restored in the context of biography and family life Vermeer.
Ivan Aivazovsky “The Ninth Wave” 1850
Kept in St. Petersburg in the State Russian Museum.
Ivan Aivazovsky is a world-famous Russian marine painter who devoted his life to depicting the sea. He created about six thousand works, each of which received recognition during the artist’s lifetime. The painting “The Ninth Wave” is included in the book “100 Great Paintings”.
Andrey Rublev "Trinity" 1425-1427
The Icon of the Holy Trinity, painted by Andrei Rublev in the 15th century, is one of the most famous Russian icons. The icon is a board in a vertical format. The kings (Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Mikhail Fedorovich) “overlaid” the icon with gold, silver and precious stones. Today the salary is kept in the Sergiev Posad State Museum-Reserve.
Mikhail Vrubel "Seated Demon" 1890
Kept in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
The plot of the film is inspired by Lermontov’s poem “The Demon”. The demon is an image of the strength of the human spirit, internal struggle, doubt. Tragically clasping his hands, the Demon sits with sad, huge eyes directed into the distance, surrounded by unprecedented flowers.
William Blake "The Great Architect" 1794
Kept in the British Museum in London.
The title of the painting “The Ancient of Days” literally translates from English as “Ancient of Days.” This phrase was used as the name of God. The main character of the picture is God at the moment of creation, who does not establish order, but limits freedom and marks the limits of imagination.
Edouard Manet "Bar at the Folies Bergere" 1882
Kept at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
The Folies Bergere is a variety show and cabaret in Paris. Manet often visited the Folies Bergere and ended up painting this painting, his last before his death in 1883. Behind the bar, in the middle of a crowd of people drinking, eating, talking and smoking, a bartender stands absorbed in her own thoughts, watching the trapeze acrobat, who can be seen in the upper left corner of the picture.
Titian "Earthly Love and Heavenly Love" 1515-1516
Kept in the Galleria Borghese in Rome.
It is noteworthy that the modern name of the painting was not given by the artist himself, but began to be used only two centuries later. Until this time, the painting had various names: “Beauty, Embellished and Unadorned” (1613), “Three Types of Love” (1650), “Divine and Secular Women” (1700), and, finally, “Earthly Love and Heavenly Love” (1792 and 1833).
Mikhail Nesterov "Vision to the youth Bartholomew" 1889-1890
Kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
The first and most significant work from the cycle dedicated to Sergius of Radonezh. Until the end of his days, the artist was convinced that “Vision to the Youth Bartholomew” was his best work. In his old age, the artist liked to repeat: “It’s not me who will live. “Youth Bartholomew” will live. Now, if thirty, fifty years after my death he still says something to people, that means he’s alive, that means I’m alive too "
Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Parable of the Blind" 1568
Kept in the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.
Other titles of the painting are “The Blind”, “Parabola of the Blind”, “The Blind Leading the Blind”. It is believed that the plot of the film is based on the biblical parable of the blind: “If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit.”
Victor Vasnetsov "Alyonushka" 1881
Kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery.
It is based on the fairy tale “About Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka.” Initially, Vasnetsov’s painting was called “Fool Alyonushka.” At that time, orphans were called “fools.” “Alyonushka,” the artist himself later said, “seemed to have lived in my head for a long time, but in reality I saw her in Akhtyrka, when I met one simple-haired girl who struck my imagination. There was so much melancholy, loneliness and purely Russian sadness in her eyes ... Some special Russian spirit emanated from her.”
Vincent van Gogh "Starry Night" 1889
Kept in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Unlike most of the artist’s paintings, “Starry Night” was painted from memory. Van Gogh was at that time in the Saint-Rémy hospital, tormented by attacks of madness.
Karl Bryullov “The Last Day of Pompeii” 1830-1833
Kept in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
The painting depicts the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. e. and the destruction of the city of Pompeii near Naples. The artist's image in the left corner of the painting is a self-portrait of the author.
Pablo Picasso “Girl on a Ball” 1905
Stored in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow
The painting ended up in Russia thanks to industrialist Ivan Abramovich Morozov, who purchased it in 1913 for 16,000 francs. In 1918, the personal collection of I. A. Morozov was nationalized. Currently the painting is in the collection of the State Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin.
Leonardo da Vinci "Madonna Litta" 1491
Kept in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
The original title of the painting was “Madonna and Child.” Modern name The painting comes from the name of its owner - Count Litta, owner of the family art gallery in Milan. There is an assumption that the figure of the baby was not painted by Leonardo da Vinci, but belongs to the brush of one of his students. This is evidenced by the baby's pose, which is unusual for the author's style.
Jean Ingres "Turkish Baths" 1862
Kept in the Louvre in Paris.
Ingres finished painting this picture when he was already over 80 years old. With this painting, the artist sums up the image of bathers, the theme of which has long been present in his work. Initially, the canvas was in the shape of a square, but a year after its completion the artist turned it into a round painting - a tondo.
Ivan Shishkin, Konstantin Savitsky "Morning in a pine forest" 1889
Stored in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow
“Morning in a Pine Forest” is a painting by Russian artists Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky. Savitsky painted the bears, but the collector Pavel Tretyakov, when he acquired the painting, erased his signature, so now Shishkin alone is indicated as the author of the painting.
Mikhail Vrubel "The Swan Princess" 1900
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery
The painting is based on the stage image of the heroine of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” based on the plot of the fairy tale of the same name by A. S. Pushkin. Vrubel created sketches for the scenery and costumes for the 1900 premiere of the opera, and his wife sang the role of the Swan Princess.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo "Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II as Vertumnus" 1590
Located in Skokloster Castle in Stockholm.
One of the few surviving works of the artist, who composed portraits from fruits, vegetables, flowers, crustaceans, fish, pearls, musical and other instruments, books, and so on. "Vertumnus" is a portrait of the emperor, represented as the ancient Roman god of seasons, vegetation and transformation. In the picture, Rudolph consists entirely of fruits, flowers and vegetables.
Edgar Degas "Blue Dancers" 1897
Located in the Museum of Art. A. S. Pushkin in Moscow.
Degas was a big fan of ballet. He is called the artist of ballerinas. The work "Blue Dancers" dates back to the late period of Degas's work, when his eyesight weakened and he began to work in large spots of color, giving paramount importance to the decorative organization of the surface of the picture.
Leonardo da Vinci "Mona Lisa" 1503-1505
Kept in the Louvre, Paris.
The Mona Lisa may not have gained worldwide fame if it had not been stolen in 1911 by a Louvre employee. The painting was found two years later in Italy: the thief responded to an advertisement in the newspaper and offered to sell “Gioconda” to the director of the Uffizi Gallery. All this time, while the investigation was ongoing, the “Mona Lisa” did not leave the covers of newspapers and magazines around the world, becoming an object of copying and worship.
Sandro Botticelli "Birth of Venus" 1486
Kept in Florence in the Uffizi Gallery
The painting illustrates the myth of the birth of Aphrodite. A naked goddess swims to the shore in an open shell, driven by the wind. On the left side of the painting, Zephyr (the west wind), in the arms of his wife Chloris, blows on a shell, creating a wind filled with flowers. On the shore, the goddess is met by one of the graces. The Birth of Venus is well preserved due to the fact that Botticelli applied a protective layer of egg yolk to the painting.
Michelangelo "Creation of Adam" 1511
Located in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
“Every portrait painted with feeling is, in essence, a portrait of the artist, and not of the person who posed for him.” Oscar Wilde
What does it take to be an artist? A simple imitation of a work cannot be considered art. Art is something that comes from within. The author's idea, passion, search, desires and sorrows, which are embodied on the artist's canvas. Throughout the history of mankind, hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions of paintings have been painted. Some of them are truly masterpieces, known all over the world, even people who have nothing to do with art know them. Is it possible to identify the 25 most outstanding among such paintings? The task is very difficult, but we tried...
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25"The Persistence of Memory", Salvador Dali
Thanks to this painting, Dali became quite famous at a young age, he was 28 years old. The painting has several other titles - “Soft Hours”, “Hardness of Memory”. This masterpiece has attracted the attention of many art critics. Basically, they were interested in the interpretation of the painting. It is said that the idea behind Dali's painting is related to Einstein's theory of relativity.
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24"Dance", Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse was not always an artist. He discovered his love for painting after receiving a law degree in Paris. He studied art so zealously that he became one of the greatest artists in the world. This painting has very little negative criticism from art critics. It reflects a combination of pagan rituals, dance and music. People dance in a trance. Three colors - green, blue and red, symbolize Earth, Sky and Humanity.
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23"The Kiss", Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt was often criticized for the nudity in his paintings. "The Kiss" was noticed by critics as it merged all forms of art. The painting could be a depiction of the artist himself and his lover, Emilia. Klimt painted this painting under the influence of Byzantine mosaics. The Byzantines used gold in their paintings. In the same way, Gustav Klimt mixed gold in his paints to create his own style painting.
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22"Sleeping Gypsy", Henri Rousseau
No one except Rousseau himself could describe this picture better. Here is his description - “a nomadic gypsy who sings her songs to the accompaniment of a mandolin, sleeps on the ground from fatigue, her jug of drinking water lies nearby. A lion passing by came up to sniff her, but did not touch her. Everything is bathed in moonlight, a very poetic atmosphere.” It is noteworthy that Henri Rousseau is self-taught.
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21"The Last Judgment", Hieronymus Bosch
Without further ado, the picture is simply magnificent. This triptych is the largest surviving painting by Bosch. The left wing shows the story of Adam and Eve. The central part is " doomsday"from Jesus' side - who should go to heaven and who should go to hell. The earth we see here is burning. The right wing depicts a disgusting image of hell.
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20
Everyone is familiar with Narcissus from Greek mythology - a man who was obsessed with his appearance. Dali wrote his own interpretation of Narcissus.
The story is like this. The beautiful young man Narcissus easily broke the hearts of many girls. The gods intervened and, to punish him, showed him his reflection in the water. The narcissist fell in love with himself and eventually died because he was never able to embrace himself. Then the Gods regretted doing this to him and decided to immortalize him in the form of a narcissus flower.
On the left side of the picture is Narcissus looking at his reflection. After which he fell in love with himself. The right panel shows the events that unfolded after, including the resulting flower, the daffodil.
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19
The plot of the film is based on the biblical massacre of the infants in Bethlehem. After the news of the birth of Christ became known from the Magi, King Herod ordered the killing of all small male children and infants in Bethlehem. In the picture, the massacre is at its peak, the last few children, who were taken from their mothers, await their merciless death. Also visible are the corpses of children, for whom everything is already behind them.
Thanks to his use of rich colors, Rubens's painting has become a world-famous masterpiece.
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18
Pollock's work is very different from other artists. He placed his canvas on the ground and moved around and around the canvas, dripping paint from above onto the canvas using sticks, brushes and syringes. Thanks to this unique technique, he was nicknamed “Sprinkler Jack” in artistic circles. For some time, this painting held the title of the most expensive painting in the world.
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17
Also known as "Dancing at Le Moulin de la Galette". This painting is considered one of Renoir's most joyful paintings. The idea of the film is to show viewers the fun side of Parisian life. Upon closer examination of the painting, you can see that Renoir placed several of his friends on the canvas. Because the painting appears slightly blurred, it was initially criticized by Renoir's contemporaries.
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16
The plot is taken from the Bible. The painting “The Last Supper” depicts Christ’s last supper before his arrest. He had just spoken to his apostles and told them that one of them would betray him. All the apostles are saddened and tell him that it is, of course, not them. It was this moment that Da Vinci beautifully depicted through his vivid depiction. The great Leonardo took four years to complete this painting.
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15
Monet's "Water Lilies" can be found everywhere. You've probably seen them on wallpaper, posters and art magazine covers. The fact is that Monet was obsessed with lilies. Before he started painting them, he grew countless numbers of these flowers. Monet built a bridge in Japanese style in his garden over a lily pond. He was so pleased with what he had achieved that he drew this plot seventeen times in one year.
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14
There is something sinister and mysterious in this picture; there is an aura of fear around it. Only such a master as Munch was able to depict fear on paper. Munch made four versions of The Scream in oil and pastel. According to the entries in Munch's diary, it is quite clear that he himself believed in death and spirits. In the painting “The Scream,” he depicted himself at the moment when one day, while walking with friends, he felt fear and excitement, which he wanted to paint.
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13
The painting, which is usually mentioned as a symbol of motherhood, was not supposed to become one. It is said that Whistler's model, who was supposed to sit for the painting, did not show up, and he decided to paint his mother instead. We can say that the sad life of the artist’s mother is depicted here. This mood is due to the dark colors that are used in this painting.
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12
Picasso met Dora Maar in Paris. They say that she was intellectually closer to Picasso than all his previous mistresses. Using Cubism, Picasso was able to convey movement in his work. It seems that Maar's face turns to the right, towards Picasso's face. The artist made the woman's presence almost real. Maybe he wanted to feel like she was there, always.
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11
Van Gogh wrote Starry Night while undergoing treatment, where he was only allowed to paint while his condition improved. Earlier in the same year, he cut off his left earlobe. Many considered the artist crazy. Of Van Gogh's entire collection of works, Starry Night is the most famous, perhaps due to the unusual spherical light around the stars.
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10
In this painting, Manet recreated Titian's Venus of Urbino. The artist had a bad reputation for depicting prostitutes. Although gentlemen at that time visited courtesans quite often, they did not think that anyone would take it into their head to paint them. Back then, it was preferable for artists to paint pictures on historical, mythical or biblical themes. However, Manet, going against the criticism, showed the audience their contemporary.
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9
This painting is a historical canvas that depicts Napoleon's conquest of Spain.
Having received an order for paintings depicting the struggle of the people of Spain against Napoleon, the artist did not paint heroic and pathetic canvases. He chose the moment when the Spanish rebels were shot by French soldiers. Each of the Spaniards experiences this moment in their own way, some have already resigned themselves, but for others the main battle has just arrived. War, blood and death, that's what Goya actually depicted.
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8
The girl depicted is believed to be Vermeer's eldest daughter, Mary. Its features are present in many of his works, but they are difficult to compare. A book with the same title was written by Tracy Chevalier. But Tracy has a completely different version of who is depicted in this picture. She claims that she took this topic because there is very little information about Vermeer and his paintings, and this particular painting exudes a mysterious atmosphere. Later, a film was made based on her novel.
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7
The exact title of the painting is “Performance of the Rifle Company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” The Rifle Society was a civilian militia that was called upon to defend the city. In addition to the militia, Rembrandt added several extra people to the composition. Considering that he bought an expensive house while painting this picture, it may well be true that he received a huge fee for The Night's Watch.
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6
Although the painting contains an image of Velázquez himself, it is not a self-portrait. Main character paintings - Infanta Margaret, daughter of King Philip IV. This depicts the moment when Velázquez, working on a portrait of the king and queen, is forced to stop and look at the Infanta Margarita, who has just entered the room with her retinue. The painting looks almost alive, arousing curiosity in the audience.
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5
This is the only painting by Bruegel that was painted in oil rather than tempera. There are still doubts about the authenticity of the painting, mainly for two reasons. Firstly, he did not paint in oils, and secondly, recent studies have shown that under the layer of painting there is schematic drawing of poor quality, which does not belong to Bruegel.
The painting depicts the story of Icarus and the moment of his fall. According to myth, Icarus' feathers were attached with wax, and because Icarus rose very close to the sun, the wax melted and he fell into the water. This landscape inspired W. H. Auden to write his most famous poem on the same topic.
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4
The School of Athens is perhaps the most famous fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist, Raphael.
In this fresco at the School of Athens, all the great mathematicians, philosophers and scientists have gathered under one roof, sharing their theories and learning from each other. All the heroes lived at different times, but Raphael placed them all in one room. Some of the figures are Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras and Ptolemy. A closer look reveals that this painting also contains a self-portrait of Raphael himself. Every artist would like to leave their mark, the only difference is the form. Although maybe he considered himself one of these great figures?
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3
Michelangelo never considered himself an artist, he always thought of himself more as a sculptor. But, he managed to create an amazing, exquisite fresco that the whole world is in awe of. This masterpiece is on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Michelangelo was commissioned to paint several biblical stories, one of which was the creation of Adam. In this picture the sculptor in Michelangelo is clearly visible. Adam's human body is rendered with incredible precision using bright colors and precise muscle shape. So, we can agree with the author, after all, he is more of a sculptor.
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2"Mona Lisa", Leonardo da Vinci
Although it is the most studied painting, the Mona Lisa still remains the most mysterious. Leonardo said that he never stopped working on it. Only his death, as they say, completed work on the canvas. "Mona Lisa" is the first Italian portrait in which the model is depicted from the waist up. Mona Lisa's skin appears to glow due to the use of several layers of transparent oils. Being scientists Leonardo da Vinci used all his knowledge to make the image of Mona Lisa realistic. As for who exactly is depicted in the painting, it still remains a mystery.
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1
The painting shows Venus, the goddess of love, floating on a shell in the wind, which is blown by Zephyr, the god of the west wind. She is met on the shore by Ora, the goddess of the seasons, who is ready to dress the newborn deity. The model for Venus is considered to be Simonetta Cattaneo de Vespucci. Simonetta Cattaneo died at 22, and Botticelli wished to be buried next to her. He was bound by unrequited love with her. This painting is the most exquisite work of art ever created.
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Conclusion
This was an article TOP 25 most famous paintings in the world. Thank you for your attention!
Art is almost as old as humanity itself, and over all the centuries of our existence, countless unique works have been created.
It would probably be too bold to make a list of the most outstanding masterpieces, because the criteria for assessing creativity are too subjective. That is why our rating contains paintings and sculptures that are certainly the most recognizable in the world, which does not mean that they are somehow better than other brilliant works.
Which creations are the most famous? Find out now! Perhaps you don’t know everyone, and it’s time to test your erudition and horizons.
25. Bathers, by Paul Cézanne
This painting is considered a true masterpiece of modern art. “Bathers” is one of the most famous works of Paul Cézanne. The work was first presented to the general public at an exhibition in 1906. Cézanne's oil painting paved the way for artists of the future, allowing them to move away from traditional patterns, and built a bridge between Post-Impressionism and 20th-century art. 24. Disco thrower, by Miron 
"Discobolus" is a legendary Greek statue, executed by the famous Greek sculptor Myron of Eleutherae in the period from approximately 460 to 450 BC. e. The work was greatly admired by the Romans, and they even made several copies of this sculpture before its original disappeared without a trace. Subsequently, the Discus Thrower became a symbol of the Olympic Games. 23. Apollo and Daphne, by Bernini 
Apollo and Daphne is a life-size sculpture created by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini around 1622-1625. The masterpiece depicts a half-naked woman trying to escape from her pursuer. The sculpture clearly demonstrates the high skill of its creator, who recreated the culmination of Ovid's famous story about Daphna and Phoebus. 22. Night Watch, by Rembrandt
A masterpiece by the internationally acclaimed Danish artist Rembrandt, The Night Watch is one of the most... famous paintings XVII century. The work was completed in 1642, and was commissioned to depict a group portrait of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburgh (Frans Banning Cocq, Willem van Ruytenburgh). Today the painting adorns the exhibition of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. 21. Massacre of the Innocents by Rubens
“The Massacre of the Innocents” is a picture that tells the story of the terrible order of the Jewish king Herod, by whose command all the babies of Bethlehem and its environs under the age of 2 years were killed. The tyrant believed in the prophecy that the day was coming when the King of Israel would remove him from the throne, and hoped that his future rival would be among the murdered children. A representative of the Flemish Baroque, Rubens wrote two versions of the famous biblical story 25 years apart. The first version of the painting is now in front of you, and it was painted between 1611 and 1612. 20. Campbell's Beef Onion Soup by Warhol
Painted by American artist Andy Warhol in 1962, Campbell's Beef Onion Soup is one of the most famous examples of modern art. In his work, Warhol masterfully demonstrated the monotony of the advertising industry by reproducing multiple copies of the same product on his giant canvas. Warhol also said that he ate these soups every day for 20 years. Perhaps this is why a can of onion soup became the subject of his famous work. 19. Starry Night by Van Gogh
The oil painting “Starry Night” is by the Danish post-impressionist Vincent Van Gogh, who completed this legendary work in 1889. The artist was inspired to paint the painting by looking at the night sky through the window of his room in the Saint-Paul hospital, the city of Saint-Rémy, Southern France(Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Remy). It was there that the famous creator at one time sought relief from the emotional suffering that haunted him until the end of his days. 18. Rock paintings of the Chauvet Cave
The drawings, discovered in the south of France in the Chauvet Cave, are among the most famous and best-preserved prehistoric masterpieces of world art. The age of these works is approximately 30,000 - 33,000 years. Hundreds of prehistoric animals are expertly depicted on the cave walls, including bears, mammoths, cave lions, panthers and hyenas. 17. The Kiss, by Rodin 
“The Kiss” is a marble statue created by the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin in 1889. The author was inspired by the plot of the masterpiece sad story Paolo and Francesca, characters from the legendary work of Dante Alighieri “The Divine Comedy” (Paolo, Francesca, Dante Alighieri). The lovers were killed by Francesca's husband, who suddenly caught the young people when the guy and girl, fascinated by each other, exchanged their first kiss. 16. Manneken Pis, authorship unknown
"Manneken Pee" or "Manneken Pis" is a small bronze sculpture that has become a real attraction of the fountain in the center of Brussels. The original authorship of the work is unknown, but in 1619 it was modified by the Belgian sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy. Business card city, “Manneken Pie” was supposedly installed in memory of the events of the Grimbergen War, during which a peeing baby, according to one version, urinated on soldiers, and according to another, extinguished enemy ammunition that threatened to destroy the entire city. During the holidays, the sculpture is dressed up in themed costumes. 15. The Persistence of Memory, by Salvador Dali
Painted in 1931 by the famous Spanish artist Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognizable masterpieces of surrealist art in the history of painting. The work depicts a bleak sandy beach strewn with melting clocks. Dali’s unusual plot was inspired by Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. 14. Pieta or Lamentation of Christ, by Michelangelo
"Pieta" - famous sculpture Renaissance era, created by the Florentine creator Michelangelo in the period from 1498 to 1500. The work describes a biblical scene - Mary holds in her arms the body of Jesus taken from the cross. The sculpture is now in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. "Pieta" - only job Michelangelo, which he signed. 13. Water lilies by Claude Monet
“Water Lilies” is a series of approximately 250 oil paintings by the world-famous French impressionist Claude Monet. The collection of these works is recognized as one of the most outstanding achievements art of the early 20th century. If you place all the paintings together, it creates the illusion endless landscape filled with water lilies, trees and clouds reflected in the water. 12. The Scream by Edvard Munch 
The Scream is an iconic masterpiece by Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch. He wrote 4 different versions of this plot in the period from 1893 to 1910. The artist's famous work was inspired by the artist's real-life experiences during a nature walk during which Munch was abandoned by his companions (who are also depicted in the background of the painting). 11. Moai, authorship unknown
Moai statues are massive stone monoliths discovered on Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, Western Polynesia. The statues are also known as the Easter Island Heads, but in reality they all have bodies hidden underground. The Moai statues date back to approximately 1400 - 1650 and are believed to have been carved from stone by Aboriginal people who once lived on the island of Rapa Nui (local name for Easter Island). In total, about 1000 such gigantic masterpieces of antiquity were discovered in this area. The mystery of their movement around the island still remains unsolved, and the heaviest figure weighs about 82 tons. 10. The Thinker by Rodin 
“The Thinker” is the most famous work of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. The author completed his masterpiece in 1880 and originally called the sculpture “The Poet.” The statue was part of a composition called “The Gates of Hell” and personified Dante Alighieri himself, the author of the famous “Divine Comedy”. According to Rodin's original idea, Alighieri leans over the circles of Hell, reflecting on his work. Subsequently, the sculptor rethought the character and made him into a universal image of the creator. 9. Guernica, by Pablo Picasso
An oil painting the size of an entire fresco, Guernica is one of the most famous works of the famous Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. The black and white painting is Picasso's reaction to the Nazi bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The masterpiece demonstrates all the tragedy, the horrors of war and the suffering of all innocent citizens in the person of just a few characters. 8. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
You can admire this painting today while visiting the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Leonardo da Vinci's legendary painting, The Last Supper, is one of the most famous masterpieces in the world. The artist worked on this fresco from 1494 to 1498, and depicted on it the famous biblical scene of the last supper of Jesus Christ surrounded by his disciples, which is narrated in detail in the Gospel of John. 7. Statue of Liberty by Eiffel, Bartholdi
The iconic sculpture is located on Liberty Island in New York, and was once a gift as a sign of friendship between the people of France and the United States. Today the Statue of Liberty is considered international symbol freedom and democracy. The author of the composition was the French sculptor Bartholdi, and it was designed and built by the architect Gustav Eiffel. The gift was presented on October 28, 1886. 6. Hermes with the baby Dionysus or Hermes Olympus, by Praxiteles 
"Hermes with the Child Dionysus" is an ancient Greek sculpture discovered during excavations in 1877 among the ruins of the temple of the goddess Hera in Greece. Right hand Hermes is lost, but archaeologists believe that in the story, the god of trade and athletes held a grapevine in it, showing it to the infant Dionysus, the god of wine, orgies and religious ecstasy. 5. The Creation of Adam, by Michelangelo
The Creation of Adam is one of Michelangelo's most famous frescoes. It was created between 1508 and 1512 and is considered the most popular ceiling composition of the Sistine Chapel, an iconic Catholic center located in the Vatican. The painting illustrates the moment of the biblical creation of the first man in history, described in the book of Genesis in the Old Testament. 4. Venus de Milo, or Aphrodite from the island of Milos 
The "Venus de Milo" was born approximately between 130 and 100 BC and is one of the most famous ancient greek sculptures. The marble statue was discovered in 1820 on the island of Milos, part of the Cyclades Archipelago in the Aegean Sea. The identity of the heroine has not yet been precisely established, but researchers suggest that the author of the masterpiece carved Aphrodite from stone, greek goddess love and beauty, which was often depicted half-naked. Although there is a version that the statue is molded in the image of the sea goddess Amphitrite, who was especially revered on the island where the artifact was found. 3. Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli
The Birth of Venus is a work by Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, painted between 1482 and 1485, and is considered one of the most famous and valuable masterpieces of art in the world. The painting illustrates a scene from Ovid’s famous poem “Metamorphoses”, in which the goddess Venus first comes ashore from the foam of the sea. The work is on display at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. 2. David, by Michelangelo 
The legendary Renaissance sculpture was created between 1501 and 1504 by the brilliant creator Michelangelo. Today, "David" is considered the most famous statue in the world. This delightful masterpiece is the biblical hero David etched in stone. Artists and sculptors of the past traditionally depicted David during battle, the winner over the formidable Goliath, a warlike husband and hero, but Michelangelo chose for his work the image of a charming young man who had not yet learned the art of war and murder. 1. Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci
Perhaps some of the works on this list were unknown to you, but everyone knows the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci. This is the most famous, most talked about, most celebrated and most visited painting in the world. The brilliant master painted it in 1503-1506, and Lisa Gherardini, wife of silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo, posed for the canvas. Famous for its mysterious expression, the Mona Lisa is the pride of the Louvre, the oldest and richest museum in France and the world.The mysterious world of art may seem confusing to the uninitiated, but there are masterpieces that everyone should know. Talent, inspiration and painstaking work on every stroke give birth to works that are admired centuries later.
It is impossible to collect all the outstanding creations in one selection, but we tried to select the most famous paintings, drawing giant queues in front of museums around the world.
The most famous paintings by Russian artists
“Morning in a pine forest”, Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky
Year of creation: 1889Museum
Shishkin was an excellent landscape painter, but he rarely had to draw animals, so the figures of bear cubs were painted by Savitsky, an excellent animal artist. At the end of the work, Tretyakov ordered Savitsky’s signature to be erased, considering that Shishkin had done much more extensive work.
“Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan November 16, 1581”, Ilya Repin
Years of creation: 1883–1885Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Repin was inspired to create the masterpiece, better known as “Ivan the Terrible Kills His Son,” by Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Antar” symphony, namely its second movement, “The Sweetness of Revenge.” Under the influence of the sounds of music, the artist depicted a bloody scene of murder and subsequent repentance observed in the eyes of the sovereign.
"The Seated Demon", Mikhail Vrubel
Year of creation: 1890Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The painting was one of thirty illustrations drawn by Vrubel for the anniversary edition of the works of M.Yu. Lermontov. “The sitting demon” personifies the doubts inherent in the human spirit, the subtle, elusive “mood of the soul.” According to experts, the artist was to some extent obsessed with the image of a demon: this painting was followed by “The Flying Demon” and “The Defeated Demon.”
“Boyaryna Morozova”, Vasily Surikov
Years of creation: 1884–1887Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The film is based on the plot of the Old Believer life “The Tale of Boyarina Morozova”. The understanding of the key image came to the artist when he saw a crow spreading its black wings like a blur on the snowy surface. Later, Surikov spent a long time looking for a prototype for the noblewoman’s face, but could not find anything suitable until one day he met an Old Believer woman with a pale, frantic face in a cemetery. The portrait sketch was completed in two hours.
"Bogatyrs", Viktor Vasnetsov
Years of creation: 1881–1898Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The future epic masterpiece was born as a small pencil sketch in 1881; For further work on the canvas, Vasnetsov spent many years painstakingly collecting information about the heroes from myths, legends and traditions, and also studied authentic ancient Russian ammunition in museums.
Analysis of Vasnetsov’s painting “Three Heroes”
“Bathing the Red Horse”, Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin
Year of creation: 1912Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Initially, the painting was conceived as an everyday sketch from the life of a Russian village, but during the work the artist’s canvas became overgrown with a huge number of symbols. By the red horse, Petrov-Vodkin meant “The Fate of Russia”; after the country joined the First world war he exclaimed: “So that’s why I painted this picture!” However, after the revolution, pro-Soviet art critics interpreted the key figure in the painting as a “harbinger of revolutionary fires.”
"Trinity", Andrei Rublev
Year of creation: 1411Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The icon that laid the foundation for the tradition of Russian icon painting in the 15th–16th centuries. The canvas depicting the Old Testament trinity of angels who appeared to Abraham is a symbol of the unity of the Holy Trinity.
"The Ninth Wave", Ivan Aivazovsky
Year of creation: 1850Museum
A pearl in the “cartography” of the legendary Russian marine painter, who without hesitation can be considered one of the most famous artists in the world. We can see how the sailors who miraculously survived the storm cling to the mast in anticipation of meeting the “ninth wave,” the mythical apogee of all storms. But the warm shades that dominate the canvas give hope for the salvation of the victims.
“The Last Day of Pompeii”, Karl Bryullov
Years of creation: 1830–1833Museum: Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Completed in 1833, Bryullov’s painting was initially exhibited in the largest cities of Italy, where it caused a real sensation - the painter was compared to Michelangelo, Titian, Raphael... At home, the masterpiece was greeted with no less enthusiasm, securing the nickname “Charlemagne” for Bryullov. The canvas is truly great: its dimensions are 4.6 by 6.5 meters, which makes it one of the largest paintings among the works of Russian artists.
The most famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci
"Mona Lisa"
Years of creation: 1503–1505Museum: Louvre, Paris
A masterpiece of the Florentine genius that needs no introduction. It is noteworthy that the painting received cult status after the incident of theft from the Louvre in 1911. Two years later, the thief, who turned out to be a museum employee, tried to sell the painting to the Uffizi Gallery. The events of the high-profile case were covered in detail in the world press, after which hundreds of thousands of reproductions went on sale, and the mysterious Mona Lisa became an object of worship.
Years of creation: 1495–1498Museum: Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan
After five centuries, the fresco with a classical plot on the wall of the refectory of the Dominican monastery in Milan is recognized as one of the most mysterious paintings in history. According to Da Vinci's idea, the painting depicts the moment of the Easter meal, when Christ notifies the disciples of imminent betrayal. Huge number hidden symbols gave rise to an equally huge variety of studies, allusions, borrowings and parodies.
"Madonna Litta"
Year of creation: 1491Museum: Hermitage, St. Petersburg
Also known as the Madonna and Child, the painting was kept in the collection of the Dukes of Litta for a long time, and in 1864 it was purchased by the St. Petersburg Hermitage. Many experts agree that the figure of the baby was painted not by da Vinci personally, but by one of his students - a pose that is too uncharacteristic for a painter.
The most famous paintings of Salvador Dali
Year of creation: 1931Museum: Museum of Modern Art, New York
Paradoxically, but the most famous work genius of surrealism, was born from thoughts about Camembert cheese. One evening, after a friendly dinner, which ended with appetizers with cheese, the artist was lost in thought about “spreading pulp,” and his imagination painted a picture of a melting clock with an olive branch in the foreground.
Year of creation: 1955Museum: National Gallery of Art, Washington
A traditional plot given a surreal twist using arithmetic principles studied by Leonardo da Vinci. The artist put the peculiar magic of the number “12” at the forefront, moving away from the hermeneutic method of interpreting the biblical plot.
The most famous paintings of Pablo Picasso
Year of creation: 1905Museum: Pushkin Museum, Moscow
The painting became the first sign of the so-called “pink” period in Picasso’s work. Rough texture and simplified style are combined with a sensitive play of lines and colors, the contrast between the massive figure of an athlete and a fragile gymnast. The canvas was sold along with 29 other works for 2 thousand francs (in total) to the Parisian collector Vollard, changed several collections, and in 1913 it was acquired by the Russian philanthropist Ivan Morozov, already for 13 thousand francs.
Year of creation: 1937Museum: Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid
Guernica is the name of a city in the Basque country that was subjected to German bombing in April 1937. Picasso had never been to Guernica, but was stunned by the scale of the disaster, as if by a “blow from a bull’s horn.” The artist conveyed the horrors of war in abstract form and showed the real face of fascism, veiling it with bizarre geometric shapes.
The most famous paintings of the Renaissance
"Sistine Madonna", Raphael Santi
Years of creation: 1512–1513Museum: Gallery of Old Masters, Dresden
If you look closely at the background, which at first glance consists of clouds, you will notice that in fact Raphael depicted the heads of angels there. The two angels located at the bottom of the picture are almost more famous than the masterpiece itself, due to its wide circulation in mass art.
"Birth of Venus", Sandro Botticelli
Year of creation: 1486Museum: Uffizi Gallery, Florence
At the heart of the picture - ancient greek myth about the birth of Aphrodite from sea foam. Unlike many masterpieces of the Renaissance, the canvas has survived to this day in excellent condition thanks to the protective layer of egg yolk that Botticelli prudently covered the work with.
"The Creation of Adam", Michelangelo Buonarotti
Year of creation: 1511Museum: Sistine Chapel, Vatican
One of nine frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, illustrating the chapter from Genesis: “And God created man in His own image.” It was Michelangelo who was the first to depict God as a gray-haired old man, after which this image became archetypal. Modern scientists believe that the contours of the figure of God and angels represent the human brain.
"Night Watch", Rembrandt
Year of creation: 1642Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
The full title of the painting is “Performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Kok and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” The painting received its modern name in the 19th century, when it was found by art critics who, due to the layer of dirt covering the work, decided that the action in the painting was taking place under the cover of night darkness.
"The Garden of Earthly Delights", Hieronymus Bosch
Years of creation: 1500–1510Museum: Prado Museum, Madrid
Perhaps the most famous triptych by Bosch, named after the central part of the composition: the figures depicted on it selflessly indulge in the sin of voluptuousness. In contrast to the middle part, which is full of small, “hectic” details, the left wing of the picture, depicting genuine paradise, conveys an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, and the right wing, full of devilish mechanisms, on the contrary, recalls the torments of hell.
The most famous paintings of the 20th century
"Black Square", Kazimir Malevich
Year of creation: 1915Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Malevich wrote “Black Square” for several months; Legend has it that a painting is hidden under a layer of black paint - the artist did not have time to finish the work on time and, in a fit of anger, covered up the image. There are at least seven copies of the “Black Square” made by Malevich, as well as a kind of “continuation” of the Suprematist squares – “Red Square” (1915) and “White Square” (1918).
"The Scream", Edvard Munch
Year of creation: 1893Museum: National Gallery, Oslo
Due to its inexplicable mystical effect on the viewer, the painting was stolen in 1994 and 2004. There is an opinion that the picture created at the turn of the 20th century anticipated numerous disasters of the coming century. The deep symbolism of "The Scream" has inspired many artists, including Andy Warhol, directors, musicians and even animators.
"Walk", Marc Chagall
Year of creation: 1918Museum: Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
If you were also tormented by the question: “Why are the people in Marc Chagall’s painting soaring in the air?”, here is the answer from the artist himself - the force that can give a person the opportunity to fly is nothing other than love. It is believed that the man and woman on the canvas are Marc Chagall and his wife.
"No. 5, 1948", Jackson Pollock
Year of creation: 1948Museum: Private collection, New York
This painting still causes a lot of controversy. Some art critics believe that the excitement around the painting, painted using the signature splashing technique, was created artificially. The canvas was not sold until all the artist’s other works were purchased, and accordingly, the price for a non-figurative masterpiece skyrocketed. “Number Five” was sold for $140 million, becoming the most expensive painting in history.
"Marilyn Diptych", Andy Warhol
Year of creation: 1962Museum: Tate Gallery, London
A week after the death of Marilyn Monroe, the controversial artist began work on the canvas. 50 stenciled portraits of the actress were applied to the canvas, stylized in the “pop art” genre based on a photograph from 1953.
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