The 20 Most Famous Paintings in Art History

[New Three Talents Launch] Every era has the birth of artistic geniuses and creators, leaving behind famous works of art that are known and loved all over the world. Artistro.com recently listed the 25 most iconic works of art in history Works as follows.

△ "Mona Lisa" (Mona Lisa): Probably the most famous painting in the world is Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa". The painting is a portrait of Madame Gherardini, representing the ideal woman of the Renaissance. They tried to damage the painting more than once, and it was robbed in 1911, only to be returned two years later. Its admiration is truly endless: Napoleon Bonaparte even had it removed from museums and had it hung in his bedroom. The painting was officially declared priceless, which is no surprise since this masterpiece is some of the finest art ever created. The only insurance present value is its $3 billion. The Mona Lisa is currently in the Louvre, Paris, France.

△ "The Birth of Venus" (the birth of Venus, 1486): Another most famous painting is "The Birth of Venus". Sandro Botticelli's painting depicts the goddess Venus (Roman: Aphrodite) drifting to the shore on a shell, propelled by Zephyr. The Birth of Venus is preserved thanks to a protective layer of egg yolk that Botticelli applied to the painting. This masterpiece is now preserved in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

△ "Creation Of Adam" (the Creation Of Adam, 1511): Michelangelo Buonarroti's "Creation of Adam" was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace. It is the fourth of nine works depicting scenes from the Book of Genesis. This mural depicts an episode of God's creation of the first human beings. In addition to depicting the idealized human form, the fresco is one of the first attempts in art history to depict God himself.

△ "The Last Supper" (The Last Supper, 1495-1498): Da Vinci's famous mural "The Last Supper" has been restored at least 5 times in the past 500 years, and the last restoration took 21 years.

This fresco by Leonardo Da Vinci depicts Jesus' Last Supper before his betrayal, arrest and death. In addition to composition, shape, and color, discussions of the fresco have been filled with theories about hidden symbols and Mary Magdalene next to Jesus. One of the most famous works of art, this important artistic asset is located in the St. Maria delle Grazie monastery in Milan.

△ "The Ancient Of Days" (the Ancient Of Days, 1794): This popular work of art by William Blake is now in the British Museum, London. In addition to the original title, two versions are widely circulated: the Great Architect or the Creation. The literal name of this painting is "The Ancient of Days", which uses "God" as the title of the painting. It is God at the moment of creation. He does not establish order, but limits freedom and imagination.

△ "Girl With A Pearl Earring" (1665): Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer's "Girl With A Pearl Earring" is often called the Mona Lisa of the North.

Not only because of its popularity, but also because of the elusiveness and interpretation of the expressions on girls' faces. Little is known about the painting: it is not dated, nor is the name of the girl depicted. In 1881, at an auction in The Hague, the painting was bought for just two 30-cent guilders. In 2003, based on the novel of the same name by British author Tracy Chevalier, a film was made about the possible plot of the painting's creation. From 2012 to 2014, during the renovation of the Mauritshuis, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" was toured to the United States, Italy and Japan. It gathered massive crowds wherever it went, which ultimately cemented its status as one of the most famous paintings in history. The painting is now preserved in the Mauritshuis Gallery in The Hague.

△ "The Night Watch" (The Night Watch, 1642): The real name of this painting by Rembrandt Van Rijn is "The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch". In the 19th century, art critics who discovered the painting thought the figures were standing against a dark background, hence the name The Night Watch. It was later discovered that although the action actually took place during the day, a layer of soot darkened the painting. However, this painting complements the treasure trove of famous works of art under the name of The Night Watch. The painting is now in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

△ The Sistine Madonna (1512): This masterpiece is one of the most famous paintings by Raffaello Santi, also known as the Madonna di San Sisto , now in the Old Masters Picture Gallery, Dresden, Germany. This painting has a little secret: the background looks like clouds from a distance, but upon closer inspection it is the head of an angel. And the two angels pictured below have been the subject of countless postcards and posters.

△ "Liberty Leading The People" (Liberty Leading The People, 1830): Eugene Delacroix's "Liberty Leading The People" is one of the best works of art ever preserved in the Louvre Museum in Paris (the Louvre Museum). Delacroix created this painting based on the July Revolution in France in 1830. On October 12, 1830, Delacroix wrote in a letter to his brother: "If I have not fought for my country, then at least I will paint for my country." The half-naked woman leading the people symbolizes the French people for freedom The spirit of dedication and struggle for socialist ideology.

△ "The Madonna Litta" (the Madonna Litta, 1491): This Leonardo da Vinci painting has long been a classic masterpiece in the world and is now preserved in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The name of the painting comes from the name of the owner of the painting, Count Litta. There is a hypothesis that the baby was not painted by da Vinci, but by one of his pupils. This is evidenced by the unusual baby pose, which is different from Leonardo da Vinci's artistic style.

△ "Landscape With The Fall Of Icarus, 1560" (Landscape With The Fall Of Icarus, 1560): This painting was created by the Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder and is now in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Brussels (Brussels) the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium). The author's genius allows him to express strong social themes in a rather simple manner. Like many other great and famous works of art, Bruegel the Elder, through Landscape of Icarus' Decay, employs the theme of the fate and futility of man's attempt to approach God.

△ "The School of Athens" (The School of Athens, 1509-1511): "The School of Athens" is a painting created by Raphael (Raffaello Santi) in early Rome, depicting Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Su Famous Greek philosophers such as Grates and Pythagoras. The main mystery of this fresco lies in the fact that many ancient philosophers are depicted as contemporaries of Raphael, Plato is modeled after Leonardo, Heraclitus is modeled after Michelangelo Chiro, Euclid modeled after Bramante. This painting by Raphael adorns the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City.

△ Las Meninas (Las Meninas, 1656): Diego Velázquez's most famous painting, Las Meninas, depicts 5-year-old Infanta Margarita standing in front of a portrait of her parents. The painting consists of several projects: the figure poses for the painter, takes a picture in the mirror, and leaves the room. Such a composition expands the size of the canvas, making it three-dimensional. Now housed in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, this masterpiece is considered Velasquez's crowning achievement. Sir Thomas Lawrence, president of the Royal Academy of Arts, called it "the true philosophy of art".

△ "The Beheading Of Saint John The Baptist" (The Beheading Of Saint John The Baptist, 1608): This painting is the most iconic work in Caravaggio's artwork. It depicts the moment John the Baptist was killed in prison in an incredibly realistic way. The painting's dark tones and facial expressions make it an artistic legacy. This painting by Caravaggio is preserved in St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta.

△ "Christ Carrying The Cross" (Christ Carrying The Cross, 1580): El Greco created at least 7 oil paintings with the theme of "Christ Carrying The Cross", which proves that this work Its importance to the artist himself is also a testament to its popularity during the artist's lifetime. El Greco is primarily concerned not with the divinity of Christ, but with the humanity of Christ. Today, this masterpiece of art is preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

△ "Deposition From The Cross" (Deposition From The Cross, 1540): Giorgio Vasari's painting is created in the mannerism style, which is characterized by the special artificiality and artistic stance of the characters. Most of Vasari's paintings are devoted to biblical and antique themes. "Testimony on the Cross" is a very common creative method of Vasari. The work is now preserved in the Monastery of Camaldoli in Tuscany, Italy.

△ "The Tower Of Babel" (1563): Pieter Bruegel The Elder created 3 famous works of art based on the popular "Bible" storyline. In the artist's view, the cause of the failure of this "Tower of Babel" was not the language barrier between the workers, but errors and poor quality construction materials. At first glance, the gigantic structure seems strong enough, but a closer look reveals the painting's secrets. You can see this artwork at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

△ "The Garden Of Earthly Delights" (1500-1510): "The Garden Of Earthly Delights" is one of the best works of art ever written and is Hieronymus Bosch's most monumental Triptych, painted between 1500 and 1510, currently in the Prado Museum, Madrid. Filled with characters, fantastic architecture, monsters, realistic caricatures, this triptych will take at least a month to examine in detail. The fantastic and surreal world created by Bosch is absolutely incompatible with any existing religion.

△ "Blue Dancers" (Blue Dancers, 1897): Edgar Degas (Edgar Degas) was a big fan of ballet, which is why he is called the artist of ballet dancers. The Blue Dancer dates back to the later work of Degas, when his eyesight weakened and he began to paint with large points of color, placing great emphasis on the decorative organization of the surface. Today, the painting is housed in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow.

△ "The Great Wave Of Kanagawa" (The Great Wave Of Kanagawa, 1831): Katsushika Hokusai's "The Great Wave Of Kanagawa", also known as "The Great Wave" or "The Wave", is the Japanese One of the most famous paintings by the master. It is part of a series of 36 Mount Fuji ukiyo-e. Katsushika Hokusai does not depict the middle ground plan, so the illusion of depth is overwhelming. The work is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Among the art paintings of many famous artists mentioned above, which one do you think ranks first?

(Compilation: Bai Ding)

(Editor in charge: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: New Sancai first release)