The most famous and significant paintings of the world for the history of art. Masterpieces of world painting The most famous paintings by Russian artists

The greatest works of world painting, which had a significant impact on the development of world art and human culture in general. 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 of 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, St. 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)
Female portrait
1526. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Adam and Eve
1526. Courtauld Institute of Art, London
Portrait of Duke Henry the Pious

Michelangelo (1475–1564)
The 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 Prado Museum, 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 of Fine Arts named after. A. S. Pushkin, Moscow
Morning
1661. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

Rembrandt Harmensz 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
The 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 Fusli (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)
The 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
A cart 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, Musée d'Orsay, Paris

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1824–1898)
Girls on the seashore
Before 1894. Musee d'Orsay, Paris

Arnold Böcklin (1827–1910)
Dead island
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. Musée 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. Musée 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 Samari
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
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
Starlight Night
1889. Museum of Modern 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
The 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

Ranker is a well-known digital media company (USA) that specializes in compiling lists of opinions on various topics. The company's website features user surveys about entertainment, brands, sports and culture, with hundreds of thousands of lists of opinions. The project is one of the largest databases of opinions in the world.

100 Great Paintings

100 Great Paintings is a British television series produced by the BBC in 1980. 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. 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.

Raphael "Sistine Madonna" 1512

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

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 was restored at least five times, with the last restoration taking 21 years. Today, to view the 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

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

The painting “The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus” is considered the personification of manly 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

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

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 chest of a woman leading the people symbolizes the dedication of the French people of that time, who went bare-chested against the enemy.

Claude Monet "Impression. Rising Sun" 1872

The title of the work “Impression, soleil levant”, thanks to the light hand of journalist L. Leroy, became the name of the artistic movement “impressionism”. The painting was painted from life in the old outport of Le Havre in France.

Jan Vermeer "Girl with a Pearl Earring" 1665

One of the most famous paintings by the Dutch artist Jan 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, the feature film “Girl with a Pearl Earring” was shot, in which the history of the creation of the painting was hypothetically restored in the context of Vermeer’s biography and family life.

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) “covered” 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

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

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

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 drinking, eating, talking and smoking, a barmaid 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

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 titles: “Beauty, Embellished and Unadorned” (1613), “Three Types of Love” (1650), “Divine and Secular Women” (1700), and, ultimately, “Earthly Love and Heavenly Love” "(1792 and 1833).

Mikhail Nesterov "Vision to the youth Bartholomew" 1889-1890

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

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

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.

The original title of the painting was “Madonna and Child.” The modern name of 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

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

“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

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

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

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.

“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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"The Persistence of Memory", Salvador Dali

Thanks to this painting, Dali became famous at a fairly 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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"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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"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. Likewise, Gustav Klimt mixed gold in his paints to create his own style of painting.

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"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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"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 the "last judgment" on the part of Jesus - 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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Everyone is familiar with Narcissus from Greek mythology - a man who was obsessed with his appearance. Dali wrote his own interpretation of Narcissus.

This is the story. 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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The plot of the film is based on the biblical massacre of the infants in Bethlehem. After the birth of Christ became known from the wise men, 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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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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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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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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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 Japanese-style bridge 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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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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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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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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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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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 heads 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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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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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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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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Although the painting contains an image of Velázquez himself, it is not a self-portrait. The main character of the canvas is Infanta Margarita, 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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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 research has shown that under the layer of painting there is a schematic drawing of poor quality that 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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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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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 vibrant colors and precise muscle forms. So, we can agree with the author, after all, he is more of a sculptor.

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"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. As a scientist, 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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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!

Russian painting is rightfully distinguished from world art. The fact is that until the seventeenth century, Russian painting was associated exclusively with religious themes. The situation changed with the coming to power of the reforming tsar, Peter the Great. Thanks to his reforms, Russian masters began to engage in secular painting, and icon painting separated as a separate direction. The seventeenth century is the time of such artists as Simon Ushakov and Joseph Vladimirov. Then, portraiture arose in the Russian art world and quickly became popular. In the eighteenth century, the first artists appeared who moved from portraiture to landscape painting. The artists’ pronounced sympathy for winter panoramas is noticeable. The eighteenth century was also remembered for the emergence of everyday painting. In the nineteenth century, three movements gained popularity in Russia: romanticism, realism and classicism. As before, Russian artists continued to turn to the portrait genre. It was then that the world-famous portraits and self-portraits of O. Kiprensky and V. Tropinin appeared. In the second half of the nineteenth century, artists increasingly depicted the common Russian people in their oppressed state. Realism becomes the central movement of painting of this period. It was then that the Itinerant artists appeared, depicting only real, real life. Well, the twentieth century is, of course, the avant-garde. The artists of that time significantly influenced both their followers in Russia and throughout the world. Their paintings became the forerunners of abstract art. Russian painting is a huge wonderful world of talented artists who have glorified Russia with their creations.

There are works of art that seem to hit the viewer over the head, stunning and amazing. Others draw you into thought and a search for layers of meaning and secret symbolism. Some paintings are shrouded in secrets and mystical mysteries, while others surprise with exorbitant prices.

We carefully reviewed all the major achievements in world painting and selected two dozen of the strangest paintings from them. Salvador Dali, whose works completely fall within the format of this material and are the first to come to mind, were not included in this collection on purpose.

It is clear that “strangeness” is a rather subjective concept and everyone has their own amazing paintings that stand out from other works of art. We will be glad if you share them in the comments and tell us a little about them.

"Scream"

Edvard Munch. 1893, cardboard, oil, tempera, pastel.
National Gallery, Oslo.

The Scream is considered a landmark expressionist event and one of the most famous paintings in the world.

There are two interpretations of what is depicted: it is the hero himself who is gripped by horror and silently screams, pressing his hands to his ears; or the hero closes his ears from the cry of the world and nature sounding around him. Munch wrote four versions of “The Scream,” and there is a version that this painting is the fruit of manic-depressive psychosis from which the artist suffered. After a course of treatment at the clinic, Munch did not return to work on the canvas.

“I was walking along the path with two friends. The sun was setting - suddenly the sky turned blood red, I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned against the fence - I looked at the blood and flames over the bluish-black fjord and city. My friends moved on, and I stood, trembling with excitement, feeling an endless scream piercing nature,” Edvard Munch said about the history of the creation of the painting.

“Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?"

Paul Gauguin. 1897-1898, oil on canvas.
Museum of Fine Arts, 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.”

The deeply philosophical painting of the post-impressionist Paul Gauguin was painted by him in Tahiti, where he fled from Paris. Upon completion of the work, he even wanted to commit suicide: “I believe that this painting is superior to all my previous ones and that I will never create something better or even similar.” He lived another five years, and so it happened.

"Guernica"

Pablo Picasso. 1937, oil on canvas.
Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid.

Guernica presents scenes of death, violence, brutality, suffering and helplessness, without specifying their immediate causes, but they are obvious. It is said that in 1940, Pablo Picasso was summoned to the Gestapo in Paris. The conversation immediately turned to the painting. “Did you do this?” - “No, you did it.”

The huge fresco painting “Guernica,” painted by Picasso in 1937, tells the story of a raid by a Luftwaffe volunteer unit on the city of Guernica, as a result of which the city of six thousand was completely destroyed. The painting was painted literally in a month - the first days of work on the painting, Picasso worked for 10-12 hours, and already in the first sketches one could see the main idea. This is one of the best illustrations of the nightmare of fascism, as well as human cruelty and grief.

"Portrait of the Arnolfini couple"

Jan van Eyck. 1434, wood, oil.
London National Gallery, London.

The famous painting is completely filled with symbols, allegories and various references - right down to the signature “Jan van Eyck was here”, which turned the painting not just into a work of art, but into a historical document confirming the reality of the event at which the artist was present.

The portrait, supposedly of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife, is one of the most complex works of the Western school of Northern Renaissance painting.

In Russia, over the past few years, the painting has gained great popularity due to Arnolfini’s portrait resemblance to Vladimir Putin.

"Demon Seated"

Mikhail Vrubel. 1890, oil on canvas.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

"The hands resist him"

Bill Stoneham. 1972.

This work, of course, cannot be ranked among the masterpieces of world painting, but the fact that it is strange is a fact.

There are legends surrounding the painting with a boy, a doll and his hands pressed against the glass. From “people are dying because of this picture” to “the children in it are alive.” The picture looks really creepy, which gives rise to a lot of fears and speculation among people with weak psyches.

The artist insisted that the painting depicted himself at the age of five, that the door represented the dividing line between the real world and the world of dreams, and the doll was a guide who could guide the boy through this world. The hands represent alternative lives or possibilities.

The painting gained notoriety in February 2000 when it was put up for sale on eBay with a backstory saying that the painting was “haunted.” “Hands Resist Him” was bought for $1,025 by Kim Smith, who was then simply inundated with letters with creepy stories and demands to burn the painting.