Best Paintings in The World: Among the works of art created by human hands, there are some masterpieces that have left their mark on the history of mankind forever.
These works of art determined the direction of the artistic movement, set the fashion trends of their time, and determined a new style and new artistic values.
But most importantly, they have always inspired millions of people to creative courage and new creative searches.
Each era gave birth to its own genius, its own great creator, whose name and masterpieces will always remain an icon for centuries.
Every great artist has unique works of art that are known and loved all over the world.
We would like to remind you about these iconic artworks in our article so that you can once again come together and enjoy one of the greatest masterpieces in history.
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The Most Famous Paintings Of All Time
| Painting | Artist | Location / Museum |
|---|---|---|
| Mona Lisa | Leonardo da Vinci | Louvre Museum, Paris |
| Starry Night | Vincent van Gogh | MoMA, New York |
| The Persistence of Memory | Salvador Dalí | MoMA, New York |
| The Night Watch | Rembrandt | Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
| The Kiss | Gustav Klimt | Belvedere Museum, Vienna |
| Girl with a Pearl Earring | Johannes Vermeer | Mauritshuis, The Hague |
| Guernica | Pablo Picasso | Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid |
| The Birth of Venus | Sandro Botticelli | Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
| Water Lilies Series | Claude Monet | Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris |
| American Gothic | Grant Wood | Art Institute of Chicago |
1. MONA LISA BY LEONARDO DA VINCI (1503-1505)
Probably the most famous painting in the world is Leonardo da Vinci’s La Gioconda, better known as the Mona Lisa.
This painting is a portrait of Madame Gherardini, the personification of the ideal woman of the Renaissance.
They tried to damage the painting more than once, and it was even kidnapped in 1911, only to be returned two years later.
The praise for it knows no bounds: Napoleon Bonaparte even removed it from the museum and ordered it to be hung in his bedroom.
The painting has been officially declared priceless, which is not surprising, because this masterpiece is one of the best works of art ever created.
Its current value is only insured at $3 billion. Mona Lisa is currently housed in the Louvre in Paris.
2. THE BIRTH OF VENUS BY SANDRO BOTTICELLI (1486)
One of the most famous paintings is The Birth of Venus. Botticelli’s painting depicts the myth of the birth of Aphrodite.
The beautiful goddess drifts to the shore in a sea shell driven by the wind of Zephyr (the west wind), and on the shore she is met by one of the Graces.
The Birth of Venus is well preserved because Botticelli applied a protective layer of egg yolk to the painting. This masterpiece is kept in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
3. THE CREATION OF ADAM BY MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI (1511)
Michelangelo’s fresco The Creation of Adam, which adorns the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace, is the fourth of nine famous artworks in the central composition dedicated to scenes from the Book of Genesis.
This fresco depicts the event of the first human creation by God. Apart from depicting ideal human forms, this fresco is one of the first attempts in the history of art to depict God himself.
4. THE LAST SUPPER BY LEONARDO DA VINCI (1495—1498)
Over the 500 years of its existence, the famous fresco The Last Supper has been restored at least five times, and the last restoration took 21 years.
This fresco by the great Leonardo depicts Jesus’ Last Supper before his betrayal, arrest, and death.
In addition to the composition, size, and colors, discussions of this fresco are full of theories about hidden symbolism and the presence of Mary Magdalene next to Jesus.
As one of the famous art pieces, this important art asset is located in the Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery in Milan.
5. SACRED AND PROFANE LOVE BY TIZIANO VECELLI (1515—1516)
The current name of the painting was not given by Titian himself, but appeared only two centuries later.
The composition of the painting caused a lot of controversy among scientists, but in the end, it became possible to prove that it was a gift for the wedding of the Venetian nobleman Nicolo Aurelio and the widow Laura Bagarotto.
The dress of the earthly girl imitates a wedding dress.
The landscape in the background is also symbolic: the road leading upward is a symbolic wish for prudence and loyalty, the field is for mutual understanding and peace, and the rabbits are for fertility.
Among other famous artworks, this painting is also in Rome’s Galleria Borghese.
