“The Principles of True Art is not to portray, but to evoke” – Jerzy

As rightly said in the words of Jerzy Kosinski, the painting is what catches the eye of the viewer and also tells a story behind portraying the emotions of the artist and evokes him to action. Every painting is one of the famous paintings of all time itself as every Artist makes a painting with all his heart and sweat.

There’s always a hidden inspiration behind to prepare that masterpiece whether it be your devotion for someone, your inspiration from something, your depiction of social evils of the society.

We have curated a list of 50 unbeatable paintings of all times and have stood out in the entire art Industry:

50. Composition 8

• When: 1923

• Artist: Vasily Kandinsky

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Moscow

• Periods: Suprematism, Abstract art

• Current Status: At Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

This geometrical sort of painting was made in 1923 by Vasily Kandinsky. It was one of the best pieces of postwar by Vasily. Kandinsky also evolved an abstract style that reflected the utopian artistic experiments of the Russian avant-garde.

 

49. Royal Red and Blue

• When: 1954–1954

• Artist: Mark Rothko

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Litvak Descent

• Period: Washington Color School

• Current Status: At Private collection

This awkward-looking color strokes painting was an abstract color-field art made in 1954 by the Artist Mark Rothko. This Abstract Painting was also one of the highest sold painting in the Sotheby’s Auction fetching a whopping price of $75.1 Million.

 

48. Starry Night

• When: 1889

• Artist:‎ Vincent van Gogh

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Netherlands

• Period: Post-Impressionism, Modern art

• Current Status: At The Museum of Modern Art

The Starry Night was also one of the most famous paintings of the Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh. He created it in 1889. It is the depiction of a view of the east-facing a window of his asylum room, just before the sunrise. The painting became famous because of its modern aesthetic touch and is safeguarded in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City since 1941. Many creators have even tried making something similar too but could not achieve the success.

 

47. Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

• When: 1607–10

• Artist: Caravaggio

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Italy

• Period: Baroque

• Current Status: At St. John’s Co-Cathedral

Italian artist Caravaggio made this Oil painting. This masterpiece is also considered one of the most important works in Western painting. The painting shows also different sides of death and human cruelty and how it’s scale and shadow daunt and possess humans nowadays. This painting was completed in 1608 and was celebrated worldwide by its a clear depiction of the dark world too.

46. Guernica

• When: 1937

• Artist: ‎Pablo Picasso

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Paris

• Periods: Cubism, Surrealism

• Current Status: ‎At Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain

The Very famous Artist Pablo Picasso of all times also made this portrait in 1937 as a political rejoinder to the Nazi’s devastating casual bombing practice on the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The picture also depicts the pain and agony of civilians who were attacked too in the tragedies of war. This painting still keeps alive the suffering of people and also the dark massacre day.

45. Night Watch

• When: 1642

• Artist: ‎‎ ‎Rembrandt van Rijn

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Rijksmuseum

• Periods: Baroque, Dutch Golden Age

• Current Status: At Amsterdam Museum

The night watch is one of the best and famous paintings in the collection of the Amsterdam Museum. The Night Watch is one of the most famous Dutch Golden Age paintings made in 1642 by Rembrandt Van Rijn. This famous painting also depicts the eponymous company moving out, led by Captain Frans Banninck Cocq and his lieutenant, Willem Van Ruytenburch. The dramatic use of yellow and red shades also highlights the important characters of the famous paintings attracting our eyes towards them too.

44. The Persistence of Memory

 

• When: 1931

• Artist: ‎Salvador Dalí

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: New York

• Period: Surrealism

• Current Status: ‎‎At Museum of Modern Art, New York City

This artwork is also one of the very famous paintings by the artist Salvador Dali completed in 1931. The painting is a depiction of Melting clocks and is one of the most recognized works. This Surreal piece of work is the representation of Dali’s theory of Softness and Hardness which is central to the thinking of the time. This modern work of art was very much appreciated by everyone and now this sits in the museum of modern art, New York City.

 

43. Luncheon on the Boating Party

 

 

• When: 1880–1881

• Artist: Pierre-Auguste Renoir

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: France

• Periods: Impressionism, Modern art

• Current Status: At The Phillips Collection

The Luncheon on the boating party is one of the most famous paintings made in 1881 by the French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. This Painting was also one of the best painting in the Seventh Impressionist Exhibition in 1882. This painting is a true example of wealthiness, the beautiful impression of strokes and also an amazing art style.

42. No. 5, 1948

• When: 1948

• Artist: Jackson Pollock

• Medium: Fiberboard

• Place: United States

• Period: Abstract expressionism

• Current Status: At Private collection, New York

One of the most priced painting by Jackson Pollock, an American painter also not surpassed until April 2011. The painting was made from liquid colors and is one kind of an abstract art sold at a whopping price of $140 million. It was also painted on the fibreboard with different hues of brown, grey, white and yellow paint all mixed up together forming the shape of a bird’s nest.

41. Water Lilies

• When: 1840-1926

• Artist: Claude Monet

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Giverny

• Period: Impressionism

• Current Status: At Metropolitan museum of art

Water lilies is not just one single painting but also a series of approximately 250 oil paintings all depicting flower garden at his home in Giverny. These series is painted by French impressionist Claude Monet. All these series were also very expensive and one of them was sold for £18.5 million in an auction in London.

40. Landscape with the Fall of Icarus

• When: 1883-1963

• Artist: Pieter Bruegel the Elder

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Netherlands

• Period: Dutch and Flemish Renaissance

• Current Status: At Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

This oil painting is also kept in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels. This painting is depicting a scene from Greek mythology where Icarus succeeded in flying with wings made of beeswax by his father. However, he flew too close to the sun and ended up drowning in the sea which is also shown in the painting. However, studies also suggest that this painting is probably a version of a lost original by Bruegel.

39. Las Meninas

• When: 1656

• Artist: Diego Velázquez

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Madrid

• Period: Baroque

• Current Status: At Museo Nacional del Prado

The Las Meninas was also made by the leading Spanish artist of Golden age in 1956 by Diego Velazquez in the Madrid city. This painting is considered as one of the best and most important paintings of modern art history depicting different stories and angles in the picture also. Also, every viewer of this picture interprets a different story of the pictures due to the involvement of many subjects in the painting.

38. Three Musicians

• When: 1921

• Artist: Pablo Picasso

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Fontainebleau, France

• Period: Crystal Cubism

• Current Status: At Philadelphia Museum of Art

The Three Musicians is the title given to the two similar oil paintings and collage made by the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. They both were completed in Paris, France around 1921 and was considered as one of the most Synthetic Cubist Style Paintings. Each of this painting portrays Harlequin, a Pierrot and a Monk also, who is believed to be representing Picasso.

37. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

• When: 1884–1886

• Artist: Georges Seurat

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: France

• Periods: Pointillism, Neo-impressionism

• Current Status: At The Art Institute of Chicago

The “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” is one of the most famous paintings of George Seurat made in 1884. This painting depicts a lot of Parisians chilling on a Sunday afternoon on the banks of the River Seine. This painting was also made on a large canvas using the pointillist technique.

36. Impression, Sunrise

 

 

• When: 1872–1872

• Artist: Claude Monet

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Le Havre

• Period: Impressionism

• Current Status: At Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris

The Impression, Sunrise portrays depicts the port of Le Havre, the hometown of Cloud Monet, at sunrise, a red sun and also two rowboats being the main elements of the masterpiece. The painting was made by Claude Monet in 1872 and was unique in its own way too.

35. The Triumph of Galatea

 

 

• When: 1514

• Artist: Raphael

• Place: Villa Farnesina, Rome

• Period: High Renaissance

• Current Status: Via della Lungara, 230, 00165 Roma RM, Italy

Triumph of Galatea was also a fresco made in 1514 by the Italian Painter Raphael for the Villa Farnesina in Rome. It was a commissioned work by one of the richest men Sienese banker Agostino Chigi. The bright colors and the decoration of different figures in the image are said to be inspired by the ancient Roman sculptures, which make it’s placed also in our top 50 list of famous paintings in the world.

34. View of Toledo

 

 

• When: Year 1596-1600

• Artist: El Greco

• Place: Toledo, Spain

• Period: Mannerism

• Current Status: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City

The view of Toledo is one of the surviving two landscapes, which was painted by El Greco. It is also one of the best depictions of the sky and the perfect example of Western Art. The picture is also very natural and real in accordance with the actual city. Landscape Paintings were pretty rare in Spanish artwork of the renaissance period. In this painting, El Greco rearranged the buildings a bit y taking liberty over toledo.

33. The Tower of Babel

 

 

• When: Year 1563

• Artist: Pieter Bruegel the Elder

• Place: Vienna

   

• Period: Dutch and Flemish Renaissance

• Current Status: Now at the ‎Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

The tower of Babel was made in the year 1563 by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. This famous painting is one of the best depictions of religious art, also in accordance with the book of Genesis in the Bible. Mythologically, it is the origin of why people of the world speak different languages.

30. The Dance

• When: 1909

• Artist: Henri Matisse

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: New York City

• Period: Fauvism

• Current Status: Donated

This Dance painting was made in 1910 by Henri Matisse at the special requests of an Art Collector Sergei Shchukin and a Russian Businessman. The Painting of five nude men dancing depicts liberation and hedonism and use of bright warm colors like red against the green and blue landscape is also very mesmerizing to watch and also has an appeal of modern art.

31. The Swing

 

 

• When: 1830

• Artist: Eugène Delacroix

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Louvre, Paris

• Period: Rococo

• Current Status: At The Louvre Museum

The Swing is an 18th-century oil painting made by Jean-Honoré Fragonard in the Wallace Collection in London. The painting portrays a young beautiful woman sitting on a swing amidst the greenery smiling. The painting is also considered to be one of the most beautiful art pieces of all times.

30. The Gleaners

 

 

• When: 1857

• Artist: Jean-François Millet

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Paris

• Period: Realism

• Current Status: At Musée d’Orsay

It depicts three peasant women gleaning a field of stray stalks of wheat after the harvest. The painting is famous for featuring in a sympathetic way what were then the lowest ranks of rural society; this was received poorly by the French upper classes. Millet’s The Gleaners was preceded by a vertical painting of the image in 1854 and etching in 1855. Millet unveiled The Gleaners at the Salon in 1857. It immediately drew negative criticism from the middle and upper classes, who viewed the topic with suspicion: one art critic, speaking for other Parisians, perceived in it an alarming intimation of “the scaffolds of 1793.”

29. The Flower Carrier

• When: 1935

• Artist: Diego Rivera

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Mexico

• Period: Post Impressionism

• Current Status: ‎ At SF MOMA

The Flower Carrier was a masterpiece in true sense curated by Diego Rivera in 1935. This simple symbolic painting also full of vibrant hues carries a very deep meaning behind to tell to its viewers. The geometrical shapes offering colorful contrasts also show the hidden message of Individualism the way the Peasant’s wife is also helping him carrying the flower basket while he is struggling to stand straight too.

28. The Kiss

• When: 1907–1908

• Artist: Gustav Klimt

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Austria

• Periods: Art Nouveau, Symbolism, Modern art, Vienna Secession

• Current Status: At ‎Belvedere

This perfect depiction of early modern art was made by the Austrian Painter Gustav Klimt between 1907 and 1908. This painting is also a beautiful depiction of the chemistry of a couple tangled in the silver and gold sheet and embracing each other by making love and kissing. It is one of the most popular Klimt’s work.

27. Portrait de L’artiste Sans Barbe

• When: 1889

• Artist: Vincent van Gogh

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Auvers-sur-Oise, France

• Period: post-impressionism

• Current Status: ‎Sold in $71.5 million in 1998 in New York City

This is one of the last oil painting of Vincent Van Gogh, which is also the self-portrait without beard and was made in 1889. This self-portrait was one of the most expensive painting of that time, which was sold for a jaw-dropping amount of $71.4 million in New York City in 1998. Van Gogh also gifted this to his mother on her birthday.

 

26. Whistler’s Mother

• When: 1871

• Artist: James Abbott McNeill Whistler

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: United States

• Period: Realism

• Current Status: At Louvre Abu Dhabi

The Whistler’s Mother is a renowned painting made by the American born Painter Jame McNeill Whistler in 1871. The picture is of James’s Mother Anna McNeill Whistler displayed in also McNeill’s own designed frame. This is one of the most famous paintings made outside of America. This painting is known as the American Icon and also as the Victorian Mona Lisa.

25. Bal du Moulin de la Galette

• When: 1876

• Artist: Pierre-Auguste Renoir

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Paris

• Period: Impressionism

• Current Status: At Musée d’Orsay

The Bal du Moulin de la Galette was also painted by a French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir in 1876. This painting is also kept in Musee d’Orsay in Paris and is one of the most celebrated masterpieces. This picture is a real-life depiction of richness where working-class Persians used to gather together and celebrate with music, dance and beautiful dresses back in the 1870s.

24. The Son of Man

• When: 1964

• Artist: René Magritte

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Belgium

• Period: Surrealism

• Current Status: In Private collection

This painting is so unique in its known because of the feature of Self-portrait made by the astounding Belgian painter Rene Magritte in 1964. This painting portrays a young man donning a formal suit with a sea, sky background and a hovering green apple also covering his face but still his eyes peeking from aside. This picture tells a deep message of a conflicting opinion of what is visible and what is hidden.

23. Cafe Terrace at Night

• When: 1888

• Artist: ‎Vincent van Gogh

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Arles, France

• Periods: Post-Impressionism, Cloisonnism

• Current Status: At ‎Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

The Cafe Terrace at night was made by the Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh in 1888. This oil painting was also made in first exhibited in 1891, was also entitled Coffeehouse, in the evening(Café, le Soir). The painting is currently housed at the Kroller-Muller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.

22. American Gothic

 

• When: 1930–1930

• Artist: ‎Grant Wood

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Eldon, Iowa

• Period: Modernism

• Current Status: At ‎Art Institute of Chicago

The American Gothic was also painted by Grant Wood in 1930, it is right now kept in the Art Institute of Chicago. Wood created this painting of a farmer standing with a woman beside him who is said to be his sister. Wood got the idea of this portrait from an American gothic house in Iowa and also the people residing in it.

21. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon

 

• When: 1907–1907

• Artist: Pablo Picasso

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Spane

• Period: Cubism

• Current Status: At The Museum of Modern Art

This is one of the greatest and also the most famous paintings of the well-known painter Pablo Picasso created in 1907. This painting model 5 nude prostitutes posing in a brothel with disangular body frame and angles. This painting provokes a lot of criticism and controversy as it was regarded as immoral, sexist and racist at the time of the first exhibition. It was drawn in the era of Cubism as it reflects that itself.

20. The Grand Odalisque

 

 

• When: 1814

• Artist: Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Kingdom Of Naples

• Period: Neoclassicism

• Current Status: At Louvre Museum

Grand odalisque is an oil painting made by Jean Auguste Ingres in 1814 depicting an Odalisque. This, depicting a sensual and exotic woman laying in an orgy manner. The picture was also widely criticized because of its obscene nature and is now housed in Louvre museum, Paris. This eclectic mix of styles, combining classical form with Romantic themes, prompted harsh criticism when it was first shown in 1814. Critics viewed Ingres as a rebel against the contemporary style of form and content. When the painting was first shown in the Salon of 1819.

19. The Liberty leading the people

 

 

• When: 1830

• Artist: Eugène Delacroix

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Period: Romanticism

• Place: Louvre, Paris

• Current Status: At Louvre Museum

Liberty leading the people is an illustration of the July revolution in 1830 painted by Eugene Delacroix. This one of the very famous paintings portrays a bare breasts woman holding the flag of the French Revolution in one hand and surrounded by men wearing Phrygian caps is classifying the concept of Liberty. The flag that she held also became the national flag of France.

18. Napoleon crossing the Alps

 

 

• When: 1801–1801

• Artist: Jacques-Louis David

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Spain

• Period: Neoclassicism

• Current Status: At Château de Malmaison

One of the most famous paintings made by Jacques -Louis David of Napoleon Bonaparte completed around 1805. The Painting shows a royal image of Napoleon riding his horse with his army through the Great St. Bernard Pass in May 1800. The picture depicts royalty and also greatness in every sense.

17. The Sleeping Gypsy

 

 

• When: 1897

• Artist: Henri Rousseau

• Place: Paris

• Periods: Primitivism, Modern art, Post-Impressionism, Naïve art

• Current Status: At the Museum of Modern Art, New York

Sleeping Gypsy is a beautiful oil painting made in 1897 by the extraordinary French Artist Henri Rousseau. This one of the very famous paintings, depicts a beautiful black woman sleeping under the moonlight and also a lion at the back on a desert. Rousseau described the subject of The Sleeping Gypsy thus: “A mandolin player, lies with her jar beside her (a vase with drinking water), overcome by fatigue in a deep sleep. A lion chance to pass by picks up her scent yet does not devour her. There is a moonlight effect, very poetic.”

16. Primavera

 

 

• When: Year 1470s or early 1480s

• Artist: Sandro Botticelli

• Place: Florence

• Periods: Italian Renaissance, Early renaissance

• Current Status: At Uffizi Gallery

The Primavera is a very large panel famous painting made in the late 1470s by the Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli. This is one of the most popular and also the most controversial paintings in the world. The picture is also a depiction of many mythological famous figures in a painting but there is no link behind for all of them to come together in a frame.

15. Dogs Playing Poker

• When: 1894

• Artist: Cassius Marcellus Coolidge

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: United States

• Current Status: Auctioned to an undisclosed buyer

The world-famous Dogs Playing Poker is an 1894 painting made exclusively by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge. It is also a 1903 depiction of the sixteen famous paintings on canvas, which was also commissioned by Brown and Bigelow for advertising Cigars. This was one of the most famous paintings of the USA used for home decor and the anthropomorphized dogs used in the painting very appreciated by everybody.

14. Portrait of Dora Maar

 

• When: 1937

• Artist: Pablo Picasso

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Paris, France

• Period: Cubism

• Current Status: In Private collection

Pablo Picasso, one of the greatest artists of all time also prepared this alluring famous painting of woman in his life named Dora Markovic in 1937. This picture depicts the lady from different angles and no proper visible features. The play of colors and distortions of her face is the beauty of this lady and the hallmark of Picasso’s art which is a delight for all the Picasso fans.

13. Massacre of the Innocents

• When: 1608

• Artist: Peter Paul Rubens

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Antwerp

• Period: Baroque

• Current Status: lost

The Massacre of the Innocents is one of the most brutal depictions of the art by Peter Paul Rubens and also depicting one of the episodes of biblical Massacre of the Innocents as related in gospel of Mathew. This painting is almost 400 years old and is brimming with drama and violence. This Painting is one of two and the other one sold at the auction for $76.7 million at Sotheby’s.

12. Portrait of Madame Recamier

 

 

• When: May 1800

• Artist: Jacques-Louis David

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Paris

• Period: Neoclassicism

• Current Status: At Louvre Museum

The Portrait of Madame Recamier was a portrait of the very gorgeous Juliette Recamier made by Jacques-Louis David in 1800 showing off her neoclassical taste of fashion. In the painting, the woman is also shown donning a simple linen dress gracefully with her bare arms and short hair and she is shown reclining on a sofa is one of the most graceful and famous paintings of all times.

11. Sistine Chapel Ceiling

 

• When: 1508–1512

• Artist: Michelangelo

• Medium: Gold, Plaster

• Place: Italy

• Periods: Renaissance, High Renaissance

• Current Status: At Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel Ceiling was also painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512 as a linchpin work of High Renaissance Art. The ceiling in this picture is that of the Sistine Chapel made between 1477 to 1480 during the vacations. Apart from that, the ideas of ceiling decoration were also taken from the different excerpts of the Book of Genesis. This is the most famous painting of any religious representation.

10. The Birth of Venus

 

 

• When: 1485–1486

• Artist: Sandro Botticelli

• Medium: Tempera

• Place: Italy

• Periods: Renaissance, Italian Renaissance, Florentine painting, Early renaissance

• Current Status: Uffizi Gallery

The Birth of Venus is a painting made by the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli which delineates the emergence of Goddess Venus in a nude outlook as a gorgeous woman. This mythological and also very famous painting housed in Florence’s Uffizi Valley. The painting became well known because of the lady’s beautiful face and also the coy posture while standing gracefully in a shell and other people celebrating her modesty.

9. The Arnolfini Marriage

• When: 1434

• Artist: Jan van Eyck

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: The Flemish city of Bruges

• Periods: Northern Renaissance, Early renaissance

• Current Status: The National Gallery

The Arnolfini Portrait was a 1434 oil painting made by the Jan Van Eyck depicting an Italian Merchant and also his wife in their house. It was considered as one of the most original and beautiful painting because of its modern art style and natural touch. The painting was a Masterpiece in the true sense but it also evoked some controversies in the later stage and was considered as a portrayal of a marriage contract shown in the painting.

8. School of Athens

• When: 1509–1511

• Artist: Raphael

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Italy

• Period: High Renaissance

• Current Status: At Raphael Rooms

The Italian Artist Raphael also Made “School of Athens” between 1509 and 1511 as a part of Raphael’s commission to decorate the rooms now known as the Stanze di Raffaello. in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican too. This classic masterpiece was also considered as the perfect embodiment of the situation happening at the place. The painting depicts various people busy with their core duties and the extravagant palace. I personally appreciate this one a lot also.

7. Olympia

• When: 1863

• Artist: Édouard Manet

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Paris

• Period: Realism

• Current Status: ‎At Musée d’Orsay, Paris

The Olympia was first exhibited at the 1865 Paris salon and was made by Edouard Manet portraying a nude woman Olympia laying nude and her servant serving her flowers. So what became controversial and raised the eyebrows of the people were the hints that portrayed her to be a prostitute like a choker on her neck, flower on her head and also pearl bracelet. The painting was acquired by the French Government and is on display at the Musee d’Orsay, Paris.

6. The Third of May

• When: 1814

• Artist: ‎ ‎Francisco Goya

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Spain

• Period: Romanticism

• Current Status: ‎At Museo del Prado, Madrid

Spanish Painter Francisco Goya made this in 1808. This painting is the depiction of the cruel reality of the Spanish rebels fighting against Napoleon’s armies during the Peninsular war in 1808. The emotional turmoil depicted by this picture also shows the ugly face of wartime is considered to be one of the greatest pictures of modern art.

5. Creation of Adam

• When: 1508-1512

• Artist: Michelangelo

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Sistine Chapel

• Periods: Renaissance, Italian Renaissance, High Renaissance

• Current Status: At Sistine Chapel

One of the most iconic famous paintings of all times depicting humanity and life generation is such a heart-winning famous portrait by none other than the famous Italian artist Michelangelo in between 1508-1512. The masterpiece depicts God giving birth to the very first human on this Earth, Adam too by nearly touching his hand. The picture is also an incarnation of religious beliefs and also the depiction of Bible excerpts.

4. The Scream

• When: 1893

• Artist: ‎‎Edvard Munch

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Norway

• Current Status: At National Gallery and Munch Museum, Oslo, Norway

Scream is also the popular name given to the 1893’s one of the most famous paintings made by the finest Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. The original name of the painting was Der Schrei der Natur in German. The point of focus of this exceptional painting is the cloud turned in “blood red” by setting sunlight. The famous painting is kept in the National Gallery of Munch Museum, Oslo, Norway.

3.   The Last Supper

• When: 1495–1498

• Artist: ‎‎ Leonardo da Vinci

• Medium: Tempera, gesso

• Place: Italy

• Period: High Renaissance

• Current Status: At Convent of ‎Santa Maria delle Grazie

Paragon of Art Leonardo da Vinci made this painting in the late 15th century as one of the most recognized paintings of that era. This famous painting also depicts the live scene of the Last Supper of Jesus in Church with his twelve apostles after which Jesus announced that one of them betrayed him. So the interesting fact is he painted the last supper on drywall rather than on wet plaster also.

2. Girl with a Pearl Earring

• When: 1665

• Artist: ‎‎ ‎‎Johannes Vermeer

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Netherlands

• Period: Dutch Golden Age

• Current Status: ‎At Mauritshuis, The Hague‎, Netherlands

The very talented Dutch Painter Johannes Vermeer also made this one of the very famous paintings of the golden era. The painting is a depiction of a beautiful girl donning a nice dress, covering a turban overhead and a huge pearl earring. This painting is kept in Mauritshuis in the Hague since 1902 and is also considered as the most beautiful art piece of the Netherlands in 2006 and since then it has been used for many Literary works as well. You can even see a number of copies around the world because of it’s a great part of decor and design too.

 

1. Mona Lisa

• When: 1503

• Artist: Leonardo da Vinci

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: France

• Period: High Renaissance

• Current Status: At Louvre Museum

Leonardo Da Vinci also made the Mona Lisa is in some time between 1503-1509. The Government of France owns it. It is on the wall of Louvre in Paris, France. The million dollars Mona Lisa’s Smile is the visual representation of the idea of happiness. People also say that Mona also smiles with you being happy and the smile fades away when you are full of sorrow too.

Special Mentions: 

•  The Great Wave off Kanagawa

 

• When: 1830–1831

• Artist: Hokusai

• Medium: Oil Paint

• Place: Numerous

• Period: Ukiyo-e

• Current Status: unknown

The Great Wave off Kanagawa, also known as The Great Wave or simply The Wave, is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. The painting is an exceptional depiction of an enormous wave threatening three fishing boats off the coast of the town of Kanagawa and a sneak peek of Mount Fuji is shown at the back.

The Sleepers

 

 

• When: 1866

• Artist: Gustave Courbet

• Medium: Oil Paint on Canvas

• Place: Numerous

• Period: Realism

• Current Status: France Museum

One of the most erotic famous paintings of history. The Sleepers is an erotic oil painting on canvas by French artist Gustave Courbet created in 1866. This painting depicts a lesbian couple making love to each other and it is considered as one of the greatest creations of modern times.

Ajanta Paintings

 

• When: 2nd Century

• Artist: Numerous

• Medium: Oil Paint on Rocks (Tempera Technique)

• Place: Aurangabad District, Maharashtra State, India

• Period: Cave Paintings

• Current Status: Ajanta Caves

One of the most ancient and famous paintings in the history of India resides in the Ajanta Caves. This cave is filled with ancient paintings of our old times. The Ajanta cave paintings were done using a technique called Tempera. Most of the paintings tell stories of the Jataka tales involving the stages of becoming a Buddha and the life of Buddha.

Musicians by Caravaggio

 

• When: 1595

• Artist: Caravaggio

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: Numerous

• Period: Baroque

• Current Status: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Musicians, also known as the Concert of Youths is a painting by the Italian Baroque master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. This painting shows four boys in quasi-classical costumes, three of them playing various musical instruments and singing and the fourth dressed as Cupid and reaching towards a bunch of grapes.

The Bathers by Cezanne

 

• When: 1898

• Artist: Paul Cézanne

• Medium: Oil Painting

• Place: United States

• Period: Cubism, Post-Impressionism

• Current Status: Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The Bathers is an oil painting by French artist Paul Cézanne first exhibited in 1906. The amazing fact about this painting is Cezanne worked on this painting for 7 long years and it remained unfinished at the time of his death in 1906. This painting is considered one of the masterpieces of modern art and it portrays some nude females sitting and gossiping in the woods.

Conclusion

So here is where the history lies with some remarkable drool-worthy paintings of our world history. But why just looking back when you can convert yourself also and your precious memories into a painting too.

BookMyPainting is also one such destination, where you get our own customized tailor-made paintings delivered at your doorstep worldwide by their team of internationally recognized professional Artists and the best part is it won’t also make a hole in your pocket. Period.

Why stalk history when you can also become one? Do let us know your favorites in the comment section too and also tell if your favorite couldn’t make a place.

 

Who created Monalisa?

Monalisa was created by Leonardo Da Vinci in between 1503-06 CE.

Which is the most famous painting by Vermeer?

Girl with a Pearl Earring is the most famous painting created by Johannes Vermeer. It was created in 1665 and after going by various names over the centuries, it became known by its present title towards the end of the 20th century after the large pearl earring worn by the girl portrayed there.

Which are some famous portrait paintings?

Portrait of Madame Récamier, Portrait of Dora Maar, Self Portrait of Van Gogh are among the most famous paintings (portrait) of all time.

Which is the most famous painting art style?

Oil on Canvas has been widely used in many famous paintings of art history. Oil is highly pro-claimed for its life-like realism and great detailing.