The most famous paintings in the world. "The Garden of Earthly Delights", Hieronymus Bosch
The mysterious world of art may seem confusing to the untrained eye, but there are masterpieces that everyone should know. Talent, inspiration and painstaking work Every stroke gives birth to works that are admired centuries later.
It is impossible to collect all the outstanding creations in one selection, but we tried to select the most famous paintings, drawing giant queues in front of museums around the world.
The most famous paintings by Russian artists
“Morning in a pine forest”, Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky
Year of creation: 1889Museum
Shishkin was an excellent landscape painter, but he rarely had to draw animals, so the figures of bear cubs were painted by Savitsky, an excellent animal artist. At the end of the work, Tretyakov ordered Savitsky’s signature to be erased, considering that Shishkin had done much more extensive work.
“Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan November 16, 1581”, Ilya Repin
Years of creation: 1883–1885Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Repin was inspired to create the masterpiece, better known as “Ivan the Terrible Kills His Son,” by Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Antar” symphony, namely its second movement, “The Sweetness of Revenge.” Under the influence of the sounds of music, the artist depicted a bloody scene of murder and subsequent repentance observed in the eyes of the sovereign.
"The Seated Demon", Mikhail Vrubel
Year of creation: 1890Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The painting was one of thirty illustrations drawn by Vrubel for anniversary edition works of M.Yu. Lermontov. “The sitting demon” personifies the doubts inherent in the human spirit, the subtle, elusive “mood of the soul.” According to experts, the artist was to some extent obsessed with the image of a demon: this painting was followed by “The Flying Demon” and “The Defeated Demon.”
“Boyaryna Morozova”, Vasily Surikov
Years of creation: 1884–1887Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The film is based on the plot of the Old Believer life “The Tale of Boyarina Morozova”. Understanding key image came to the artist when he saw a crow spreading its black wings like a blur on the snowy surface. Later, Surikov spent a long time looking for a prototype for the noblewoman’s face, but could not find anything suitable until one day he met an Old Believer woman with a pale, frantic face in a cemetery. The portrait sketch was completed in two hours.
"Bogatyrs", Viktor Vasnetsov
Years of creation: 1881–1898Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The future epic masterpiece was born as a small pencil sketch in 1881; For further work over the canvas, Vasnetsov spent many years painstakingly collecting information about the heroes from myths, legends and traditions, and also studied authentic ancient Russian ammunition in museums.
Analysis of Vasnetsov’s painting “Three Heroes”
“Bathing the Red Horse”, Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin
Year of creation: 1912Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Initially, the painting was conceived as an everyday sketch from the life of a Russian village, but during the work the artist’s canvas became overgrown with a huge number of symbols. By the red horse, Petrov-Vodkin meant “The Fate of Russia”; after the country joined the First world war he exclaimed: “So that’s why I painted this picture!” However, after the revolution, pro-Soviet art critics interpreted the key figure in the painting as a “harbinger of revolutionary fires.”
"Trinity", Andrei Rublev
Year of creation: 1411Museum: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The icon that laid the foundation for the tradition of Russian icon painting in the 15th–16th centuries. The canvas depicting the Old Testament trinity of angels who appeared to Abraham is a symbol of the unity of the Holy Trinity.
"The Ninth Wave", Ivan Aivazovsky
Year of creation: 1850Museum
A pearl in the “cartography” of the legendary Russian marine painter, who without hesitation can be considered one of the most famous artists in the world. We can see how the sailors who miraculously survived the storm cling to the mast in anticipation of meeting the “ninth wave,” the mythical apogee of all storms. But the warm shades dominating the canvas give hope for the salvation of the victims.
“The Last Day of Pompeii”, Karl Bryullov
Years of creation: 1830–1833Museum: Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Completed in 1833, Bryullov’s painting was originally exhibited in largest cities Italy, where it caused a real sensation - the painter was compared to Michelangelo, Titian, Raphael... At home, the masterpiece was greeted with no less enthusiasm, securing the nickname “Charle the Great” for Bryullov. The canvas is truly great: its dimensions are 4.6 by 6.5 meters, which makes it one of the largest paintings among the creations of Russian artists.
The most famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci
"Mona Lisa"
Years of creation: 1503–1505Museum: Louvre, Paris
A masterpiece of the Florentine genius that needs no introduction. It is noteworthy that the painting received cult status after the incident of theft from the Louvre in 1911. Two years later, the thief, who turned out to be a museum employee, tried to sell the painting to the Uffizi Gallery. The events of the high-profile case were covered in detail in the world press, after which hundreds of thousands of reproductions went on sale, and mysterious Gioconda became an object of worship.
Years of creation: 1495–1498Museum: Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan
After five centuries, the fresco with classic plot on the wall of the refectory of the Dominican monastery in Milan is recognized as one of the most mysterious paintings in history. According to Da Vinci's idea, the painting depicts the moment of the Easter meal, when Christ notifies the disciples of imminent betrayal. Great amount hidden characters gave rise to an equally huge variety of studies, allusions, borrowings and parodies.
"Madonna Litta"
Year of creation: 1491Museum: Hermitage, St. Petersburg
Also known as the Madonna and Child, the painting was kept in the collection of the Dukes of Litta for a long time, and in 1864 it was purchased by the St. Petersburg Hermitage. Many experts agree that the figure of the baby was painted not by da Vinci personally, but by one of his students - a pose too uncharacteristic for the painter.
The most famous paintings of Salvador Dali
Year of creation: 1931Museum: Museum contemporary art, NY
Paradoxically, but the most famous work genius of surrealism, was born from thoughts about Camembert cheese. One evening, after a friendly dinner that ended with cheese appetizers, the artist was lost in thought about “spreading pulp,” and his imagination painted a picture of a melting clock with an olive branch in the foreground.
Year of creation: 1955Museum: National Gallery of Art, Washington
Traditional plot, which received a surrealistic outline using arithmetic principles studied by Leonardo da Vinci. The artist put the peculiar magic of the number “12” at the forefront, moving away from the hermeneutic method of interpreting the biblical plot.
The most famous paintings of Pablo Picasso
Year of creation: 1905Museum: Pushkin Museum, Moscow
The painting became the first sign of the so-called “pink” period in Picasso’s work. Rough texture and simplified style are combined with a sensitive play of lines and colors, the contrast between the massive figure of an athlete and a fragile gymnast. The canvas was sold along with 29 other works for 2 thousand francs (in total) to the Parisian collector Vollard, changed several collections, and in 1913 it was acquired by Russian philanthropist Ivan Morozov, already for 13 thousand francs.
Year of creation: 1937Museum: Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid
Guernica is the name of a city in the Basque country that was subjected to German bombing in April 1937. Picasso had never been to Guernica, but was stunned by the scale of the disaster, like “the blow of a bull’s horn.” The artist conveyed the horrors of war in abstract form and showed the real face of fascism, veiling it with bizarre geometric shapes.
The most famous paintings of the Renaissance
"Sistine Madonna", Raphael Santi
Years of creation: 1512–1513Museum: Gallery of Old Masters, Dresden
If you look closely at the background, at first glance consisting of clouds, you can see that in fact Raphael depicted the heads of angels there. The two angels located at the bottom of the picture are almost more famous than the masterpiece itself, due to its wide circulation in mass art.
"Birth of Venus", Sandro Botticelli
Year of creation: 1486Museum: Uffizi Gallery, Florence
The picture is based on the ancient Greek myth of the birth of Aphrodite from sea foam. Unlike many masterpieces of the Renaissance, the canvas has survived to this day in excellent condition thanks to the protective layer of egg yolk that Botticelli prudently covered the work with.
"The Creation of Adam", Michelangelo Buonarotti
Year of creation: 1511Museum: Sistine Chapel, Vatican
One of the nine frescoes on the ceiling Sistine Chapel, illustrating the chapter from Genesis: “And God created man in His own image.” It was Michelangelo who was the first to depict God as a wise, gray-haired old man, after which this image became archetypal. Modern scientists believe that the contours of the figure of God and angels represent the human brain.
"Night Watch", Rembrandt
Year of creation: 1642Museum: State Museum, Amsterdam
The full title of the painting is “Performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Kok and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburg.” Modern name The painting was received in the 19th century, when it was found by art critics, who, due to the layer of dirt covering the work, decided that the action in the painting was taking place under the cover of the darkness of night.
"The Garden of Earthly Delights", Hieronymus Bosch
Years of creation: 1500–1510Museum: Prado Museum, Madrid “Black Square”
Malevich wrote “Black Square” for several months; legend says that hidden under a layer of black paint is painting– the artist did not have time to finish the work on time and, in a fit of anger, covered up the image. There are at least seven copies of the “Black Square” made by Malevich, as well as a kind of “continuation” of the Suprematist squares – “Red Square” (1915) and “ White square"(1918).
"The Scream", Edvard Munch
Year of creation: 1893Museum: National Gallery, Oslo
Due to its inexplicable mystical effect on the viewer, the painting was stolen in 1994 and 2004. There is an opinion that the picture created at the turn of the 20th century anticipated numerous disasters of the coming century. The deep symbolism of "The Scream" inspired many artists, including Andy Warhol
This painting still causes a lot of controversy. Some art critics believe that the excitement around the painting, painted using the proprietary splashing technique, was created artificially. The canvas was not sold until all the artist’s other works were purchased, and accordingly, the price for a non-figurative masterpiece skyrocketed. “Number Five” was sold for $140 million, becoming the most expensive painting in history.
"Marilyn Diptych", Andy Warhol
Year of creation: 1962Museum: Tate Gallery, London
A week after the death of Marilyn Monroe scandalous artist started working on the canvas. 50 stenciled portraits of the actress were applied to the canvas, stylized in the “pop art” genre based on a 1953 photograph.
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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 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; middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, according to the artist’s plan, “ old woman, approaching death, seems reconciled and given over to her thoughts”, at her feet “a strange white bird... represents the futility 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 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 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 Western school of painting of the Northern Renaissance.
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 assured that the picture depicts himself at the age of five, that the door is a representation of the dividing line between real world and the world of dreams, and the doll is a guide who can guide the boy through this world. 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 from creepy stories and demands to burn the painting.
Great art takes a long time. All the works listed below are the painstaking work of great artists from around the world in different periods human existence. Greatest Works arts are compiled into the top 10.
10. Disco thrower
Popular Greek sculpture was created in 460-450 BC. The author of the work is the sculptor Miron. The original bronze statue has been lost. However, many copies have survived, mostly made of marble or a small layer of bronze.
Painted in 1931 by Spanish artist Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognizable works of art. This work encourages people to think about their lifestyle and how our time is spent. It is known that the artist was inspired by Einstein’s Theory of Relativity when painting the picture.
Ancient greek statue was created between 130 and 100 BC. It is believed that the statue depicts Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. The 203 cm tall marble statue was created by Alexandrius of Antinous, although there are other versions of the creation of the sculpture. The hands were lost over time. Now this work of art can be viewed in the Louvre in Paris.
7. Scream
The most popular work Edvard Munch was painted in 1893. This picture was painted using oil and pastel on cardboard. This terrifying picture is in National Gallery Oslo, Norway.
6. Starlight Night
The Starry Night was painted in 1889 by the famous Dutch post-impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh. This work is one of the most famous in modern culture. The painting is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The piece became the inspiration for Don McLean's song Vincent, also known as Starry Starry Night.
5. Thinker
This bronze sculpture Auguste Rodin depicts a naked man whose size is similar to that of a human. He sits on a stone with his hand under his chin and thinks about something. Naturally, this picture represents philosophical movement. In total, about 28 full-size copies were poured, in which the man's height is about 183 cm.
4. Creation of Adam
This grandiose work is located on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, Italy. Michelangelo painted the Creation of Adam between 1508 and 1512. This is just one of nine scenes from the book of Genesis, all painted in the center of the chapel ceiling.
3. David
Another masterpiece from the Renaissance, created by the Italian artist Michelangelo. The sculpture of David was created between 1501 and 1504. This 5-meter tall marble statue shows the naked biblical hero David. Since 1873, the statue has been in Florence in the Accademia Gallery.
This world masterpiece adorns not a museum, but the wall of the dining room in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. It was written at the end of the 15th century by the most famous artist of all times - Leonardo da Vinci. The painting depicts the scene of Jesus' last supper with his disciples. This masterpiece is one of the most important attractions in Milan.
Test
Choose the correct answer (circle the letter or underline the word)
1. Orchestral introduction to an opera or ballet. An orchestral piece performed before theatrical performance and introducing the circle of ideas and moods of the upcoming spectacle.
A) sonata | B) concert | B) cantata | D) overture | D) symphony |
2. A piece of music built on the principle of repeated repetition of a constantly changing theme:
A) sonata | B) variations | B) symphony | D) overture | D) fugue |
3. Four-part work for symphony orchestra:
5. Like the main life processes: breathing, heartbeat, music also pulsates evenly, alternating moments of tension and release. What is the alternation of strong and weak shares?
7. Who wrote the piano cycle “The Seasons”
8. Singing, without any accompaniment
9. Arrange the stages of stage action in the correct sequence:
10. Which of listed works refer to vocal genre:
11. Which of the following works are written in the ballad genre:
12. Complete the phrase: “F. Chopin is a great ____________ composer.”
- F. Schubert wrote the ballad “The Forest King”:
- All characters in the ballad song “Forest King” are subordinated to the image:
A) wars | B) peace and quiet | B) dramatic image | D) accompaniment | D) arrangement |
- A small piece of music in which mainly one image is embodied:
- In the work of F. Schubert the main place is occupied by:
a) songs b) symphonies c) operas d) sonatas
17. What, like notes, has a certain duration, indicated in musical notation by special signs?
a) timbre b) accidentals c) pause d) chord
18. What is the name of the device for determining the speed (tempo) of performance? piece of music.
a) tuning fork b) metronome c) mute d) damper
19. One of the most important means musical expressiveness− combining sounds into consonances and their interaction with each other in a sequential movement.
a) arrangement b) melody c) counterpoint d) harmony
20. To indicate the tempo of musical works, it is customary to use Italian terms. What is the slowest tempo called?
a) allegro b) adagio c) andante d) largo
21. Russian composer who wrote fairy-tale operas “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, “The Golden Cockerel”, “The Snow Maiden”. In his youth he was a naval officer.
a) M.P. Mussorgsky b) A.P. Borodin
c) P.I. Tchaikovsky d) N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov
22. The great Russian composer wrote a cycle piano pieces, including “Walk”, “ old lock", "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks", "The Hut on Chicken Legs". What is this cycle called?
a) “Pictures at an Exhibition” b) “Tales of an Old Grandmother”
V) " Children's album" d) "Koschey the Immortal"
23. The Boatman's Song - this one instrumental form was widely used in the 19th century in the works of romantic composers (Chopin, Liszt), as well as in Russian music (Glinka, Liszt).
a) vocalise b) nocturne c) barcarolle d) aria
24. Modification of the musical theme, melody or its accompaniment.
a) variation b) fermata c) toccata d) harmony
25. A historically established variety of musical works, defined by various criteria.
a) genre b) concert c) verse d) counterpoint
26. One of the main elements of the musical form and dramaturgy of the work is the episode where the highest tension and the greatest intensity of emotions are achieved.
a) culmination b) interpretation c) alteration d) development
27. Musical theme or part of it, characterizing any image, idea, phenomenon. Used in large musical forms, repeating when this image appears.
a) variation b) aria c) cadence d) leitmotif
28. Arrangement, reworking of a piece of music written for certain voices or instruments in order to adapt it to performance by other means.
a) libretto b) arrangement c) leitmotif d) improvisation
a) transcription b) symphony c) suite d) polyphony
30. Play on themes folk songs and dances or on themes in the folk spirit, usually written in free form.
a) cantata b) requiem c) ballad d) rhapsody
31. The heroine of E. Grieg’s music, bright, loving, faithful
a) Juliet b) Giselle c) Solveig d) Anitra
a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 5
37. Match:
38. Match:
Everyone has their own part
B) recitative introduction
39. Combine the words into pairs:
- Bow, pedal, song, violin, voice, piano
- Cello, flute, timpani, trumpet, oboe, drum, trombone, double bass
- Accordion, domra, spoons, balalaika, tambourine, button accordion
1.M.I. Glinka 2. S.N.Rachmaninov 3.M.P. Mussorgsky 4. P.I. Tchaikovsky 5.S.S. Prokofiev
A B C D E)
- Which musical term translated means "circle"
- Prelude b) sonata c) rondo d) overture
a) Goethe b) Beethoven c) Mozart d) Byron
34. Quantity musical images in the Egmont Overture
a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 5
35. What components are present in sonata form
a) exposition b) development c) reprise d) overture
36. A meaningful, expressive monophonic sequence of sounds is:
a) accompaniment b) melody c) rhythm d) register
37. Match:
a) Works of art that meet the highest artistic requirements, a style that remains in tune with our thoughts and feelings, regardless of the time of their appearance.
B) Works of light genres, conflict, which gained wide popularity at some point
c) The basis of the dramatic development of any classic musical performance
d) Handwriting, totality characteristic features, a classic of the genre of techniques, methods, features of creativity
38. Match:
A) overture - a harmonious joint sound in which the characters sing
Everyone has their own part
B) recitative introduction
B) ensemble half-singing - half-speech
39. Find the "extra word":
- Oboe, flute, horn, trumpet, saxophone.
- Bayan, accordion, accordion, piano.
- Pianist, trumpeter, flutist, composer, guitarist.
- Waltz, polka, mazurka, foxtrot, march.
- Symphony, song, play, sonata.
40. Match the portraits of composers and their names:
1.L.V.Beethoven 2.N.A.Rimsky-Korsakov 3.E.Grieg 4. P.I. Tchaikovsky 5.F.Schubert
A B C D E)
Reading time:
Art is almost as old as humanity itself, and over all the centuries of our existence, countless unique works have been created.
It would probably be too bold to make a list of the most outstanding masterpieces, because the criteria for assessing creativity are too subjective. That is why our rating contains paintings and sculptures that are certainly the most recognizable in the world, which does not mean that they are somehow better than other brilliant works.
Which creations are the most famous? Find out now! Perhaps you don’t know everyone, and it’s time to test your erudition and horizons.
25. Bathers, by Paul Cézanne
This painting is considered a true masterpiece of modern art. “Bathers” is one of the most famous works Paul Cezanne. The work was first presented to the general public at an exhibition in 1906. Cezanne's oil painting paved the way for artists of the future, allowing them to move away from traditional patterns, and built a bridge between Post-Impressionism and 20th century art.
24. Disco thrower, by Miron
The Discobolus is a legendary Greek statue created by the famous Greek sculptor Myron of Eleutherae between approximately 460 and 450 BC. The work was greatly admired by the Romans, and they even made several copies of this sculpture before its original disappeared without a trace. Subsequently, the Discus Thrower became a symbol of the Olympic Games.
23. Apollo and Daphne, by Bernini
"Apollo and Daphne" is a sculpture in life size, created by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini around 1622-1625. The masterpiece depicts a half-naked woman trying to escape from her pursuer. The sculpture clearly demonstrates the high skill of its creator, who recreated the climax famous story Ovid about Daphne and Phoebus (Daphna, Phoebus).
22. Night Watch, by Rembrandt
A masterpiece by the internationally recognized Danish artist Rembrandt, “ The night Watch"is one of the most famous paintings 17th century. The work was completed in 1642, and was commissioned to depict a group portrait of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburgh (Frans Banning Cocq, Willem van Ruytenburgh). Today the painting adorns the exhibition of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
21. Massacre of the Innocents by Rubens
“The Massacre of the Innocents” is a painting that tells the story of the terrible order of the Jewish king Herod, by whose command all infants in Bethlehem and its environs under the age of 2 years were killed. The tyrant believed in the prophecy that the day was coming when the King of Israel would remove him from the throne, and hoped that his future rival would be among the murdered children. A representative of the Flemish Baroque, Rubens wrote 2 versions of the famous biblical history with a difference of 25 years. The first version of the painting is now in front of you, and it was painted between 1611 and 1612.
20. Campbell's Beef Onion Soup by Warhol
Written American artist Andy Warhol's 1962 painting "Campbell's Beef Onion Soup" is one of the most famous examples of modern art. In his work, Warhol masterfully demonstrated the monotony of the advertising industry by reproducing multiple copies of the same product on his giant canvas. Warhol also said that he ate these soups every day for 20 years. Perhaps this is why a can of onion soup became the subject of his famous work.
19. Starry Night by Van Gogh
The oil painting “Starry Night” belongs to the brush of the Danish post-impressionist Vincent van Gogh, who completed this legendary work in 1889. The artist was inspired to paint the painting by looking at the night sky through the window of his room in the Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Remy, Southern France (Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Remy). It was there that the famous creator at one time sought relief from the emotional suffering that haunted him until the end of his days.
18. Rock paintings of the Chauvet Cave
The drawings, discovered in the south of France in the Chauvet Cave, are among the most famous and best-preserved prehistoric masterpieces of world art. The age of these works is approximately 30,000 - 33,000 years. Hundreds of prehistoric animals are expertly depicted on the cave walls, including bears, mammoths, cave lions, panthers and hyenas.
17. The Kiss, by Rodin
“The Kiss” is a marble statue created by the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin in 1889. The plot of the masterpiece was inspired by the sad story of Paolo and Francesca, characters from the legendary work of Dante Alighieri “The Divine Comedy” (Paolo, Francesca, Dante Alighieri). The lovers were killed by Francesca's husband, who suddenly caught the young people when the guy and girl, fascinated by each other, exchanged their first kiss.
16. Manneken Pis, authorship unknown
"Manneken Pee" or "Manneken Pis" is a small bronze sculpture that has become a real attraction of the fountain in the center of Brussels. The original authorship of the work is unknown, but in 1619 it was modified by the Belgian sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy. Business card city, “Manneken Pie” was supposedly installed in memory of the events of the Grimbergen War, during which, according to one version, a peeing baby urinated on soldiers, and according to another, extinguished enemy ammunition that threatened to destroy the entire city. During the holidays, the sculpture is dressed up in themed costumes.
15. The Persistence of Memory, by Salvador Dali
Painted in 1931 by the famous Spanish artist Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognizable masterpieces of surrealist art in the history of painting. The work depicts a bleak sandy beach strewn with melting clocks. Dali’s unusual plot was inspired by Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.
14. Pieta or Lamentation of Christ, by Michelangelo
"Pieta" - famous sculpture Renaissance era, created by the Florentine creator Michelangelo in the period from 1498 to 1500. The work describes a biblical scene - Mary holds in her arms the body of Jesus taken from the cross. The sculpture is now in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The Pieta is the only work by Michelangelo that he signed.
13. Water lilies by Claude Monet
“Water Lilies” is a series of approximately 250 oil paintings by the world-famous French impressionist Claude Monet. The collection of these works is recognized as one of the most outstanding achievements of art of the early 20th century. If all the paintings are placed together, it creates the illusion of an endless landscape filled with water lilies, trees and clouds reflected in the water.
12. The Scream by Edvard Munch
The Scream is an iconic masterpiece by Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch. He wrote 4 different versions of this story between 1893 and 1910. The artist's famous work was inspired by the artist's real-life experiences during a nature walk during which Munch was abandoned by his companions (who are also depicted in the background of the painting).
11. Moai, authorship unknown
Moai statues are massive stone monoliths discovered on Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, Western Polynesia. The statues are also known as the Easter Island Heads, but in reality they all have bodies hidden underground. The Moai statues date back to approximately 1400 - 1650 and are believed to have been carved from stone by Aboriginal people who once lived on the island of Rapa Nui (local name for Easter Island). In total, about 1000 such gigantic masterpieces of antiquity were discovered in this area. The mystery of their movement around the island still remains unsolved, and the heaviest figure weighs about 82 tons.
10. The Thinker by Rodin
“The Thinker” is the most famous work of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. The author completed his masterpiece in 1880 and originally called the sculpture “The Poet.” The statue was part of a composition called “The Gates of Hell” and personified Dante Alighieri himself, the author of the famous “ Divine Comedy" According to Rodin's original idea, Alighieri leans over the circles of Hell, reflecting on his work. Subsequently, the sculptor rethought the character and made him into a universal image of the creator.
9. Guernica, by Pablo Picasso
An oil painting the size of an entire fresco, Guernica is one of the most famous works eminent Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. The black and white painting is Picasso's reaction to the Nazi bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during civil war in Spain. The masterpiece demonstrates all the tragedy, the horrors of war and the suffering of all innocent citizens in the person of just a few characters.
8. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
You can admire this painting today while visiting the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Legendary painting by Leonardo da Vinci, " Last Supper" - one of the most famous masterpieces in the world. The artist worked on this fresco from 1494 to 1498, and depicted on it the famous biblical scene of the last supper of Jesus Christ surrounded by his disciples, which is narrated in detail in the Gospel of John.
7. Statue of Liberty by Eiffel, Bartholdi
The iconic sculpture is located on Liberty Island in New York, and was once a gift as a sign of friendship between the people of France and the United States. Today, the Statue of Liberty is considered an international symbol of freedom and democracy. The author of the composition was French sculptor Bartholdi, and was designed and built by the architect Gustav Eiffel. The gift was presented on October 28, 1886.
6. Hermes with the baby Dionysus or Hermes Olympus, by Praxiteles
"Hermes with the Child Dionysus" is an ancient Greek sculpture discovered during excavations in 1877 among the ruins of the temple of the goddess Hera in Greece. Right hand Hermes is lost, but archaeologists believe that in the story, the god of trade and athletes held a grapevine in it, showing it to the infant Dionysus, the god of wine, orgies and religious ecstasy.
5. The Creation of Adam, by Michelangelo
The Creation of Adam is one of Michelangelo's most famous frescoes. It was created between 1508 and 1512 and is considered the most popular ceiling composition of the Sistine Chapel, an iconic Catholic center located in the Vatican. The painting illustrates the moment of the biblical creation of the first man in history, described in the book of Genesis in the Old Testament.
4. Venus de Milo or Aphrodite from the island of Milos
The Venus de Milo was born approximately between 130 and 100 BC and is one of the most famous ancient Greek sculptures. The marble statue was discovered in 1820 on the island of Milos, part of the Cyclades Archipelago in the Aegean Sea. The identity of the heroine has not yet been precisely established, but researchers suggest that the author of the masterpiece carved out of stone Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, who was often depicted half-naked. Although there is a version that the statue is molded in the image of the sea goddess Amphitrite, who was especially revered on the island where the artifact was found.
3. Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli
“Birth of Venus” – work Italian artist Sandro Botticelli painted between 1482 and 1485, and it is considered one of the most famous and valuable masterpieces of art in the world. The painting illustrates a scene from famous poem Ovid's "Metamorphoses", in which the goddess Venus first comes ashore from the foam of the sea. The work is on display at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
2. David, by Michelangelo
The legendary Renaissance sculpture was created between 1501 and 1504 by the brilliant creator Michelangelo. Today, "David" is considered the most famous statue in the world. This delightful masterpiece is the biblical hero David etched in stone. Artists and sculptors of the past traditionally depicted David during battle, the winner over the formidable Goliath, a warlike husband and hero, but Michelangelo chose for his work the image of a charming young man who had not yet learned the art of war and murder.
1. Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci
Perhaps some of the works on this list were unknown to you, but everyone knows the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci. This is the most famous, most talked about, most celebrated and most visited painting in the world. The brilliant master painted it in 1503-1506, and Lisa Gherardini, the wife of silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo ( Lisa Gherardini, Francesco del Giocondo). Famous for its mysterious expression, the Mona Lisa is the pride of the Louvre, the oldest and richest museum in France and the world.