5 Most Famous Paintings In The World

From paintings scrawled on the walls of caves from neolithic times to modern-day art, paintings have survived the test of time. Across ages, the world has been marked by the works of exceptional artists that have been remembered across centuries. Art has been collected and appreciated regardless of people’s nationality and culture. Some paintings were given the honour of classics and others were forgotten. Famous paintings in the world include art that has been discussed and appreciated around the world for their beauty.

# Mona Lisa

One of the most mysterious and famous paintings in the world, Mona Lisa has been the centre of many discussions across centuries. Painted by Leonardo da Vinci, there are many theories behind the identity of the lady in the painting, and the reason behind her enigmatic smile. Some believe that she is the painter’s mother Caterina, painted as he remembered her from his childhood, others believe she is the wife of a merchant from Florence called Francesco del Giocondo and her name was Francesco del Giocondo. It is also speculated that it is a self-portrait of da Vinci in drag. Painted between 1503 and 1517, Mona Lisa was deemed as the best painting of the world and intrigued many people because it is the earliest Italian portrait that depicted a half-length portrait and specific attention towards the person. You can view the painting at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

# Starry Night

Painted in 1889, Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night is believed to have depicted his unsettling state of mind. He painted The Starry Night, one of the most famous paintings in the world, while he was at an asylum at Saint-Rémy. His view from the window of his room in the asylum is said to have inspired the painting. His admiration for nature and the yin and yang balance of his internal thoughts is believed to have fuelled his imagination to create the painting. The Starry Night, believed to be the world’s best painting, is known for its thick brushstrokes and the resulting swirls and orbs painted in blue and yellow. It’s kept people interested and awed. You can find the painting at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

# The Last Supper

One of the most famous paintings in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper measures 4.6 meters in height and 8.8 meters in length. The painting depicts Jesus with his disciples before his crucifixion. The painting stands out because da Vinci painted the piece on the wall of the refectory instead of using the conventional method of painting a fresco. Preserved at the Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, the painting was in danger twice. Once when Napolean’s troops used the painting’s wall as target practice and another during World War II, due to the bombings when Santa Maria delle Grazie’s Dominican convent’s roof was demolished exposing the painting to natural elements.

# Girl With A Pearl Earring

Girl With A Pearl Earring was painted by Johannes Vermeer around 1665, and is at the Mauritshuis in Hague, Netherlands. Among the most famous paintings, Girl With A Pearl Earring is a classic example of a tronie, a particular type of painting in the Dutch Golden Age, where instead of depicting an exact resemblance of the subject, the portrait exaggerates their facial expressions. One of the best paintings of the world, the girl in the painting sits very still, enough to start the debate if Vermeer’s used a camera obscura, a pre-photographic device. The painting depicts a girl wearing a large pearl earring with a gold and blue turban, looking over her shoulder, seeming to make eye contact and forming a bond with the viewer. It is rumoured that the girl in the painting is Vermeer’s maid. If you wish to view this painting, visit the Mauritshuis in Hague, Netherlands.

# The Scream

The Scream by Edvard Munch was painted in 1893, but slowly grew over the years as a universal symbol of anxiety. The original version of the image was a painting, but two years later, based on the first version, Munch created a lithograph and titled it The Scream. There are two versions of the painting and they are both displayed at Oslo National Gallery and Munch Museum. The painting depicts a man closing his ears while his mouth forms an ‘O’. Despite what the title and the painting might suggest, the individual is not screaming. According to Munch, the scream came from his surreal surroundings.