Masterpieces that were created by the best. The greatest works of art. The most famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci
The earth eventually erodes, and the dust flies away with the wind, all its people die, disappear without a trace, except for those who engage in art. The economy of a thousand years ago seems naive to us, but works of art live forever. / Ernest Hemingway.
One of the rare, if not the only quotes from Hemingway about art. There is nothing to add. Works of art live forever, just like their creators. Just like man’s all-consuming passion for beauty. The craving for art cannot be imposed from the outside, its heredity has been little studied, but from century to century it is passed on again and again from generation to generation.
Art is “the soul of the people,” as sculptor N.V. wrote. Tomsky, this is one of the most important sources of communication between people. Art awakens joy and pleasure, compassion and empathy in a person.
A craving for beauty lives in each of us, be it for books, cinema, architecture, music, theater, painting. There is an artist, creator and creator in each of us. And it doesn’t matter at all whether we can draw, sing, dance or play the musical instruments. Art is one of the most important forms of showing goodness. It does not destroy, there is no evil in it. And as the classic F. M. Dostoevsky said, “real art is always modern, vital, and useful.” This is probably why art will live forever.
Perhaps this is the most ancient religion in the world, capable of uniting humanity. And, probably, only she is destined to save this planet from evil, endless strife, conflicts and wars, from man’s total desire for self-destruction...
As we have already found out, art is doomed to eternity. People will talk and reason about art for centuries. The topic is bright, lively, interesting, and in demand. And in the 21st century, understanding art is also fashionable, and contrary to all trends, art is not short-term.
In this regard, thousands of blogs and websites about art are created in Russia every year. It would seem - what's wrong with this - there should be a lot of good, correct, educational content. But unfortunately, the goals of most resources are initially geared towards hidden financial interests, which invariably turns cognitive and interesting portals as a means of enrichment. Really useful resources only a few become.
The portal site offers a selection of the 10 most popular, interesting and informative sites about art in Russian. Time-tested portals.
What criteria were used to choose:
- quality content
- no advertising (or reduced to a minimum)
- convenience and simplicity of the site
- design
- layout
- uniqueness
No. 1. ARTGUIDE
Art guideThe website www.artguide.com is an online resource dedicated to the artistic life of Moscow, St. Petersburg and world capitals. Everything you need is here - announcements of world events, interviews, expert opinions, educational articles written in accessible language. In the list of columnists and authors of articles you will find the most famous art historians of Russia, for example - Zelfira Tregulova - director of the State. Tretyakov Gallery; Mikhail Piotrovsky - director of the Hermitage, and many others. etc..
A decent layout of the site and the presence of a mobile application turns the art guide into one of the coolest art communities on the network. We recommend!
No. 2. The Art Newspaper Russia
The Art Newspaper Russia is one of the most authoritative electronic newspapers covering the latest news in the art world. Theartnewspaper.ru - electronic version of the world famous paper publication international level. This is the largest and one of the oldest networks in the field of world art. The network's publications are distributed in 60 countries. Correspondents from 30 countries provide news and reporting to offices in London, New York, Paris, Turin, Athens, Moscow, Beijing and Hong Kong.
No. 3. Estetico
Aesthetico In terms of presentation of material and its design, this is perhaps one of the most daring and cool art projects. Of course, because the site was designed and made by real wizards from Sponge.
No. 4. Arthive
Arthive One of our editor-in-chief’s favorite resources. Arthive not only writes interestingly about art, it is a whole social network"lovers of art" This is one of the most vibrant communities of artists, collectors and art dealers, where it is convenient to collect and publish art, manage collections, buy, sell and promote paintings.
I would like to note an interesting idea - the daily “Fact of the Day” section on the main page of the site. We also recommend visiting the Arthive Encyclopedia, which deservedly justifies its slogan - “simply about the complex, interesting about the boring.”
Excellent layout and design, mobile versions of the site and Arthive application turn the resource into one of the top ones on the Russian Internet.
No.5 Official blog of the State Tretyakov Gallery
Tretyakov Blog About the best works of Russian art different eras and directions are told by researchers and art critics of the Tretyakov Gallery - this is worth a lot.
Educational articles, simple layout and design - nothing superfluous, not a hint of commerce - just art, pure and immaculate.
We also recommend taking a look at the official website of the Tretyakov Gallery. The “collections” section is interesting. If you want to stay up to date with current and future exhibitions, subscribe to instagram galleries.
№6.
Gallerix Online Museum: the oldest resource in RuNet dedicated to the most attractive movement in art - painting. Here you will find thousands of paintings by great artists in best quality. It is possible to download your favorite masterpiece in high resolution.
The collection of works uploaded to the site exceeds 300,000!
Gallerix.ru is a non-profit project. Among all the projects the purpose of which is to popularize the art of painting - gallerix is the most famous and most visited resource in Russia. Recommended to the general public who do not have the opportunity to visit museums in person.
This is the only resource on the Internet where you can get lost, get lost, looking at the masterpieces of the greatest geniuses in the history of painting in maximum resolution and quality!
No. 8. Websites dedicated to photography
Websites about photography 
Artinvestment Here you will find comprehensive information about the works of Russian artists of the 17th - 21st centuries participating in auctions in the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Russia and Israel.
The resource base contains about 200,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures!
Reviews of art market events, practical recommendations professional and advice to novice investors, reviews of Russian auctions, analytics and forecasts, investment ideas, ratings, interviews with artists and experts... Perhaps - the best site about investing in art!
No. 10. Websites about cinema and theater
The film premiered on January 20, 1945 at the Udarnik cinema (Moscow). The film received the most praise. Remember famous phrase Ilyich - “You must firmly remember that of all the arts, cinema is the most important for us.” Later, this idea was supported by Joseph Stalin - “Cinema is the greatest means of mass propaganda. The challenge is to take this matter into your own hands.”
Since 1919, cinema has been nationalized by the state. The film industry brought significant income to the state. By 1920, there were about 2,000 cinemas in the Union. In 1987 there were already more than 150 thousand.
Cinematography is an art, of course, with a stretch. Another thing is that theater is the most ancient of all types of arts, uniting almost all types of art - literature, music, choreography, decorative arts.
Since 1919, the theater, like the cinema, was declared state property. Gradually he became less and less needed and in demand. IN Soviet years he literally survived. Fortunately, in our time, theater is again given the role of the most important art, forming morality in people, spiritual development and culture.
In our time, we should distinguish between cinematography and cinematography, theatrical performance and theatrical art. There is a very fine line here. Not all cinema can be classified as art, especially when commerce and government guidance penetrate into the creative process. I remember Tarkovsky’s biting phrase:
“Cinema is perhaps the most unfortunate of the arts. It is used as chewing gum, like cigarettes, like things that people buy.”
There is also a phrase from the brilliant Chulpan Khamatova: “If you let the market regulate cinema, you will get television.”
You will never hear this about the theater... But we digress. Let's move on to the list of sites dedicated to cinema and theater. Unfortunately, there are simply no resources that meet our selection criteria. But there are blogs and columns that we read regularly. Here are some of them:
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Message quote The most famous and significant paintings of the world for the history of art. | 33 masterpieces of world painting.
Below the pictures of the artists they belong to there are links to the posts.
The 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.
There are certainly more than 33 world-famous paintings. There are several hundred of them, and all of them would not fit into one review. Therefore, for ease of viewing, we have selected several paintings that are most significant for world culture and are often copied in advertising. Each work is accompanied interesting fact, an explanation of the artistic meaning or the history of its creation.
Kept in the Old Masters Gallery in Dresden.
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 critics who discovered the painting in the 19th century thought that the figures were standing out against a dark background, and it was called “ The 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
Located in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.
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 Tower of Babel, it is not the language barriers that suddenly appeared, according to the biblical story, that are to blame, but the 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, lower floors either unfinished or 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
Located in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
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
Kept in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
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 do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" 1898
Kept in the Museum of Fine Arts in 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.”
Eugene Delacroix "Liberty Leading the People" 1830
Kept in the Louvre in Paris
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
Kept in the Marmottan Museum in Paris.
The title of the work is “Impression, soleil levant” with light hand 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
Kept in the Mauritshuis Gallery in The Hague.
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, it was filmed Feature Film“Girl with a Pearl Earring”, in which the history of the creation of the painting is hypothetically restored in the context of biography and family life Vermeer.
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. Tsars (Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Mikhail Fedorovich) “overlaid” 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
Kept in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
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
Kept in the British Museum in London.
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
Kept at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
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
Kept in the Galleria Borghese in Rome.
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 names: “Beauty, Embellished and Unadorned” (1613), “Three Types of Love” (1650), “Divine and Secular Women” (1700), and, finally, “Earthly Love and Heavenly Love” (1792 and 1833).
Mikhail Nesterov “Vision to the youth Bartholomew” 1889-1890
Kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
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. “The Youth Bartholomew” will live. Now, if thirty, fifty years after my death he still says something to people, that means he’s alive, and that means I’m alive.”
Pieter Bruegel the Elder "Parable of the Blind" 1568
Kept in the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.
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
Kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery.
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 captured my imagination. There was so much melancholy, loneliness and purely Russian sadness in her eyes... Some special Russian spirit wafted 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. IN currently The painting is in the collection of the State Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin.
Leonardo da Vinci "Madonna Litta" 1491
Kept in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
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
Kept in the Louvre in Paris.
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
Stored in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow
“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
Stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery
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
Located in Skokloster Castle in Stockholm.
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
Located in the Museum of Art. A. S. Pushkin in Moscow.
The Mona Lisa may not have gained worldwide fame if it had not been stolen in 1911 by a Louvre employee. The painting was found two years later in Italy: the thief responded to an advertisement in the newspaper and offered to sell “Gioconda” to the director of the Uffizi Gallery. All this time, while the investigation was ongoing, the “Mona Lisa” did not leave the covers of newspapers and magazines around the world, becoming an object of copying and worship. Sandro Botticelli "Birth of Venus" 1486
Kept in Florence in the Uffizi Gallery
The painting illustrates the myth of the birth of Aphrodite. A naked goddess swims to the shore in an open shell, driven by the wind. On the left side of the painting, Zephyr (the west wind), in the arms of his wife Chloris, blows on a shell, creating a wind filled with flowers. On the shore, the goddess is met by one of the graces. The Birth of Venus is well preserved due to the fact that Botticelli applied a protective layer of egg yolk to the painting.
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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 of Paul Cézanne. The work was first presented to the general public at an exhibition in 1906. Cézanne'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 
"Discobolus" is a legendary Greek statue, executed by the famous Greek sculptor Myron of Eleutherae in the period from approximately 460 to 450 BC. e. 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 life-size sculpture created by 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 acclaimed Danish artist Rembrandt, The Night Watch is one of the most famous paintings of the 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 picture 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 two 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
Painted by American artist Andy Warhol in 1962, 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” is by 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 author was inspired by the plot of the masterpiece sad story 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 a peeing baby, according to one version, 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
The Pietà is a famous Renaissance sculpture created by the Florentine artist Michelangelo between 1498 and 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 of the famous Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. The black and white painting is Picasso's reaction to the Nazi bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. 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. Leonardo da Vinci's legendary painting, The Last Supper, is 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 the French sculptor Bartholdi, and it 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. The right hand of 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 Aphrodite from stone, greek goddess love and beauty, which 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
The Birth of Venus is a work by Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, painted between 1482 and 1485, and is considered one of the most famous and valuable masterpieces of art in the world. The painting illustrates a scene from Ovid’s famous poem “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 discussed, 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, posed for the canvas. Famous for its mysterious expression, the Mona Lisa is the pride of the Louvre, the oldest and richest museum in France and the world.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 main achievements in world painting and selected from them two dozen of the most strange paintings. 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 “weirdness” is a rather subjective concept and everyone has their own amazing paintings, standing 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 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 people with weak psyche a lot of fears and speculations.
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.
Art emerged almost immediately after the advent of mankind, and over the centuries many of the greatest works in painting, sculpture, and other artistic fields have been created. Which of them are considered the best is a very controversial question, because even experts disagree on this matter. Today we will try to compile a list of the ten most famous works of art of all time.
10 PHOTOS
1. “Starry Night”, Van Gogh.
A painting painted by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh in 1889. The inspiration for this piece of art was the night sky he observed from the window of his room at St. Paul's Orphanage.
2. Drawings in the Chauvet Cave. Prehistoric cave paintings of animals created approximately 30 thousand years ago. Chauvet Cave is located in the south of France.
3. Moai statues. Stone monolithic statues located on Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean. The statues are believed to have been created by the island's Aboriginal people between 1250 and 1500 AD.
4. “The Thinker”, Rodin. The most famous work French sculptor Auguste Rodin, created in 1880.
5. “The Last Supper”, da Vinci. This painting, painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1494 and 1498, depicts the scene of Jesus' last meal with his disciples as described in the biblical Gospel of John.
6. “The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo. One of Michelangelo's most famous frescoes is located in the Sistine Chapel of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The fresco illustrates the account of the creation of Adam from the biblical book of Genesis.
7. “Venus de Milo”, author unknown. One of the most famous ancient Greek sculptures, created sometime between 130 and 100 BC. The marble sculpture was discovered in 1820 on the island of Milos.
8. “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli. The painting, painted by Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, depicts the scene of the goddess Venus emerging from the sea. The painting is in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. 
10. “Mona Lisa”, da Vinci.
A masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci, created approximately between 1503 and 1506. The painting is in the Louvre Museum in Paris.