The 10 Most Famous Paintings In The World

Rembrandt, da Vinci, Munch, Michelangelo, van Gogh and Picasso. The world has been blessed with many great artists who have given us unforgettable masterpieces throughout history. Here we have listed 10 of the most famous paintings in the world.

In our list of the most famous painted artworks in history, all of the above artists are represented - but only one of them was awarded with more than one piece. Take a look at the entire list below and you will know who.

10. The Birth Of Venus – Sandro Boticelli

"Birth of Venus" is a painting by Renaissance artist Sandro Boticelli that illustrates the myth of how the goddess Venus is born from sea foam.

It is believed that the painting was commissioned by Lorenzo de 'Medici, but no one knows for sure, which is perhaps not so strange, since after all it has been over 500 years since Boticelli completed the aforementioned work.

The original history of the painting may be unclear, but since it is a temperament painting, it has proven to be enduring. Temperament painting was common in the 15th century and involved mixing pigments with an egg-based liquid.

You can find "Birth of Venus" in the Uffizi Art Museum in Florence.

9. Water lilies - Claude Monet

"Le Bassin aux Nympheas" is the original French title of the Impressionist Claude Monet's masterpiece and literally means "The Water Lily Pond". The painting, completed in 1919, is part of a series of about 250 oil paintings.

Up close, the artwork looks most like odd clicks of color side by side, but as you get further away, the subject appears in an explosion of color that makes you stand on your lashes to reach out and feel the sparkling water.

If you want to experience Claude Monet's Water Lilies, visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

8. The Night Watch – Rembrandt van Rijn

This magnificent oil painting was completed in 1642 and is actually called "Captain Frans Banning Coq's Shooting". In English, the title is ALWAYS longer. Or how about; "Captain Frans Banning Coqs' company and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch prepare to march". Pooh!

Dutch giant Rembrandt van Rijn is behind the artwork. The painting shows Amsterdam's night watch in full expression, led by Captain Banning Coqs and his mate Willem van Ruytenburch.

In the 1940s, the painting was restored and when the dark varnish that covered the painting for centuries was removed, it suddenly became night to day. The name "Night Watch" that came later is therefore somewhat misleading.

Rembrandt seems to have lived by the motto "bigger is better," as the artwork measures a total of 3.63 x 4.37 meters. If you have the streets behind Amsterdam, the panel can be seen in the Rijksmuseum.

7. The Scream – Edvard Munch

In seventh place we find the crazy angsty painting by Norwegian Edvard Munch from 1893 with the original title "Scream". Munch was an expressionist at his fingertips and the painting is actually available in four different versions.

This style apparently goes home in the cottages, or say the castle, as "Scream" is one of the most expensive paintings ever sold at auction. This is perhaps the reason why the National Museum in Oslo has been stolen over the centuries no less than three (!) Works by Edvard Munch, including "Madonna" and "Scream".

6. The Girl With A Pearl Earring – Johannes Vermeer

The most famous paintings in the world Behind this beautiful oil painting is the 17th century artist Johannes Vermeer. No one knows exactly when the painting was painted or who is the girl on the subject.

Very little is known about Vermeer's life to this day. It is known that he lived and worked in Holland in the 17th century. He never sold much of his art during his lifetime. This in turn led to his family being left with large debts in connection with his death in 1675, when he was only 45 years old. Can't get enough of this mysterious work of art?

It's described in Tracy Chevalier's book "A Girl with a Pearl Earring" as well as dramatized in the movie of the same name starring Scarlett Johansson as the Girl with a Pearl Earring. Curiosity: the background of the painting was green from the beginning. However, over time it has darkened and is now almost black.  

5. Guernica – Pablo Picasso

The most famous paintings in the world "Guernica" is one of the most famous and fascinating paintings by Pablo Picasso. Not only because of its immediate visual impact and size (3.49 x 7.76 meters), but also because of its depiction; the bombing of the Basque city of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.

Picasso wanted to draw the world's attention to this military attack by German bombers in the service of General Franco. The painting was completed in June 1937 and was first shown in conjunction with the World's Fair in Paris later that year.

Today you can find the panel in the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid. Curiosity: it is said that the replica of the artwork that hangs in the UN headquarters was covered when the General Assembly considered invading Iraq in 2003.

4. The creation of adam - Michelangelo

"The Creation of Adam" is in the form of a ceiling fresco on the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City. It was created in 1511 by no less than Michelangelo and the painting shows God giving life to Adam.

The entire roof, including Adam's birth, took 20 months to complete. This is because Michelangelo did almost all the work completely alone. He also did it against his will after a dispute with Pope Julius II. If you want your own copy of this extremely famous work of art, you can easily purchase a mass-produced replica, as it is not worth creating your own.

It is forbidden to take pictures in the Sistine Chapel to protect the paintings from wear and tear. If you still try to sneak the famous theme, it won't take more than a few seconds for a certain Italian security guard to throw you off with his ears. Believe us, we know ...

3. The Last Supper – Leonardo da Vinci

Have you read The Da Vinci Code? Then you probably know this world-famous painting depicting Jesus and his disciples during the Last Supper and every symbolism hidden in it.

At the end of the 14th century, the author Leonardo da Vinci erected the painting directly on the walls of the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Unfortunately, the method did not prove to be particularly durable and the board had to be restored at the end of the 1990s at a cost of 4 million EUR. "The Last Supper" has been repeated countless times. So you can't make it to Italy to see one of the most discussed works of the Hitori.

The first theft took place in 1994. The clever thieves then replaced the plaque with a note thanking the museum for poor security. Pål Enger was later convicted of theft, and we hardly need to reveal that he was the Norwegian?

2. The Starry Night – Vincent van Gogh

Who can resist Vincent van Gogh's bold brushstrokes in this fantastic painting? The work, originally titled "De Sterrenacht", was created in 1889 and shows the view from van Gogh's room from the time he was admitted to a mental hospital in the small French town of Saint-Rémy.

Unfortunately, van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime and never knew what a celebrated artist he would become. Since 1941, "Star Night" has a permanent place on one of the walls of the Museum of Modern Arts in the heart of New York, and today it is undoubtedly one of the most famous paintings in the world.

1. Mona Lisa – Leonardo da Vinci

The most famous painting of all time is, of course, Leonardo da Vinci's magnificent miniature work. "Mona Lisa," or "La Gioconda," as it was originally titled, has been featured in everything from movies to mass-produced tourist rulers around the world.

The painting was completed in 1507 after four years of work. The client was the Italian politician Francesco del Giocondo, who wanted to hang the panel in his dining room, which is why the panel is so small. There are probably many who were caught entering the Louvre and discovered that the most famous painting in the world measures only 77 x 53 cm....

There are several theories about who the mythical woman in the painting is. One theory is that it would be Giocondo's wife Lisa Gherardini.

"Mona Lisa" was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 and suspicion was initially sensationally directed at Pablo Picasso. However, it would turn out to be a guard at the museum who completely soundly placed the artwork under the rock and stepped directly into the Paris neighborhood. The painting was found two years later and could be rehung for future generations to be enchanted by Mona Lisa's smile.