“Beauty perishes in life, but is immortal in art.” ― Leonardo Da Vinci.
Art can communicate things that words cannot express. Through such communication, they have shaped cultures and societies. The paintings from ages long before make a massive impact to this day. That is why many of these paintings are preserved in museums around the world.
These pieces of art are also studied by experts and art enthusiasts. They offer great insights into the creator’s mind. What were they trying to convey? We can only ruminate on that. But you cannot deny that there is something deeply satisfying about watching beautiful paintings, or just the act of painting in general. So why not take a journey through time and look at some of the best art of all time?
Here is A List of the 15 Best Art of All Time
1. Mona Lisa
Artist: Leonardo Da Vinci
Year: 1503-1505
Current Location: Louvre Museum, Paris, France
La Gioconda, better known as the Mona Lisa, might just be the most well-known painting in the world. Painted by Leonardo Da Vinci, it is the portrait of Madame Gherardini, an Italian noblewoman. Napoleon Bonaparte considered the painting so beautiful that he ordered it to be hung in his bedroom. It was transferred to the Louvre Museum in the 19th century. The painting was stolen in 1911, with Pablo Picasso even arrested as a suspect. Bet he wasn’t happy about that!
2. The Starry Night
Artist: Vincent Van Gogh
Year: 1889
Current Location: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York City, USA
Vincent Van Gogh might be famous for cutting off his ear, but he is also known for creating some of the best art of all time. This abstract painting of the night sky is one of his most famous works. Van Gogh painted this when he was spending time in Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. Unlike many paintings, this was painted completely from memory. And even though his artistic stint only lasted 10 years. ‘The Starry Night’ remains one of the most popular artworks in history.
3. The Last Supper
Artist: Leonardo Da Vinci
Year: 1495-1498
Current Location: Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy
The famous Last Supper was a fresco painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. A fresco is a painting technique where a mural is painted over wet plaster. It has been in existence for more than 500 years and has been restored at least 5 times. This painting has long been a topic of discussion. Especially, between art experts, regarding the hidden messages and symbols that it might contain. Which is why it makes the best art of all time
4. The Creation of Adam
Artist: Michelangelo Buonarroti
Year: 1511
Current Location: Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
This is another fresco on the list. Painted by Michelangelo in 1511, it holds its place on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. It is the fourth of nine pieces of art that try to depict scenes from the Book of Genesis. It depicts the creation of the first human being, Adam, by God. This painting is one of the first attempts at depicting God in art.
5. Girl With A Pearl Earring
Artist: Johannes Vermeer
Year: 1665
Current Location: Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands
Girl With a Pearl Earring is a painting by Johannes Vermeer that is often referred to as the ‘northern Mona Lisa’. This is because of the similarity between them. Both of them are paintings of women whose expression is hard to capture. This work of art was bought by Mauritshuis at an auction held in the Hague. It also toured the world while the museum was under restoration. This highly increased its popularity. It is also a Best Art of All Time
6. Guernica
Artist: Pablo Picasso
Year: 1937
Current Location: Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain
Guernica is a black and white oil painting crafted by Pablo Picasso. Initially, the painting was not well-received when it was unveiled in the Spanish Republic Pavilion at the World’s Fair in 1937. It only started gaining popularity as it toured the world in the following years. Picasso loaned it to the Museum of Modern Art. It returned to Spain in 1981, 42 years after heading for New York. It is also a Best Art of All Time
7. The Birth Of Venus
Artist: Sandro Botticelli
Year: 1486
Current Location: Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
This painting illustrates the myth of Aphrodite’s birth. The Goddess of Beauty is seen drifting on a seashell driven by the Zephyr’s Wind. The painting is protected thanks to the fact that Botticelli covered it with a layer of egg yolk. It is also a Best Art of All Time
8. The Beheading Of Saint John The Baptist
Artist: Michelangelo da Caravaggio (1608)
Year: 1608
Current Location: St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta
This is one of Carvaggio’s most iconic works. As the name suggests, it depicts the beheading of Saint John the Baptist in prison. The painting is famous for how realistically it depicts the characters in the painting. It is also a Best Art of All Time
9. The Persistence Of Memory
Artist: Salvador Dali
Year: 1931
Current Location: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York City, USA
According to Salvador Dali himself, he painted this art by taking inspiration from the abstract thoughts he had while looking at cheese. You can definitely see cheese’s influence once you lay eyes on this work of art. The Persistence of Memory is currently located at the Museum of Modern Art. It does leave you wondering how a piece of cheese can inspire one of the best art of all time.
10. The Night Watch
Artist: Rembrandt van Rijn
Year: 1642
Current Location: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Rembrandt’s The Night Watch illustrates the Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch. The painting is called ‘The Night Watch’ because of the dark background. It was later discovered that a layer of soot had made the painting dark and that the events in it actually take place during the day.
11. The Garden Of Earthly Delights
Artist: Hieronymus Bosch
Year: 1500-1510
Current Location: Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain
The Garden of Earthly Delights was painted by Hieronymus Bosch. It is one of the most famous triptychs in the world. A triptych is a form of art where the painting is divided into three panels. This triptych contains a lot of details and is full of figures, monolith constructions, and monsters. The surrealistic world created by Bosch in this painting is solely the product of his own mind.
12. The Tower Of Babel
Artist: Pieter Bruegel the Elder
Year: 1563
Current Location: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria
The Tower of Babel is an art painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. It depicts the Tower of Babel. According to Pieter, it was the poor quality of building materials that caused this monolith to fall, and not any barriers in language.
13. The Sistine Madonna
Artist: Raffaello Santi
Year: 1512
Current Location: Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden, Germany
Also known as the Madonna di San Sisto, this painting is Raffaello’s finest work. The most interesting thing about this painting is that it holds a secret. What is it? At first glance, the background looks like clouds. But upon closer inspection, you realise that they are actually heads of angels. The two angels at the bottom have also become a famous design for postcards.
14. The Scream
Artist: Edvard Munch
Year: 1893
Current Location: National Museum, Oslo, Norway (two painted versions exist, the second one is in the Munch Museum)
The Scream comes from the iconic mind of Edvard Munch. The Norwegian painter painted four different versions of this painting between 1893 and 1910. The painting is located in Oslo. It on of the few paintings where realism is minimised to give way to express other emotions.
15. The Great Wave of Kanagawa
Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Year: 1831
Current Location: Multiple impressions exist in major museums. The most famous are at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the British Museum, London; and Tokyo National Museum
This painting goes by a lot of different names. It is known as The Great Wave or The Wave. Painted by Japanese painter Hokusai, it is part of the 36 ukiyo prints of Mount Fuji. There are a lot of different impressions made of this painting. They reside all over the world, from Japan to London to America.
Conclusion:
These wonderful paintings are truly a test of how far humanity’s creative side can reach. Maybe it inspires you to pick up the paintbrush and make a few strokes yourself. This list is just a version of what the best art of all time might be. At the end of the day, any form of art is highly subjective. And creativity and passion can be found in any part of your life.
Also Read :- Want To Pursue Your Creative Side? Here are the 10 Best Arts Schools in The World