4 Incredible Paintings You Must See in a Lifetime

The history of humanity is full of great artists and their extraordinary works of art. There are several paintings that have obtained international fame and recognition. In determining the popularity of such paintings we must take into account both the number of reproductions, as well as how famous the paintings are (how easy it is to recognize them). So, here are 4 incredible paintings you should see in a lifetime.

Mona Lisa by Leonado da Vinci

Also known as “La Gioconda”, this is a famous painting of Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci, made between 1503 - 1506 during the Renaissance in Florence (Italy). This painting represents a woman with a thoughtful expression and an enigmatic smile, barely sketched.

The ambiguity in facial expression, the composition, the subtle forms and illusory atmosphere are unique qualities that contributed to the continuing fascination and study of this work. Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in history and also the most recognizable (most easily recognized) painting in the world. Few other famous paintings have been reproduced and discussed as much as the Mona Lisa. It currently hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris, the main attraction for any visitor.

Mona Lisa is an oil painting on poplar wood with a size of 77 cm x 53 cm. The main feature of the portrait is the enigmatic smile. Another interesting feature is that the background is not not balanced, the left side is obviously at a level lower than the right one.

Water Lilies by Claude Monet

“Water Lilies” or “Nympheas” is a series of approx. 250 oil paintings of the French impressionist Claude Monet. These works depict the artist's flower garden at Giverny and were the center of his artistic career in his last 30 years of life. Many of these works were painted while Monet suffered from cataracts.

These paintings are displayed in museums around the world: Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Museum of Wales etc. Paintings from the “Water Lilies” are very popular, one of the painting being sold for 41 million pounds.

Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh

Another world famous painting is “Starry Night", the best work of Dutch post-impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh, painter mentioned in a recent article about genius and madness. Painted in oil on canvas in 1889, this painting is one of the most recognizable, most replicated and most popular in the world. You can see it at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

The painting depicts the view seen at night from the window of the artist’s room, while he was hospitalized. It was painted from memory during the day. The central part shows the village of Saint-Remy under a whirling sky, viewed from the north of the asylum.

The Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo Buonarroti

Due to the extraordinary talents of Italian genius Michelangelo Buonarroti, the Sistine Chapel in Vatican has become one of the most famous art galleries in the world. The dome of the Sistine Chapel was painted by the artist in 4 years (1508-1512). Although he was supposed to paint the 12 Apostles, when the work was completed, there were over 300 figures in 500 square meters.