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The 10 most famous paintings in the world

2019-11-22T21:05:04.870Z


As "famous" is a subjective term, CNN Style turned to Google to see which tables topped search results worldwide for the past five years.


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(CNN) - Every year, billions of dollars in art go through international auction houses, while the main museums have tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of works of art in their collections. But very few achieve the fame required to truly be considered known names.

As "famous" is a subjective term, CNN Style turned to Google to see which tables topped search results worldwide for the past five years.

We compare dozens of popular masterpieces, from classics like "Mona Lisa", "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" and "Salvator Mundi", to more modern works such as "Nighthawks" and even the "Dogs Playing Poker" series.

  • Researchers knock down the myth about Mona Lisa's gaze

Based on these results, these are the 10 most sought after paintings in the world:

1. 'Mona Lisa'

If you had doubts about the great popularity of "Mona Lisa", the crowds in the Louvre will convince you. (Credit: Eric Feferberg / AFP / Getty Images)

Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
Estimated date: 1503 to 1519
Where to see it: Louvre Museum (Paris)

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the most famous painting in the world is that mysterious woman with the enigmatic smile. But that is one of the few certainties about this work of art.

It is believed that the model of the painting is Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Florence's merchant Francesco del Giocondo, but experts are not sure. It represented an innovation in art: painting is the first known Italian portrait that focuses so closely on the model in a half-length portrait, according to the Louvre, where it was first installed in 1804.

Did you know that: Before the twentieth century, historians said that the Mona Lisa was little known outside the artistic circles. But in 1911, a former Louvre employee stole the portrait and hid it for two years. That robbery helped cement the place of painting in popular culture since then and exposed millions of people to Renaissance art.

2. 'The Last Supper'

Visitors take pictures of “The Last Supper” (“Il Cenacolo or L'Ultima Cena”) at the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. (Credit: Miguel Medina / AFP / Getty Images)

Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
Estimated date: 1495 to 1498
Where to see it: Santa Maria delle Grazie (Milan, Italy)

Leonardo, the original "Man of the Renaissance", is the only artist that appears on this list twice.

Painted at a time when religious images were still a dominant artistic theme, "The Last Supper" represents the last time Jesus broke bread with his disciples before his crucifixion.

The painting is actually a great fresco: it measures 4.6 meters high and 8.8 meters wide, which makes it a memorable sight.

Did you know that: The fresco has survived two war threats: Napoleon's troops used the wall of the refectory in which the fresco was painted as a shooting practice. He was also exposed to the air for several years when the bombings during World War II destroyed the roof of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

3. 'The starry night'

Tourists watch "The Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. (Credit: Victor Fraile Rodriguez / Corbis / Getty Images)

Artist: Vincent van Gogh
Date: 1889
Where to see it: Museum of Modern Art (New York)

Comparatively abstract painting is the characteristic example of the innovative and bold use of thick strokes of van Gogh. The striking blue and yellow paint and the dreamlike atmosphere and swirls have intrigued art lovers for decades.

Did you know that: Van Gogh lived in a mental hospital in Saint-Rémy, France, in treatment for mental illness, when he painted "Starry Night". He was inspired by the view from his bedroom window.

4. 'The Scream'

“The Scream” by Edvard Munch being installed for a special exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Credit: The Asahi Shimbun / Getty Images)

Artist: Edvard Munch
Date: 1893
Where to see it: National Museum (Oslo, Norway - opening in 2020) and Munch Museum (Oslo - until May 2020)

First things first: "The Scream" is not a single work of art. According to the British Museum blog, there are two paintings, two cakes and then an unspecified number of prints. The paintings reside in the National Museum and the Munch Museum, and in 2012, one of the cakes sold for almost $ 120 million at auction.

As in the case of "Mona Lisa", the daring robberies (1994 and 2004) of the two versions of "El Grito" painting helped raise public awareness of works of art. (Both were finally found).

Did you know that: The androgynous figure at the forefront of Art Nouveau painting is not screaming, but trying to block a penetrating scream that comes from nature. He was inspired by a real experience that Munch had while taking a walk at sunset in Oslo when a dramatic red tone overwhelmed his senses.

5. 'Guernica'

View of the "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid, Spain. (Credit: Denis Doyle / Getty Images)

Artist: Pablo Picasso
Date: 1937
Where to see it: Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid)

This is the most recent painting on this list, and it represents the German aerial bombing of the city of Guernica in the Basque region during the Spanish civil war.

The painting has that distinctive Picasso style, and his unwavering examination of the horrors of war made it an essential part of the culture and history of the twentieth century.

Did you know that: The "Guernica" was transferred to the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York during World War II for safekeeping. Picasso requested that the stay be extended until democracy returns to Spain. He finally returned to Madrid in 1981, six years after the death of the Spanish dictator, General Francisco Franco.

6. 'The kiss'

Visitors admire "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt in the Upper Belvedere of Vienna, Austria. (Credit: Omar Marques / Anadolu Agency / Getty Imagesges)

Artist: Gustav Klimt
Estimated date: 1907 to 1908
Where to see it: Upper Belvedere Museum (Vienna, Austria)

With number 6, we went from a hate studio to a love studio with Gustav Klimt's beloved kiss.

From the "Golden Period" of Klimt, Byzantine artistic influences can be seen in the highly decorative robes worn by the passionate life-size couple.

The Upper Belvedere Museum says that with "The Kiss," Klimt makes a "general allegorical statement about love as the heart of human existence." Given its magnetic appeal, it seems that people agree.

Did you know that: Although "The Kiss" is not for sale, other works by Klimt are bought and sold for large sums. Oprah Winfrey kept the 1907 work of art, "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II," for $ 150 million in 2016, with a profit of $ 60 million.

7. 'The Pearl Girl'

A journalist takes a picture of Johannes Vermeer's "The Young Girl of the Pearl" at the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, The Netherlands. (Credit: Michel Porro / Getty Images)

Artist: Johannes Vermeer
Estimated date: 1665
Where to see it: Mauritshuis (The Hague, The Netherlands)

This intriguing favorite is often compared to the "Mona Lisa." In addition to stylistic differences, technically "Girl With a Pearl Earring" is not even a portrait, but a "tronie", a Dutch word for a painting of an imaginary figure with exaggerated features.

The masterpiece of oil on canvas is brilliant in its simplicity. The girl, who wore a blue and gold turban and a large pearl earring, is the whole focus with only a dark background behind her.

Did you know that: While the Mauritshuis were renewed from 2012 to 2014, this work of art toured the United States, Italy and Japan. It attracted large crowds, further reinforcing its status as one of the most famous works of art in the world.

8. 'The birth of Venus'

A journalist examines "The Birth of Venus" by Italian painter Sandro Botticelli during a preview of the press at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, in October 2016. (Credit: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP / Getty Images)

Artist: Sandro Botticelli
Estimated date: 1485
Where to see it: Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi (Florence, Italy)

'The Birth of Venus', is the oldest painting in the top 10 and competes with “The Kiss” among the most sensual was probably commissioned by a member of the Medici family, rich and art lover, who ruled Florence and the areas Close for centuries.

By marrying a renewed interest in classical Greek culture in the style of the early Renaissance, Botticelli creates an unforgettable figure with the Goddess of Love that emerges from a huge scallop shell.

Did you know that: Botticelli's "Venus" presents two significant deviations from most of the other works of his contemporaries.

First, he painted on canvas instead of wood, which was more popular. Secondly, nudity was rare at this time, so it was daring that Venus was completely exposed except her long, loose hair and a hand (barely) covering the most intimate parts of her body.

9. 'Las Meninas'

"Las Meninas" by Diego Velázquez is seen in the Prado Museum on November 19, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Credit: Denis Doyle / Getty Images)

Artist: Diego Velázquez
Date: 1656
Where to see it: Prado Museum (Madrid)

Madrid is the only city in this summary where you will find two of the 10 most famous paintings; the first is "Guernica" at number 5 and "Las Meninas", here at number 9.

Located in the popular (and vast) Prado Museum, "Las Meninas" is not only Diego Velázquez's most famous painting, but also one of the largest. The complexity of the work has fascinated art critics and the public for centuries.

The painting serves a double function as a portrait. It serves as a group portrait of Spanish royalty, but it is also a self-portrait of Velázquez himself in the work (on the left).

Did you know that "Las Meninas" was commissioned by King Felipe IV of Spain, who ruled from 1621 to 1665. He remained in the royal palace until 1819, when he went to the Prado Museum.

10. 'Creation of Adam'

Artist: Michelangelo
Date: 1508 to 1512
Where to see it: Sistine Chapel (Vatican City)

The most famous work of the renowned artist Michelangelo covers a section of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (you have to look up to see it). The scene represents God and Adam with arms outstretched, their fingers almost touching. It is one of the most replicated images in history.

Adam's muscular form hints at Michelangelo's other talent: his "David" is possibly the most famous sculpture in the world. You can see the imposing marble statue in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence.

Did you know that: The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel had been opaque for centuries of exposure to candle smoke, among many other things. After a long and extensive cleaning that ended in 1989, people were surprised to see the bright and vibrant colors that Michelangelo originally used.

Five other paintings that came up

Here are five most famous paintings that were close to entering the list of the top 10:

- American Gothic (Grant Wood, Art Institute of Chicago)
- Series "Water Lilies" (Claude Monet, several museums worldwide)
- “The persistence of memory” (Salvador Dali, Museum of Modern Art in New York)
- "The Night Watch" (Rembrandt, Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam)
- "The Garden of Earthly Delights" (Hieronymus Bosch, Prado Museum, Madrid)

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2019-11-22

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