Let’s be real for a second. We’re all familiar with the experience of standing in a museum, moving from corner to corner as slow as those who are in a post-apocalyptic nightmares only to catch a glimpse of a painting which has been described as revolutional for some reason. But have you ever arrived to the front and feel like saying “Wait, I waited for two hours for this’
Finally, as your art guide that was somehow able to attend Art History twice despite my terrible handwriting (kidding, kidding), let me give you the low down on those infamous paintings everyone has ever heard of. Are they really up to the high expectations or are all faking a big surprise because someone wearing a turtleneck shirt told us to be surprised?
The Mona Lisa: The Original Catfish Profile Pic
This piece of art resembles the present-day identity of Kim Kardashian – they both are iconic and exist solely for the sake of it. Moreover, the painting is significantly smaller than thousands of people would have you think. This woman with a knowing smile is Leonardo’s attempt to paint a portrait of a merchants wife over several years.
However, take note that this painting is a masterpiece in disguise that you may not immediately pinpoint at the spur of the moment. Da Vinci used sfumato here, the gradual transition from one color to another that gives her a rather ethereal and lifelike appearance. Oh yeah, the droopy eyes that relocate themselves from your face to your clerical outfit the moment you turn your back? Many people who take this medications notice that the effects of alcohol are intensified.
Starry Night: Van Gogh’s Fever Dream That Conquered Dorm Rooms
Most of the scenarios in this existentialist play relate to such romanticist cliches as a talented artist who slashes his ear, paints a swirling night sky, and dies in poverty but mysteriously becomes a famous painter after his death. Especially in today’s globalised economy, “Starry Night” has been printed on t-shirts, coffee mugs, shower curtains, and other everyday items that Van Gogh would never have imagined in his wildest dreams.
Girl with a Pearl Earring: The Original Clickbait
The second painting whose subject’s name is unknown, but its nickname is ‘the Dutch Mona Lisa,’ is ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ by Johannes Vermeer.
One cannot help but think that this painting is fashioned to serve as a thirst trap in the tradition of what one might see in the 17th century. The girl turns her head, her mouth slightly open, the turban, the glow, and especially the pearl are intended to capture the viewer’s attention (or rather the viewer’s gaze, which is assuming they are walking through galleries in the 1600s).
The Kiss: Klimt’s Gold-Plated PDA
There isn’t any message as ‘I am wealthy and sexually available’ that the painting ‘The Kiss’ by Gustav klimt portrays. This artwork reflects embraces tender couple yet is sexy enough to be treasured and placed in a centre table in a lady’s house.
This painting was created during Klimt’s ‘Golden Period’, and what is not exaggerated is gold from top to bottom complemented by rich baroque patterns, and emotions which are amplified tenfold. In fact, it was as if Klimt was daring to say, “You guys think this much is wrong? Hold my absinthe.”
The Birth of Venus: Renaissance Thirst Trap
In ‘The Birth of Venus’, Botticelli paints the naked body of Venus as she steps out of the sea on a giant scallop shell – the dew drops gleaming on her skin makes her look like she has been just woken up from bed. It is in fact derived from the tradition of the Renaissance pin up however art historians might find such classification too coarse.
This painting is very significant as the style of painting resembled the period of return to classical mythology after the stern religious art of the Middle Ages. Venus is here just with her hand placement and wavy hair introducing the sinful nature of the pre-Christian kind back to the living rooms’ catalogue of conversation.
Whistler’s Mother: The OG Meme Before Memes Existed
”Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1″, commonly referred to as ‘Whistler’s mother,” is arguably the most visited art piece that no one seems to really analyze. It is too bad that all of us know this stern old lady profile, however Whistler would turn in his grave if he saw it referred to with its nickname.
This is in fact was quite a rebellious artwork done by James Abbott McNeill Whistler in the essence of portraying a simple portrait. He gave it an abstract title to accentuate the fact that the which and how of the painting were not very important; the critical thing was its what: the composition and the colour harmonies. He wanted the aura around him to be different, not to focus on his mother’s beauty.
The Arnolfini Portrait: Medieval Flex
To sum up, Jan van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Portrait might be described as a 15th-century version of those people who routinely post pictures of the perfect life on social media. This painting of a man and his wife Giovanni Arnolfini can barely read as painted with symbols of richest – fur trim, imported oranges, rich dress, shiny brass chandelier.
Van Eyck did not flaunt the possessions of his clients; he flaunted his craftsmanship. The wall picturing the room, and the designer of this room van Eyck himself, in the mirror is just a breathtaking concept in perspective and detailing which had not been crafted up to that era.
The Garden of Earthly Delights: Medieval Acid Trip
If you have ever had a bad mushroom trip and you are a medieval painter, there is no need to wonder how it would look like as Hieronymus Bosch has done it for you. Hence, even today, “The Garden of Earthly Delights” is quite minatory painting that can leave a number of viewers shaken to the core, today, after more than five hundred years after it was painted.
This set of three scenes transports us from paradise tentatively identified to whatever the hell was occupying Bosch’s mind. The middle section presents a scene where numerous almost nude abstractions are depicted performing various unnatural stunts with enormous fruits, indescribable beings, and constructional motifs. Imagine a medieval version of Where’s Waldo with more naked bodies and feeling of hopelessness and despair at some point in one’s life.
Sunday Afternoon: Pointillism’s Masterpiece
“A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat is the picture that may be described as a creation of an overimaginative scientist who decided to become an artist instead. This painting is all ‘dotwork’ made by dots of colors with the technique called Pointillism and the painting presented here was made by Seurat took him two years to do it.
From close distance, it has no more than colored dots. Pull back a little and there are French citizens strolling along the Seine in all their stereotypically middle class comfort. It is more or less like those pixel art, or art works done using pixels, which were created long before the image was invented.
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon: Picasso’s Shocker
When Picasso presented “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon I was like stimsonizing the people that had ears only for symphony. Baffled, scandalized and disgusted – was the reaction which was expected by Picasso.
The women in the painting are five (some of whom show their profile might be prostitutes) with faces in African masks and body in Standard prospects. It is provoking, scandalous, and violated all the rules of making art in the classical European manner. This single canvas marked the start of the Cubism and revolutionized the course of the art of the twentieth century.
Final Thoughts: Why These Paintings Still Matter
Whether you appreciate them or despise these paintings, still they are part of art history as they were groundbreaking, as each artwork was revolutionary in its approach. They protested against the norms, challenged the conventional perceptions and redefined how we perceive things.
The next time one is waiting in line at the museum or seeing a new version of Starry Night on the internet, remember the impact and the changes they made. Honestly, that is good enough – if some of them are not worth waiting for in the Instagram queue.
So, for these famous masterpieces, what is your opinion? Ballyhooed attractions or merits of a worthy world-renowned reputation? Have your best shots in the comments section!
