37 of the Most Famous Artworks in History That Every Art History Buff Should Know
Throughout history, there have been certain pieces of art that stand above the rest. Whether that's due to the incredible skill the artist used to create it or because of the significant culture or historical moment captured, there is no denying that some famous artworks have made an indelible mark on history. We've reached into the past to look at some of the most famous paintings and sculptures that art history has to offer and pulled together our list of the most famous artworks of all time.
From ancient Greek statues to Impressionist masterpieces, these pieces of art are important markers of Western culture. And by learning more about them, you'll move from major art movements like the Italian Renaissance to Realism, Impressionism, Cubism, and much more. Our list culminates in the 1940s, making it a timeline that spans centuries of art that continues to influence our world today.
Several noted artists made the list twice, starting with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo and finishing with Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. Artistic themes pass from mythology and religion, as exemplified by the Creation of Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, to historical subject matter that touches on major moments like the French Revolution. Other works, like Vermeer's The Girl with a Pearl Earring, are simple portraits that continue to captivate our imagination. And there's even one, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, that represents non-Western tradition.
Scroll down to see the 37 famous artworks that left their mark on history, and click the links to go in-depth about the significance and history of each piece.
Here are the 37 most famous pieces of art in history, in chronological order.
Venus de Milo
“Venus de Milo,” late 2nd century BCE (Photo: Nan Palmero, CC BY 2.0)
Nike of Samothrace
“Nike of Samothrace,” c. 200–190 BCE (Photo: warasit/Depositphotos)
Arnolfini Portrait by Jan Van Eyck
Jan Van Eyck, “The Arnolfini Portrait,” 1434 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch
Hieronymus Bosch, “Garden of Earthly Delights,” between 1480 and 1505 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli
Sandro Botticelli, “The Birth of Venus,” c. 1486 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci, “The Last Supper,” 1498 (Photo: Haltadefinizione via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
David by Michelangelo
Michelangelo, “David,” 1501–1504 (Photo: Jörg Bittner Unna via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci, “Mona Lisa,” between c. 1503 and 1506 (Photo: Wikipedia, Public domain)
Sistine Chapel Ceiling by Michelangelo
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel ceiling, 1508–1512 (Photo: Jean-Christophe Benoist via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)
School of Athens by Raphael
Raphael, “The School of Athens,” 1511 (Photo: Wikipedia, Public domain)
The Netherlandish Proverbs by Pieter Bruegel
Pieter Bruegel the Elder, “The Netherlandish Proverbs,” 1559 (Photo: Wikipedia, Public domain)
The Night Watch by Rembrandt van Rijn
Rembrandt, “The Night Watch,” 1642 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez
Diego Velázquez, “Las Meninas,” 1656 (Photo: Wikiart, Public domain)
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer, “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” c. 1665 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, “The Swing,” 1767 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David, “The Death of Marat,” 1793 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
The Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya, “The Third of May 1808,” 1814 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai
Katsushika Hokusai, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” c. 1826–1833 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix
Eugène Delacroix, “Liberty Leading the People,” 1830 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Luncheon on the Grass by Édouard Manet
Édouard Manet, “The Luncheon on the Grass,” 1863 (Photo: Wikipedia, Public Domain)
Whistler's Mother by James Abbott McNeill Whistler
James McNeill Whistler, “Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1,” 1871 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet
Claude Monet, “Impression Sunrise,” 1872 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Bal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, “Bal du moulin de la Galette,” 1876 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat
Georges Seurat, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” 1884–1886 (Photo: The Art Institute of Chicago, Public domain)
Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh, “The Starry Night,” 1889 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain )
The Scream by Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch, “The Scream,” 1893 (Photo: Wikipedia, Public domain)
The Thinker by Auguste Rodin
Auguste Rodin, “The Thinker,” 1904 (Photo: Roman Suzuki via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 DEED)
Water Lilies by Claude Monet
Claude Monet, “Water-Lilies,” 1907 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso, “Les Demoiselles d'Avignon,” 1907 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt, “The Kiss,” 1907–1908 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Fountain by Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp, “Fountain,” 1917 (Photo: Alfred Stieglitz via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
American Gothic by Grant Wood
Grant Wood, “American Gothic,” 1930 (Photo: Art Institute of Chicago via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Composition II in Red, Yellow, and Blue by Piet Mondrian
Piet Mondrian, “Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow,” 1930 (Photo: Wikipedia Commons, Public domain)
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí
Guernica by Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso, “Guernica,” 1937
The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo
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Nighthawks by Edward Hopper
Edward Hopper, “Nighthawks,” 1942 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
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READ: 37 of the Most Famous Artworks in History That Every Art History Buff Should Know
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