The Most Famous Works of Art
1) Arguably the most famous work of art is the Mona Lisa. Painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in the 16th century the Mona Lisa is currently housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
2) Sistine Chapel Ceiling: This Fresco Painting was commissioned by Pope Julius II. Michelangelo began the work in July, 1508 and completed the ceiling over four years later in October 1512.
3) Khufu’s Great Pyramid and surrounding complex: Constructed around 2560 BC and located in Giza, Egypt
4) The Sculpture David: The standing nude marble statue was commissioned in 1501 and completed in 1504 by Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo. The Sculpture David represents the Biblical hero David. The original statue now resides in Academia Galleria in Florence, Italy.
5) Starry Night: This canvas oil painting was completed by Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh in 1889. This work is one of the most replicated items of the modern times. This work currently resides in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, USA.
6) Pieta by Michelangelo: The Pieta is a Renaissance marble sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding the body of her son Jesus Christ after his death. Michelangelo was in his early twenties when he started the sculpture in 1498. He finished the sculpture in two years. The original sculpture sits in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
7) Water Lilies: Claude Monet is synonymous with the French Impressionist style exhibited in these well-known works. Water Lilies are a series of 250 oil paintings. The original works are exhibited across the world.
8) Riace Warriors: These are two bronze statues that were sculpted about 430 to 460 BCE. They show nude bearded warriors. They are currently housed by the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in Reggia Calabria, Italy.
9) Terracotta Army: This replica army was discovered in 1974. It is one of the top attractions in China. The replicas represent Emperor Qin’s army which was the first army to unify China over 2000 years ago.
10) Taj Mahal: Located in Agra, India the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in remembrance of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum was built from 1632 to 1653.
11) Diana and Actaeon: Italian Renaissance painter Titian finished this work in the late 1550′s.
12) La Danse: These are two related works by artist Henri Matisse which he completed in 1909 and 1910. The first was a preliminary work for the second. They reside at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
13) Las Meninas: Spanish artist Diego Velazquez painted this work circa 1656. Translated, it means Maids of Honor. The original resides in the Museo del Prado, Madrid. The painting reflects a room in the Madrid Palace of King Philip IV of Spain.