The Universe is a testimony to art and its many wonders. The world is filled with inspiration for everyone to see. But it takes a visionary and a talented artist to take a cue from that inspiration, pick up the brush and paint, give their visions, thoughts, and the beautiful nature a face in the form of their paintings.
Some painters manage to capture such wonders of nature in their paintings that they take your breath away. In the words of Pablo Picasso, “Every child is a born artist; the challenge lies in retaining that artist within themselves.”
Here is a run-down of 15 most beautiful and famous paintings the world has witnessed.
1. Our Daily Bread by Anders Zorn
“Our Daily Bread” is a depiction by Anders Zorn, of his mother cooking potatoes for harvesters while seated at the edge of a ditch. It was painted in 1886 and is from the artist’s private collection. It shows the sacrifices of his mother.
Anders painted “Our Daily Bread” in his mid-twenties. This painting was a tribute to his big joint family and his mother’s love. The composition was only made public in 1920 after the artist passed away. The National Museum in Stockholm later bought the painting.
2. Glow of Hope
‘Woman with the lamp’ or most commonly known as “The Glow of Hope’ is a masterpiece by S.L. Haldankar. This masterpiece came to life from 145-46. Haldankar gained inspiration for this painting on Diwali- the festival of lights, which is an Indian festival. The image which gave him the idea of this painting was that of his own daughter, clad in Indian attire called saree and holding a candle in one hand while protecting the flame from the wind in the other.
Geeta, Haldankar’s daughter, became the subject of his painting and remained immortalized on handmade paper with watercolors. Haldankar deliberately used watercolors to prove that he could make paintings using watercolors without making any mistakes. He wanted to prove that erasing oil colors was possible, but that it wasn’t possible to erase watercolors.
3. NightHawks
Nighthawks is an oil painting by Edward Hopper. It is a depiction of the elusive judgment of today’s society. The painting contains four figures that seem completely disconnected and isolated from their surroundings, despite the environment being a chic and sophisticated one. The man and woman appear to be holding hands, but on closer inspection, it becomes clear that they are not even looking at each other, let alone hold hands.
The Art Institute of Chicago bought the painting as soon as Hopper completed it in 1942.
4. Salvator Mundi
Salvator Mundi is a wide artwork which is 66cm x 45 cm long. It was created by Leonardo, an Italian Renaissance artist in the 1500 century.
The painting is a depiction of Jesus, the Savior of the world. He is seen making the sign of the Cross with His right hand while holding a crystal, transparent globe in His left hand. The painting is somewhat confusingly called an original and a copy of a lost one. It was then put up at the National Gallery for one of Leonardo’s most famous exhibition in 2011-2012 in London.
5. Dog in the Snow
Franz Marc created this famous composition in 1911. The painting is a reflection of Marc’s own dog, a Siberian Shepherd named Russi. The artist painted animals as he felt they are closer and purer to God.
6. Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee by Rembrandt
Rembrandt van Rijn, the Dutch Golden Age painter, painted the Storm on the Sea in 1633. It is a depiction of Christ with His disciples on a ship that was caught up in a storm on the Sea of Galilee.
7. Portrait of Mari Clasen
The Mari Clasen portrait is one of the most applauded oil paintings in the world. It was painted by Halfdan Johnsen Egedius, who based in Drammen, Norway. The artist finished this painting when he was merely 17 years old.
8. Venus’ Birth
Sandro Botticelli painted the Birth of Venus, which shows the emergence of the beautiful woman, the Goddess of Venus from the sea. The beautiful face of the Goddess, along with her graceful shy posture, is the most striking part of this painting.
9. The Old Guitarist
Pablo Picasso’s most haunting and eerie image is that of the Old Guitarist. In this painting, the artist has limited himself to a blue palette that is monochromatic and cold. It depicts the psychological, emotional, and mental themes of human alienation and misery.
10. The Son of Man
Rene Magritte painted the Son of Man, which is a depiction of his own self in a black suit but an apple obscuring his face.
11. Christina’s World
Andrew Wyeth made Christina’s world in the 20th Century, which holds the reputation of one of the world’s most famous paintings. It is a depiction of Anna Christina. She is a woman with a muscular disorder, crawling up a field that is yellowish-brown and gazing lovingly at a grey farmhouse.
12. Dogs Playing Poker
Dogs playing Poker is an image of 16 dogs around a poker table playing cards. It is an iconic representation of 19th Century Americans and was painted by C.M. Coolidge in 1903.
13. The Dance
Henri Matisse’ ‘The Dance,’ is based on Fauvism and represented by bright colours. It shows a few people dancing together with a noteworthy blue background.
14. The Flower Carrier
Diego Rivera painted the ‘The Flower Carrier.’ He is 20th Century’s most popular Mexican artist. The painting depicts a person struggling to carry a heavy load of flowers.
15. Café Terrace at Night
Vincent van Gogh made the Café Terrace at Night. It is a simple depiction of a café at dinner time with a set of vibrant colours.
