Throughout the centuries, only several paintings have withstood the test of time and achieved world recognition across all ages and many societies, thanks to their unique display of talent and style. If you’re planning an art-filled trip on your next excursion, we’ve rounded up some of the world famous paintings and where they are now.
- “Mona Lisa”
This painting of a mysterious lady with an enigmatic smile needs no introduction. It’s definitely no surprise that his half-length portrait by the renowned Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci is described as “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world.”
“Mona Lisa” can be found in The Louvre, the world’s largest art museum and a historic monument in Paris, France.
- “The Last Supper”
Another painting by Leonardo da Vinci, “The Last Supper” depicts a famous scene from Holy Thursday, in which Jesus and his Apostles shared a final meal before his death and resurrection. The painting, 4.6 meters high and 8.8 meters wide, covers an end wall of the dining hall at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, where it now calls home.
- “Starry Night”
Widely hailed as Van Gogh’s magnum opus, “Starry Night” is an oil painting done on canvas by Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. When Van Gogh painted this masterpiece, he was living in an asylum in Saint-Rémy, France, where he was being treated for mental illness. “Starry Night” depicts a dreamy interpretation of the view outside his sanatorium room window at night.
You can take a closer look at “Starry Night” at the Museum of Modern Art, New York City.
- “Girl with a Pearl Earring”
Often compared with “Mona Lisa”, “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is an oil painting by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer. Even though there have been many speculations that even led to a novel and film, no one knows for sure the identity of the girl in the painting, which adds more to the mystery.
The painting is currently displayed in The Hague’s Mauritshuis, the Netherlands.
