famous paintings by famous artists

Why da Vinci’s smile still haunts pop culture

Alright, let’s cut to the chase—if famous paintings by famous artists threw a high school reunion, Mona Lisa would 100% be crowned prom queen. She’s locked up behind bulletproof glass at the Louvre like she’s guarding the secret recipe for Tim Hortons’ double-double or the last Timbit in Ontario. That half-smile? It’s sparked more hot takes than a Leafs playoff collapse in overtime. Is she amused? Smug? Secretly plotting to take over the Group of Seven? Art historians, TikTok teens, and that one uncle who swears he “gets vibes” from oil paint have all had their say. But here’s the real tea: it’s not just the mystery—it’s the mad skill. Da Vinci’s *sfumato* technique (that dreamy, smoky blur) made her feel like she could step right outta the frame, while everyone else back then painted faces that looked like they’d just bitten into a frozen Nanaimo bar. Oh, and she’s been stolen, memed into oblivion, and even crooned to by Nat King Cole. Now *that’s* what we call a legacy, eh?

Painting the cosmos from an asylum window

Vincent van Gogh didn’t just slap some stars on canvas—he bottled the whole dang northern lights and chucked ‘em onto a board with pure emotional horsepower. Painted in 1889 while he was staying at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole (read: not exactly a cozy cabin in Algonquin Park), *Starry Night* is hands-down one of the most soul-stirring famous paintings by famous artists ever made. Those swirling skies? Not just flair—they’re straight-up visual anxiety, man. But down below, the village sleeps peaceful, like it’s totally unaware of the cosmic chaos overhead. Wild fact: Van Gogh sold exactly *one* painting in his whole life. ONE. Now? MoMA in New York treats *Starry Night* like it’s part of the national anthem—won’t even put a price tag on it. Talk about a posthumous glow-up worthy of a Drake verse.

Munch’s existential howl in oil, pastel, and anxiety

Edvard Munch’s *The Scream* isn’t just art—it’s the OG “my Wi-Fi’s out, my double-double’s cold, and I missed the last GO Train” face. Blood-orange sky? Check. Ghostly figure clutching its head like it just checked its bank balance after a weekend in Whistler? Double check. Painted in 1893, it’s part of Munch’s “Frieze of Life” series—all about love, dread, and wondering if you left the stove on. And fun twist: there are *four* versions—two in paint, two in pastel. One even got snatched during the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer (worst timing since spilling poutine on your white jeans). But memes and thefts aside, *The Scream* still stands tall among famous paintings by famous artists, proving that existential panic’s been trending since before hockey was even a thing.

When art becomes a protest sign

Picasso didn’t do subtlety. When Nazi bombers flattened Guernica in 1937, he didn’t tweet—he painted a 25-foot-wide mural of pure, unfiltered rage. *Guernica* is chaos with a capital C: a mom screaming over her dead kid, a bull stomping like it just heard gas prices jumped again, and this creepy lightbulb staring down like a surveillance cam in a Timmies parking lot. No colour? Makes it hit harder—like watching a horror flick with the saturation turned off. For decades, it toured the globe as an anti-war statement, refusing to go back to Spain until democracy was back on the menu. Now it lives in Madrid’s Reina Sofía Museum, standing as one of the most politically charged famous paintings by famous artists ever. No filter. No chill. Just truth, raw as a February wind in Winnipeg.

Where myth floats ashore on a seashell

Botticelli’s *The Birth of Venus* is basically Renaissance-era Instagram gold—ethereal, glowing, and serving major “just stepped off a BC ferry” energy. Painted around 1485, it shows Venus popping outta the sea on a giant scallop shell, totally nude but somehow classy as heck, with Zephyrus and Chloris blowing her toward shore like nature’s own Uber. What made it wild for its time? It was one of the first big non-religious nudes since, like, Roman times. While everyone else was painting saints looking stern, Botticelli said, “Nah, let’s celebrate pagan goddess realness.” Today, it’s chilling in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, where tourists line up like it’s the front row at Osheaga. Honestly, if famous paintings by famous artists had a vibe check, Venus would breeze through with perfect hair and zero regrets.

Decoding the art world’s ultimate squad

You’ve probably heard the term tossed around at a Montreal gallery opening or during a late-night poutine-fueled debate—but who *are* these so-called “Big 7” painters? There’s no official list (the art world’s drama level rivals a Maple Leafs locker room), but most folks agree it’s: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Monet. These legends didn’t just make famous paintings by famous artists—they rewrote the whole playbook. Da Vinci mixed science and brushstrokes like a mad genius; Rembrandt turned candlelight into soul; Monet made fog feel like a symphony. Together, they’re the Mount Rushmore of the art world—but with better hair. Sure, some might throw Frida Kahlo or Caravaggio into the mix (and fair enough!), but this crew? They’re the OGs whose work still pulls crowds like a surprise Drake drop.

Not just pretty pictures, but global icons

Forget box office stats—real fame is measured in museum lineups and how many times your grandma’s seen it on a tote bag from Simons. Based on search trends, exhibit buzz, and sheer “I know that one!” energy, here’s our take on the top 10 famous paintings by famous artists:

• Mona Lisa – Leonardo da Vinci
• The Starry Night – Vincent van Gogh
• The Last Supper – Leonardo da Vinci
• Guernica – Pablo Picasso
• The Scream – Edvard Munch
• The Birth of Venus – Sandro Botticelli
• Girl with a Pearl Earring – Johannes Vermeer
• The Night Watch – Rembrandt
• Water Lilies – Claude Monet
• The Persistence of Memory – Salvador Dalí

See the pattern? These aren’t just technically slick—they stick in your brain like gum on a winter boot. You quote them. You screenshot them. You wear them on socks from Simons. That’s the magic of famous paintings by famous artists: they live way beyond the frame.

Surrealism served with a side of lobster phone

If dreams needed a hype man, Dalí’s the guy. His 1931 masterpiece *The Persistence of Memory*—with those droopy, melting clocks draped over branches like they gave up on daylight savings—is surrealism’s ultimate flex. Inspired by Einstein’s relativity (or maybe just too much cheese before bed), Dalí called them “soft watches,” symbols of time being as flexible as a yoga instructor in Banff. The whole thing’s tiny—barely bigger than a Nanaimo bar—but it looms large in pop culture. From *The Simpsons* to indie album covers, those saggy clocks whisper, “Reality’s optional, buddy.” And honestly? In 2026, that feels more Canadian than saying “sorry” to a mailbox. Among famous paintings by famous artists, this one’s the weird cousin who shows up late to Thanksgiving but ends up stealing the whole show.

How one Dutchman turned domestic scenes into poetry

Johannes Vermeer didn’t paint epic battles or gods throwing lightning bolts—he painted women reading letters, pouring milk, or side-eyeing you like you just tracked snow into the house. His *Girl with a Pearl Earring* (circa 1665) isn’t a portrait—it’s a frozen moment, like catching someone mid-thought on a quiet morning in Halifax. We don’t know her name, her story, or if she even existed. But that look? Direct, intimate, like she’s about to spill the tea. Vermeer used ultramarine pigment—made from crushed lapis lazuli, which cost more than a downtown Vancouver condo—to paint shadows with impossible depth. Only 34 of his works survive, but each one feels like a whispered secret over a warm latte. In a world full of loud, flashy art, Vermeer’s quiet power among famous paintings by famous artists speaks louder than a snowplow at 6 a.m.

When Instagram meets Impressionism

Here’s the kicker: famous paintings by famous artists aren’t collecting dust—they’re absolutely thriving online. TikTok edits set *Starry Night* to lo-fi beats like it’s background music for cramming for finals. AI turns *Mona Lisa* into a cyberpunk hacker sipping oat milk lattes in Toronto. NFT projects riff on Dalí’s iconic mustache like it’s a crypto mascot. And museums? They’re all in. The Louvre’s got VR tours; the Met streams curator chats like it’s a podcast. Even auction houses now take crypto (though we’re pretty sure Van Gogh wouldn’t trade sunflowers for Dogecoin—dude couldn’t even sell one in his lifetime!). This digital renaissance means art’s not just for folks in tuxedos at gala nights—it’s for teens in hoodies scrolling at 2 a.m. in Calgary. And hey, if sharing *Guernica* as your “current mood” makes one kid Google Picasso? Mission accomplished, eh. For more on how classic visions shape today’s scene, check out SB Contemporary Art, dive into our View category, or explore Famous Female Paintings: Empowering Art Stories.

References

• https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection
• https://www.louvre.fr/en
• https://www.tate.org.uk/art
• https://www.moma.org/collection
• https://www.nga.gov
• https://www.uffizi.it/en
• https://www.museoreinasofia.es/en
• https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en
• https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk
• https://www.artic.edu