THE 30 MOST FAMOUS PAINTINGS IN HISTORY - ART - 2025

Today we show you the most famous paintings in the history of art. A gallery of paintings that collects works by Da Vinci, Picasso, Klimt, Munch, Dalí, Van Gogh, Diego Velazquez, Sanzio and Miguel Ángel.

Did you know that the painting that has been paid the most money in history is Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi? It was sold in 2017 at the well-known Christies auction house in New York, being acquired by Saudi Badr bin Abdullah for 450 million dollars.

The Mona Lisa exhibited at the Louvre. Image by Thomas Staub from Pixabay

The funny thing is that there are works that belong to countries or private museums that are not for sale and that if they were they would far exceed the price of the Salvator Mundi. Here you can apply the saying “not everything buys money” How much do you think La Gioconda or The Last Supper would cost?

If you are a lover of the arts, this list of the 30 most famous paintings in history will enchant you. We will develop which artists made them, why they are so important to humanity and other curiosities.

List of the best known paintings in history

The Mona Lisa

Also known as The Mona Lisa, it is one of the most famous works of the Renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci. The exact date on which it was painted is unknown, but many believe it occurred between 1503 and 1519. It stands out for its chiaroscuro technique and the enigmatic smile of the woman portrayed. It is currently exhibited at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The Last Supper

The Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci, via Wikimedia CommonsDa Vinci was also the artist of this majestic painting made between 1495 and 1497. It represents the Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his apostles, narrated in the Gospel of Saint John. It is considered a key work of the Renaissance. Today the mural is on display in the Church of Santa María delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.

The girl of the pearl

The girl of the pearl. From Johannes Vermeer - Copied from Mauritshuis website, resampled and uploaded by Crisco 1492 (discussion · contribs.), October 2014, Public Domain, This charming painting was made by the German artist Johannes Vermeer in 1665. Since then, it has been considered by some as "The Mona Lisa of the North." It represents exactly what its title indicates: a beautiful young woman with a pearl. It can currently be found in the Mauritshuis gallery in The Hague.

The Guernica

This painting is one of Pablo Picasso's most important works. In it, the artist illustrates the bombing of the city of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. In 1981, the painting returned to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Spain. Before that, he had been in New York for the forty years of Franco's dictatorship.

The kiss

The kiss. From Gustav Klimt - Google Art Project, Public Domain, This painting dates from 1908. Promoted as the most famous work of the artist Gustav Klimt, The Kiss depicts a realistic and geometric scene of the intimacy of a couple. Also, what sets it apart from other paintings is the incorporation of golden leaves on the canvas. Aesthetic that became a shopper favorite in the early 20th century.

The starry Night

Source Pixabay.com

Vincent Van Gogh painted many pieces. However, this particular work was the most important. With a spectacular impasto technique, he represented the night view he had from the Saint Rémy sanatorium. It was in this place that he lived the last months of his life. Today it is exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The son of man

The son of man. Image via

This work was made by the surrealist painter René Magritte in 1964, as a portrait of himself. It shows a man standing in front of a wall wearing a coat, a red tie and a hat. However, the most striking feature of the work is the floating green apple that covers her face.

The Scream

This work was made by artist Edvard Munch and is an expressionist painting. The deformed face, the feelings of anxiety and despair were achieved in a few strokes of paint. El Grito has three versions. Two of them were stolen; although recovered shortly after. The first, instead, is in the National Gallery in Oslo.

The Persistence of Memory

This painting was painted by Salvador Dalí in 1931. It represents a group of clocks melting in the middle of the desert. It alludes to time and eternity. In fact, Einstein's theory of relativity is believed to have inspired the work. Today the painting is kept in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Napoleon crossing the Alps

Jacques-Louis David via Wikimedia CommonsOil painted portrait made by the French artist Jacques-Louis David between 1801 and 1805, at the request of the Spanish ambassador to France for Napoleon Bonaparte himself. The idea of ​​this painting was to represent the power that the military wielded, as well as his victories.

The virgin of the rocks

This is the name given to two important paintings by Da Vinci, which were painted in 1483. The most attractive feature of both is that they were represented with the same oil-on-board painting technique. One of them is in the Louvre Museum, while the other is still preserved in the National Gallery.

Dogs playing poker

Dogs playing poker. From Cassius Marcellus Coolidge - Unknown, Public Domain, This painting was painted by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge in 1903 at the request of the Brown & Bigelow Company. The artist illustrated 16 different images of a group of dogs playing poker around a large table. Over time, his work became a true icon. It has even been parodied on greeting cards and television series.

The school of Athens

School of Athens. Rafael Sanzio.

This work is one of the most remarkable of the artist Rafael Sanzio. It was painted between 1510 and 1512. It beautifully represents the origins of Western thought. Best of all, when he portrayed the group of philosophers, he did so by putting the faces of contemporary artists on them.

The Garden of Earthly Delights

The Garden of Earthly Delights. From Jerónimo Bosch - Online gallery, Prado Museum., Public domain, With this name is known one of the most famous works of the painter Jheronimus Bosch; better known as El Bosco. The Garden of Earthly Delights is a triptych painted in oil on a panel that can be closed. One of the panels represents paradise, the second the earthly life and the third hell.

Las Meninas

Las Meninas. By Diego Velázquez - Online Gallery, Prado Museum., Public domain, This painting is considered the masterpiece of Diego Velázquez. In it, the painter managed to represent an everyday scene from the court of Philip IV through various lighting inputs. Likewise, the boundaries between painting and reality are blurred when the artist himself portrays himself within the work. It is currently exhibited in the Prado Museum.

Final judgment

This majestic work was painted by Michelangelo at the request of Pope Julius II. In the nine central pictures the stories of Genesis are reflected. Since the creation of Adam, the fall of man and the rebirth of humanity from Noah's Ark. On the columns, there are five Sibyls and seven Prophets.

Adan creation

After the Sistine Chapel, this painting is one of the best known works of Michelangelo. It has been reproduced and adapted by popular culture so many times that it is still surprising to watch. The closeness between the hands of God and Adam is so popular that there are tons of references, parodies and even adaptations.

Freedom guiding the people

Source: Eugène Delacroix, via Wikimedia Commons This famous painting of Romanticism was painted by Eugene Delacroix in 1830. This work represents the revolution in France by showing the tricolor flag in the hands of the lady. It also transmits the complexity of the concepts of freedom, social classes and fallen people.

Portrait of the artist without a beard

This self-portrait by Vincent Van Gogh is another of his most remarkable paintings. And not because he showed his face, but because it was the first time he was represented without a beard. In addition, it was sold for 71.5 million dollars in 1998, making it one of the most expensive paintings.

Lily pads

This beautiful work dedicated to France as a symbol of peace, after the signing of Armistice in 1918. It was painted by Monet and it shows various lilies in the water, the reflection of the trees, their roots and the clouds offering the illusion of natural infinity. Today, they are in the Musée de l´Orangerie.

Whistler's mother

This is the name that was given to the most famous portrait of James McNeill. Work that was originally recognized as a Black and White Portrait of the Artist's Mother. The painting was painted in 1871. However, despite being an American piece, the work is owned by the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum.

The three musicians

At first glance it looks like a funny collage, but it is a famous oil painting made by Pablo Picasso in 1921. The artist made two similar versions that constitute masterpieces of art history. One can be found in the Museum of New York, while the other is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Sunday afternoon on the Iila de La Grande Jatte

This painting is the most ambitious work of Georges Seurat and the pinnacle of Pointillism. Since, as its name indicates, it is composed entirely of dots of different colors. Which, when mixed, offer the viewer a completely new and different vision of art.

Dance at the Moulin de la Galette

It is a work of the impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It was painted in 1876 and stands out for the sensuality of its lines, for the dialogues and the looks that each of the characters convey. It was sold for $ 127.4 million. Therefore, it is one of the most expensive paintings of all time.

Cafe terrace at night

This is another Van Gogh work painted in 1888. It shines for being considered one of the most individual representations of the mundane environment. Unfortunately, the artist never signed this piece as his own. However, the continuous references found in many of his personal documents made him the undisputed author of the painting.

The flower bearer

This painting was painted in 1935 by the Mexican Diego Rivera. It shows a peasant kneeling while her wife places a large basket of flowers on her back. The hat covers his face, but that expression of resignation is what has kept this colorful work as one of the most famous in history.

The night watch

Popularly known in modern culture as The Night Watch, this work was painted by the artist Rembrandt between 1640 and 1642. In it he represented the request of the captain of the militia to paint him along with his 17 guards. That way, they could show the Queen of France that they were visiting.

Babel's tower

This painting was painted by Pieter Brueghel "the Elder" in 1563. It clearly depicts that tower that, according to the Bible, was built by man to reach heaven. The unfinished structure and the presence of some clouds symbolize the story that all Christians know.

Spring

Also known as Allegory of Spring, this painting was made by the Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli between 1477 and 1482. This painting is loaded with symbolism and precious details. From the season of flowers to a select group of mythological characters, both Greek and Roman. The idea for this painting arose from a request made by Lorenzo di Perfrancesco de Medici.

The drunks

Also known as El Triunfo de Baco, it is a painting made by the Spanish artist Diego Velázquez, between 1628 and 1629. The work represents a scene in which the god Bacchus crowns one of the seven drunks that surround him with ivy leaves.. Without a doubt, a mixture of the profane and the mythological in a single piece.