Skip to content
ArtCentral
How big is it?Mona LisaThe Starry NightThe ScreamThe Last SupperSee all: PaintingsVincent van Gogh paintingsLeonardo da Vinci paintingsJohannes Vermeer paintingsClaude Monet paintingsSee all: ArtistsFamous paintings in New YorkFamous paintings in ParisFamous paintings in LondonFamous paintings in Washington, DCSee all: Where to seeFamous paintings quizPainting size comparisonMuseum day plannerQuiz packs for teachersSee all: Tools

The world's most famous paintings

By ArtCentral editors · Updated · How we check

These are the 108 paintings people search for most, arranged from the Renaissance to modern art. Each one links to a page that explains what you are looking at, why it is famous, how big it really is and where you can see it.

Italian Renaissance

Ginevra de' Benci by Leonardo da VinciGinevra de' BenciLeonardo da Vinci, c. 1474 to 1478 Washington, DCPrimaveraSandro Botticelli, c. 1480 to 1485 FlorenceThe Birth of VenusSandro Botticelli, c. 1485 FlorenceLady with an Ermine by Leonardo da VinciLady with an ErmineLeonardo da Vinci, c. 1490 KrakówVitruvian ManLeonardo da Vinci, c. 1490 VeniceThe Last SupperLeonardo da Vinci, c. 1495 to 1498 MilanSalvator Mundi by Leonardo da VinciSalvator MundiLeonardo da Vinci, c. 1500 Private collectionMona Lisa by Leonardo da VinciMona LisaLeonardo da Vinci, c. 1503 to 1506 ParisThe Creation of AdamMichelangelo, c. 1508 to 1512 Vatican CityThe School of AthensRaphael, 1509 to 1511 Vatican City

Northern Renaissance

The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van EyckThe Arnolfini PortraitJan van Eyck, 1434 LondonThe Garden of Earthly DelightsHieronymus Bosch, c. 1490 to 1500 MadridThe Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the YoungerThe AmbassadorsHans Holbein the Younger, 1533 LondonThe Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the ElderThe Tower of BabelPieter Bruegel the Elder, 1563 ViennaThe Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the ElderThe Hunters in the SnowPieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565 ViennaThe Harvesters by Pieter Bruegel the ElderThe HarvestersPieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565 New York

Mannerism

View of Toledo by El GrecoView of ToledoEl Greco, c. 1599 to 1600 New York

Baroque

The Musicians by CaravaggioThe MusiciansCaravaggio, 1597 New YorkThe Calling of Saint MatthewCaravaggio, 1599 to 1600 RomeJudith Slaying HolofernesArtemisia Gentileschi, c. 1612 to 1614 NaplesJuan de Pareja by Diego VelázquezJuan de ParejaDiego Velázquez, 1650 New YorkLas Meninas by Diego VelázquezLas MeninasDiego Velázquez, 1656 Madrid

Dutch Golden Age

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes TulpRembrandt, 1632 The HagueThe Night Watch by RembrandtThe Night WatchRembrandt, 1642 AmsterdamAristotle with a Bust of HomerRembrandt, 1653 New YorkThe Goldfinch by Carel FabritiusThe GoldfinchCarel Fabritius, 1654 The HagueThe Milkmaid by Johannes VermeerThe MilkmaidJohannes Vermeer, c. 1660 AmsterdamView of Delft by Johannes VermeerView of DelftJohannes Vermeer, c. 1660 to 1661 The HagueYoung Woman with a Water PitcherJohannes Vermeer, c. 1662 New YorkWoman Holding a Balance by Johannes VermeerWoman Holding a BalanceJohannes Vermeer, c. 1664 Washington, DCGirl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes VermeerGirl with a Pearl EarringJohannes Vermeer, c. 1665 The HagueThe Jewish Bride by RembrandtThe Jewish BrideRembrandt, c. 1665 to 1669 AmsterdamGirl with the Red Hat by Johannes VermeerGirl with the Red HatJohannes Vermeer, c. 1669 Washington, DC

Rococo

The Swing by Jean-Honoré FragonardThe SwingJean-Honoré Fragonard, c. 1767 LondonThe Blue Boy by Thomas GainsboroughThe Blue BoyThomas Gainsborough, c. 1770 San Marino, California

Neoclassicism

The Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis DavidThe Oath of the HoratiiJacques-Louis David, 1784 to 1785 ParisThe Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis DavidThe Death of SocratesJacques-Louis David, 1787 New YorkThe Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis DavidThe Death of MaratJacques-Louis David, 1793 BrusselsNapoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis DavidNapoleon Crossing the AlpsJacques-Louis David, 1801 Rueil-Malmaison (near Paris)Napoleon in His Study by Jacques-Louis DavidNapoleon in His StudyJacques-Louis David, 1812 Washington, DCGrande Odalisque by Jean-Auguste-Dominique IngresGrande OdalisqueJean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1814 Paris

Romanticism

Watson and the Shark by John Singleton CopleyWatson and the SharkJohn Singleton Copley, 1778 Washington, DCThe Nightmare by Henry FuseliThe NightmareHenry Fuseli, 1781 DetroitThe Third of May 1808 by Francisco GoyaThe Third of May 1808Francisco Goya, 1814 MadridWanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David FriedrichWanderer above the Sea of FogCaspar David Friedrich, c. 1818 HamburgThe Raft of the Medusa by Théodore GéricaultThe Raft of the MedusaThéodore Géricault, 1818 to 1819 ParisSaturn Devouring His Son by Francisco GoyaSaturn Devouring His SonFrancisco Goya, c. 1819 to 1823 MadridThe Hay Wain by John ConstableThe Hay WainJohn Constable, 1821 LondonLiberty Leading the People by Eugène DelacroixLiberty Leading the PeopleEugène Delacroix, 1830 ParisThe Fighting Temeraire by J. M. W. TurnerThe Fighting TemeraireJ. M. W. Turner, 1839 LondonRain, Steam and Speed by J. M. W. TurnerRain, Steam and SpeedJ. M. W. Turner, 1844 LondonWashington Crossing the DelawareEmanuel Leutze, 1851 New YorkTwilight in the Wilderness by Frederic Edwin ChurchTwilight in the WildernessFrederic Edwin Church, 1860 Cleveland

Realism

The Horse Fair by Rosa BonheurThe Horse FairRosa Bonheur, 1852 to 1855 New YorkThe Gleaners by Jean-François MilletThe GleanersJean-François Millet, 1857 ParisThe Angelus by Jean-François MilletThe AngelusJean-François Millet, 1857 to 1859 ParisOlympia by Édouard ManetOlympiaÉdouard Manet, 1863 ParisLe Déjeuner sur l'herbe by Édouard ManetLe Déjeuner sur l'herbeÉdouard Manet, 1863 ParisWhistler's Mother by James McNeill WhistlerWhistler's MotherJames McNeill Whistler, 1871 ParisBreezing Up (A Fair Wind) by Winslow HomerBreezing Up (A Fair Wind)Winslow Homer, 1873 to 1876 Washington, DCThe Gross Clinic by Thomas EakinsThe Gross ClinicThomas Eakins, 1875 PhiladelphiaMadame X by John Singer SargentMadame XJohn Singer Sargent, 1883 to 1884 New YorkThe Gulf Stream by Winslow HomerThe Gulf StreamWinslow Homer, 1899 New York

Japanese ukiyo-e

The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika HokusaiThe Great Wave off KanagawaKatsushika Hokusai, c. 1830 to 1832 New York

Pre-Raphaelite and Victorian

Ophelia by John Everett MillaisOpheliaJohn Everett Millais, 1851 to 1852 LondonThe Lady of Shalott by John William WaterhouseThe Lady of ShalottJohn William Waterhouse, 1888 LondonFlaming June by Frederic LeightonFlaming JuneFrederic Leighton, 1895 Ponce

Impressionism

Garden at Sainte-Adresse by Claude MonetGarden at Sainte-AdresseClaude Monet, 1867 New YorkImpression, Sunrise by Claude MonetImpression, SunriseClaude Monet, 1872 ParisThe Dance Class by Edgar DegasThe Dance ClassEdgar Degas, 1874 New YorkWoman with a Parasol by Claude MonetWoman with a ParasolClaude Monet, 1875 Washington, DCBal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste RenoirBal du moulin de la GalettePierre-Auguste Renoir, 1876 ParisParis Street; Rainy DayGustave Caillebotte, 1877 ChicagoLuncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste RenoirLuncheon of the Boating PartyPierre-Auguste Renoir, 1880 to 1881 Washington, DCA Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Édouard ManetA Bar at the Folies-BergèreÉdouard Manet, 1882 LondonThe Child's Bath by Mary CassattThe Child's BathMary Cassatt, 1893 ChicagoBridge over a Pond of Water LiliesClaude Monet, 1899 New YorkThe Japanese Footbridge by Claude MonetThe Japanese FootbridgeClaude Monet, 1899 Washington, DC

Post-Impressionism

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges SeuratA Sunday on La Grande JatteGeorges Seurat, 1884 to 1886 ChicagoThe Potato Eaters by Vincent van GoghThe Potato EatersVincent van Gogh, 1885 AmsterdamSelf-Portrait with a Straw HatVincent van Gogh, 1887 New YorkCafé Terrace at Night by Vincent van GoghCafé Terrace at NightVincent van Gogh, 1888 OtterloThe Night Café by Vincent van GoghThe Night CaféVincent van Gogh, 1888 New Haven, ConnecticutThe Bedroom by Vincent van GoghThe BedroomVincent van Gogh, 1888 AmsterdamSunflowersVincent van Gogh, 1888 LondonStarry Night Over the Rhône by Vincent van GoghStarry Night Over the RhôneVincent van Gogh, 1888 ParisThe Starry Night by Vincent van GoghThe Starry NightVincent van Gogh, 1889 New YorkWheat Field with Cypresses by Vincent van GoghWheat Field with CypressesVincent van Gogh, 1889 New YorkIrises by Vincent van GoghIrisesVincent van Gogh, 1889 Los AngelesSelf-Portrait with Bandaged EarVincent van Gogh, 1889 LondonCypresses by Vincent van GoghCypressesVincent van Gogh, 1889 New YorkAlmond Blossom by Vincent van GoghAlmond BlossomVincent van Gogh, 1890 AmsterdamWheatfield with Crows by Vincent van GoghWheatfield with CrowsVincent van Gogh, 1890 AmsterdamThe Basket of Apples by Paul CézanneThe Basket of ApplesPaul Cézanne, c. 1893 ChicagoThe Sleeping Gypsy by Henri RousseauThe Sleeping GypsyHenri Rousseau, 1897 New York

Symbolism and Art Nouveau

The Scream by Edvard MunchThe ScreamEdvard Munch, 1893 OsloThe Kiss by Gustav KlimtThe KissGustav Klimt, 1907 to 1908 ViennaPortrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IGustav Klimt, 1907 New York

Modern art

The Old GuitaristPablo Picasso, 1903 to 1904 ChicagoLes Demoiselles d'AvignonPablo Picasso, 1907 New YorkThe Treachery of ImagesRené Magritte, 1929 Los AngelesThe Persistence of MemorySalvador Dalí, 1931 New YorkGuernicaPablo Picasso, 1937 MadridThe Two FridasFrida Kahlo, 1939 Mexico CityThe Son of ManRené Magritte, 1964 Private collection

American realism

American GothicGrant Wood, 1930 ChicagoNighthawksEdward Hopper, 1942 ChicagoChristina's WorldAndrew Wyeth, 1948 New York

How we chose them

We started from how often people search for each painting by name in the US (Semrush keyword data, October 2026) and kept the works with real demand, then checked each painting's date, size and home museum against Wikidata, the museum's own records and Wikipedia. See how we check.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most famous painting in the world?

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, in the Louvre in Paris. It is searched for far more than any other painting.

Which museum has the most famous paintings?

On our list, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York hold the most. See famous paintings by city.

More about these paintings

Famous paintings timelineA timeline of the world's most famous paintings in date order, from the Arnolfini Portrait (1434) t…Famous Renaissance paintingsThe 16 most famous Renaissance paintings, from the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper to The Birth of Ve…Famous American paintingsThe most famous American paintings, from Washington Crossing the Delaware to American Gothic and Ni…How big is the Mona Lisa?The Mona Lisa measures 79.4 × 53.4 cm (31.3 × 21.0 in). See it to scale next to a person, and compa…Famous paintings of women42 famous paintings of women, from the Mona Lisa and Girl with a Pearl Earring to Madame X, Flaming…

Painting of the week

A famous painting every week

One painting a week: what to look for, the story behind it and where to see it.

It costs nothing, you can stop any time, and nobody else gets your email. Your privacy.