Pictures horoscope: who wrote your love story? "Hands Resist Him"

Magnificent works of art by the hands of great masters can surprise even people for whom art means little. That is why world-famous museums are among the most popular attractions, attracting millions of visitors a year.

To stand out from the huge number of paintings written throughout the history of art, the artist needs not only talent, but also the ability to express a unique plot in an unusual and very relevant way for his time.

The paintings presented below speak loudly not only about the talent of their authors, but also about the numerous cultural trends that have appeared and disappeared, and about the most important historical events that have always been reflected in art.

"Birth of Venus"

This painting, painted by the great Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, depicts the moment when the beautiful Venus appears from the sea foam. One of the most compelling aspects of the painting is the modest pose of the goddess and her simple yet beautiful face.

"Dogs play poker"

Painted by Cassius Coolidge in 1903, this series of 16 paintings depicts dogs gathered around a coffee or gambling table playing poker. Many critics recognize these paintings as the canonical depiction of Americans of the era.

Portrait of Madame Recamier

Painted by Jacques-Louis David, this portrait depicts a glitzy socialite in a contrastingly minimalist and simple setting, dressed in a simple sleeveless white dress. This is a vivid example of neoclassicism in portrait art.

№5

This famous painting by Jackson Pollock is his most iconic work, vividly depicting all the chaos that raged in the soul and mind of Pollock. This is one of the most expensive works ever sold by an American artist.

"Son of Man"

"The Son of Man" by Rene Magritte is a kind of self-portrait depicting the artist himself in a black suit, but with an apple instead of a face.

"Number 1" ("Royal Red and Blue")

This rather recent piece by Mark Rothko is nothing more than brushstrokes of three different shades on a handmade canvas. The painting is currently on display at the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Massacre of the Innocent"

Based on the biblical story of the massacre of innocent babies in Bethlehem, Peter Paul Rubens created this macabre and brutal painting that touches the emotions of all who look at it.

"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte"

Created by Georges Seurat, this unique and very popular painting depicts the relaxed atmosphere of a weekend in a big city. Such painting is an excellent example of pointillism, which combines many dots into one whole.

"Dance"

"Dance" by Henri Matisse is an example of a style called Fauvism, which is characterized by bright, almost unnatural colors and shapes and high dynamics.

"American Gothic"

"American Gothic" is a work of art that perfectly symbolizes the image of Americans during the Great Depression. In this painting, Grant Wood depicted a stern, apparently religious couple standing in front of a simple house with gothic windows.

"Flower Loader"

This painting by the most popular Mexican painter of the 20th century, Diego Rivera, depicts a man who can hardly bear a basket overloaded with bright tropical flowers on his back.

"Whistler's Mother"

Also known as Arrangement in Gray and Black. The Artist's Mother, this is one of the most famous paintings by American artist James Whistler. In this painting, Whistler depicted his mother sitting in a chair against a gray wall. The painting uses only black and gray shades.

"The Persistence of Memory"

This is a cult work of no less cult Salvador Dali, the world-famous Spanish surrealist who brought this movement to the forefront of art.

Portrait of Dora Maar

Pablo Picasso is one of the most popular and influential Spanish painters. He is the founder of the sensational style at the time, called cubism, which seeks to break up any object and convey it with clear geometric shapes. This painting is the first portrait in the cubist style.

"Portrait of an Artist Without a Beard"

This painting by Van Gogh is a self-portrait, and unique, because it depicts the painter without the usual beard. In addition, this is one of the few Van Gogh paintings that have been sold to private collections.

"Night Cafe Terrace"

Painted by Vincent van Gogh, this painting depicts a familiar sight in a whole new way, using amazingly vibrant colors and unusual shapes.

"Composition VIII"

Wassily Kandinsky is recognized as the founder of abstract art - a style that uses forms and symbols instead of familiar objects and people. "Composition VIII" is one of the first paintings by the artist, made exclusively in this style.

"Kiss"

One of the first works of art in the Art Nouveau style, this painting is almost entirely done in gold tones. The painting by Gustav Klimt is one of the most striking works of style.

"Ball at the Moulin de la Galette"

The painting by Pierre Auguste Renoir is a vivid and dynamic depiction of city life. In addition, it is one of the most expensive paintings in the world.

"Olympia"

In Olympia, Édouard Manet created a real controversy, almost a scandal, since a naked woman with a gaze is clearly a mistress, not veiled by the myths of the classical period. This is one of the early works in the style of realism.

"Third May 1808 in Madrid"

In this work, Francisco Goya depicted Napoleon's attack on the Spaniards. This is one of the first Spanish paintings to portray the war in a negative light.

"Las Meninas"

The most famous painting by Diego Velasquez depicts the five-year-old Infanta Margherita in front of a portrait of her parents painted by Velasquez.

"Portrait of the Arnolfinis"

This painting is one of the oldest works of painting. It was painted by Jan van Eyck and depicts Italian businessman Giovanni Arnolfini and his pregnant wife in their home in Bruges.

"Scream"

A painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch depicts a man's face distorted by fear against a blood-red sky. The landscape in the background adds a dark charm to this painting. In addition, The Scream is one of the first expressionist paintings where realism is kept to a minimum to allow more freedom for emotion.

"Waters"

Water Lilies, by Claude Monet, is part of a series of 250 paintings depicting elements of the artist's own garden. These paintings are exhibited in various art museums around the world.

"Starlight Night"

Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is one of the most famous images in contemporary culture. It is currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

"Fall of Icarus"

This painting, painted by the Dutch artist Pieter Brueghel, shows a person's indifference to the suffering of their fellow men. A strong social theme is shown here in a rather simple way, using the image of Icarus drowning under water and people ignoring his suffering.

"The Creation of Adam"

The Creation of Adam is one of several magnificent frescoes by Michelangelo adorning the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace. It depicts the creation of Adam. In addition to depicting ideal human forms, the fresco is one of the first attempts to depict God in the history of art.

"The Last Supper"

This fresco by the great Leonardo depicts the last supper of Jesus before his betrayal, arrest and death. In addition to composition, form and color, the discussion of this fresco is replete with theories about hidden symbols and the presence of Mary Magdalene next to Jesus.

"Guernica"

Picasso's "Guernica" depicts the explosion of the Spanish city of the same name during the Spanish Civil War. This is a black-and-white picture, negatively depicting fascism, Nazism and their ideas.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring"

This painting by Johannes Vermeer is often referred to as the Dutch Mona Lisa, not only because of its extraordinary popularity, but also because the expression on the girl's face is difficult to capture and explain.

"Beheading of John the Baptist"

The painting by Caravaggio very realistically depicts the moment of the murder of John the Baptist in prison. The semi-darkness of the painting and the facial expressions of its characters make it a true classic masterpiece.

"The night Watch"

The Night Watch is one of Rembrandt's most famous paintings. It depicts a group portrait of a rifle company led by its officers. A unique aspect of the painting is the semi-darkness, which gives the impression of a night scene.

"School of Athens"

Painted by Raphael in his early Roman period, this fresco depicts famous Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Socrates, Pythagoras and others. Many philosophers are depicted as contemporaries of Raphael, for example, Plato - Leonardo da Vinci, Heraclitus - Michelangelo, Euclid - Bramante.

"Mona Lisa"

Probably the most famous painting in the world is Leonardo da Vinci's Gioconda, better known as the Mona Lisa. This canvas is a portrait of Mrs. Gherardini, who attracts attention with a mysterious expression on her face.

This is how Capricorns imagine the perfect love story: an elderly couple makes jam in the yard of their own house. And they do it, apparently, with great pleasure. In any case, the decanter on the table hints to us that the lovers decided to combine business with pleasure. Yes, lovers. Because Capricorns fall in love for life, and their feelings do not fade over the years - like the feelings of partners. After all, in fact, there is nothing difficult in making jam alone. But happiness is when he takes the pits out of the cherries, and she removes the foam. And even after fifty years of marriage, this is the same happiness.

Aquarius - Marc Chagall, "Walk"

The heroes of the picture are Marc Chagall himself and his wife Bella: the artist was in love with her all his life and, even after being widowed, did not paint any other women. And therefore, many are sure that this picture tells us: "Love inspires." But Chagall has a painting Over the City where he and Bella are flying. And here, it seems, the happy hero of the picture is about to take off, not so much from happiness, but because a beautiful lady is dragging him into the sky. By the way, given that Chagall has a bird in his other hand, he wanted to tell us that he was lucky to get both a titmouse in his hands and a crane in the sky. Something similar will happen to those who marry Aquarius. If, of course, they know how to stand firmly on the ground and take off at the right moment. Aquarius won't settle for anything less. Fly away, sir.

Popular

Pisces — Valentin Serov, The Abduction of Europe

Europe, as we know, was abducted not by anyone, but by Zeus himself in the form of a bull. Kidnapped, taken to the island of Crete and turned into a handsome man, from whom Europe gave birth to three sons. And then everything was fine with her: Europe married the Cretan king, the childless Asterion, and he left the throne to the sons of Europe from Zeus. But that was all later, but for now, Zeus in the form of a bull kidnaps Europe, and this is Rybka's ideal love story: let the male move his hooves, and quickly, and she will just sit beautifully.

Aries - Edmund Layton, "Knighting"

Edmund Leighton was, by all accounts, an amazing person: he lived in prim Victorian England and painted mostly even less cheerful Middle Ages. But he wrote in such a way that everyone immediately wants to buy a time machine and go to this wonderful fairy tale. Rare talent. Young ladies-Aries have the same talent, only in real life: they somehow mysteriously manage to create a beautiful sunny world around them, into which they are ready to invite a man. If, of course, he understands when it is time to kneel down, bow his head and call the Aries lady his mistress. If he doesn't understand, his head off his shoulders. Aries need real knights. Did he think he was in a fairy tale?

Taurus - Boris Kustodiev, The Sailor and the Sweetheart, 1920

If Taurus were offered to choose a picture in which to live, they would certainly choose Kustodiev, because his canvases always depict simple human happiness: sunny weather, cozy houses, delicious food and fat cats. And infinitely happy and contented women. And love in the understanding of Taurus is also not some dull suffering, but simple human happiness. Here is a sailor: he bought his dear beautiful rings, a rose, a fox on his collar and took him for a walk among people. Because why a fox, you ask, if there is nowhere to walk it, right? And we understand why the sweetheart is pleased, but pay attention to how the sailor is bursting with happiness. And by the way, he didn’t buy anything for himself except a cigar. Correct man!

Gemini - Gustav Klimt, The Kiss

By the way, this picture is painted not only with oil, but also with gold leaf. That is, even without that, at first glance it is not clear in what space this couple resides, so the canvas also shines, confusing. But if you look closely, it is clear that the lovers are kissing on a rock overgrown with flowers, somewhere far from the outside world. This, of course, is wonderful. Approximately this is what the enamored young ladies-Gemini do - they drag the sweetheart into their shining gold inner Mongolia. But, however, it must be borne in mind that from the flower cliff you can easily fall into the underworld. Klimt did not write it, but you know: it is definitely there. And, what's worse, it's impossible not to fall there. As a consolation, we report that the Gemini regularly soar upward: back and forth, back, you and I are pleased. Yes, Gemini has a peculiar concept of pleasant.

Cancer - Karl Bryullov, "Family" ("Waiting for a Child")

It is usually not clear to Cancer young ladies why they should fall in love if they do not create the right family. And the right family is, of course, a family in which there is someone to take care of. Here, for example, about the future baby, for which the father makes a cradle, and the mother sews a shirt. Well, until the baby is born, you can take care of the dog. In general, this picture of Bryullov is the ideal embodiment of true happiness: a sunny day, a cozy house, pleasant chores. But the most important thing in true happiness is the expectation of something wonderful that will happen very soon. Well, happy dogs are also an indispensable component of true love, but what about.

Leo - Titian, "Danae"

It was not by chance that we chose Titian's Danaë. Firstly, she is the most beautiful, and secondly, it is on the canvas of Titian that it is noticeable that Danae is not just lying beautifully here: she is lying in a rain of pure gold. We don’t know how physically pleasant it is to get hit on the knee with a piece of metal, albeit soft, but we have no questions about moral satisfaction: have you been showered with gold for a long time? Here's the same thing. This story is only about Lionesses. And this, by the way, is not just a rain of gold - this is Zeus, who decided in such a memorable way to enter the dungeon to Danae. We hope that now everyone understands how to properly roll up to the Lionesses?

Virgo - Hugo Van Der Goes, The Fall

A bit creepy for a modern look, the canvas, as, indeed, most of the paintings of the Flemings of that time. But not in the eyes of the Virgin. In her opinion, the first love story in the universe is very correctly depicted there. Adam, judging by the expression on his face, went out into inner Mongolia and does not take any part in what is happening. The insidious snake-tempter has turned into a humanoid lizard, utterly amazed at what is happening. And only Eva is in perfect order: she has a completely meaningful expression on her face, which, as it were, tells us: “I know what I'm doing!” Yes, she is definitely confident in herself and picks an apple, not because some reptile of an orphan species suggested it to her, but because the time has come to change the structure of the world. Well, who, if not her, right? And judging by the fact that Eve has clearly been in a position for a long time, the tempter snake has nothing to do with it at all. He seems to be just Evin's pet. Almost like Adam. Now Virgo will treat them with apples with a surprise!

Libra - Guillaume Signac, Pierrot's Embrace

The perfect story about Libra: she is, of course, a mysterious woman in a mask - supposedly not recognized by anyone. He, of course, in the form of an exalted sufferer. Well, that is, Pierrot, of course, is a reference loser: a sad goner, for some reason trying to compete with Harlequin. Unfortunate to compete, of course. But then you can sob, recite beautiful poems and call death to yourself. Ah, how touching! But in general, here Pierrot behaves like an experienced seducer. What Libra needs: let him be a sensitive, creative, exalted person, but so that he grabs his chest like a wild male! It does not matter that one contradicts the other: Libra manages to find such people somewhere. And where - no one is told.

Scorpio - Rene Magritte, Lovers

In fact, the feelings of Scorpio are exhaustively described by this picture: this is a mystery shrouded in darkness. Some art historians tried to interpret the plot of the painting in the spirit of “Love is blind”, but this, of course, is too banal for Magritte, and for Scorpio, by the way, too. It is not love that is blind, but passion leads to blindness. Do not believe me - try to fall in love with a Scorpio young lady. And let no one be fooled by the fact that the woman's face in the picture is also closed: Scorpions see through everyone and do it, believe me, not with their eyes.

Sagittarius - Pierre-Auguste Renoir, "Dance in the Village"

Don't let the name of the picture fool you - we are not talking about some kind of farm, where you can only twist the tails of cows. This is a French village, perhaps a seaside one. The couple dances on the open terrace of the restaurant, in the shade of chestnut trees. A little behind the table where they probably sat. The perfect picture from a Sagittarius point of view. Because here it is not necessary to complicate! You need to eat deliciously, drink wine with pleasure, and then dance - because all this is simple human happiness. But, of course, it is much more pleasant to do all this in a restaurant in a seaside French village than in some Prostokvashino. But, just so you know, Sagittarians usually do not mind twisting the tails of cows. With an expression as happy as the lady in the picture.

These canvases are known even to those who are far from the world of art, because they are real masterpieces. And each of them conceals some secret that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

And it seems that every stroke has already been studied up and down, however, scientists are constantly discovering something new in these old paintings. Their authors left to their descendants unusual riddles that they managed to solve!

The editors of InPlanet have prepared a list of 12 legendary paintings that have kept secrets for many years and even centuries!

Portrait of the Arnolfini / Jan van Eyck (1434)

This portrait was the first in the history of Europe, which depicts a couple. It is an excellent example of the early Renaissance. Historians are still arguing who is depicted on the canvas, and what is happening there. Many are sure that this is a wedding, as indicated by some signs in the picture.

But the most curious fragment is practically hidden from view - in the reflection of the mirror on the wall, you can see the outlines of four people. It is vaguely clear that there is a man and a woman, and the signature - "Jan van Eyck was here." Art critics believe that the artist depicted himself and his wife.

The Last Supper / Leonardo da Vinci (1495-1498)

This fresco is one of the most famous works of Leonardo da Vinci and is also fraught with many secrets. The most interesting mystery is hidden on the surface - in the images of Jesus and Judas.

The artist painted the rest of the images with ease, but these two faces were the most difficult for him. For the face of Jesus, he was looking for the embodiment of goodness, and he was lucky - he met a young singer in the church choir. But the last unwritten spot was Judas, and da Vinci spent hours in eateries to pick up the perfect embodiment of evil. And, finally, he was lucky - in a ditch he found a drunkard who could hardly stand on his feet. From it, he painted the image of Judas, but in the end he was surprised.

This man approached him and said that they had already met. A few years ago he was a choir singer and had already posed for Leonardo for this picture. So, one man began to personify good and evil.

Portrait of Mrs. Lisa del Giocondo / Leonardo da Vinci (1503-1505)

Perhaps the most mysterious painting ever painted is the Mona Lisa. For several centuries now, it has haunted art historians and historians, giving rise to ever wilder and more intriguing ideas of its creation.

Who is this woman with a mysterious smile and no eyebrows? Traditionally, it is considered that this is the wife of the merchant Francesco Giocondo. But there are several more theories that have a right to exist. For example, that the Mona Lisa is a self-portrait of Leonardo himself. There is also a possibility that this painting was painted by da Vinci for himself, and the real canvas was discovered in Aizerlut 100 years ago. This Gioconda is more suitable for the description of the painting by contemporaries of Leonardo.

More recently, scientists have suggested that the mysterious smile of the girl on the canvas is due to the fact that she had no teeth. By the way, the x-ray showed that she had eyebrows, just that the restorations had significantly damaged them.

Creation of Adam / Michelangelo (1511)

Another Renaissance genius, Michelangelo, created his fresco for the Sistine Chapel, where it remains to this day. The plot for this part of the mural was a scene from Genesis called the creation of Adam. And on the fresco there are many encrypted symbols.

For example, it is worth taking a closer look at the Creator who creates Adam, and you can see ... the human brain. Experts believe that in this way the artist drew an analogy of the Creator with the source of the mind, but simply the brain. This theory is confirmed by the fact that Michelangelo was fond of anatomy and constantly conducted experiments on corpses.

Sistine Madonna / Raphael (1513-1514)

This huge canvas, painted by Raphael, is an example of the highest art of the Renaissance. The painting was commissioned by Pope Julius II and was in the monastery of Piacenza. Some art historians believe that this masterpiece was painted for the funeral of the pope.

Raphael encrypted many signs on canvas that historians managed to uncover. One of the obvious secrets of the Sistine Madonna - in the background, the artist depicted the faces of the cloud in the form of the faces of angels. Some historians believe that these are unborn souls.

Shore scene / Hendrick van Antonissen (1641)

The canvas of the famous Dutch marine painter Hendrik van Antonissen has long attracted the attention of art critics. This 17th-century painting depicts a seemingly ordinary seascape. But the specialists were embarrassed by the large number of people who had gathered on the shore for no apparent reason.

The truth was established with the help of an x-ray study, which established that in reality the picture depicted a whale. But the artist decided that it would be boring for people to see the dead carcass of a whale, so he redid the picture. And with a whale, the canvas looks much more impressive!

The Last Day of Pompeii / Karl Bryullov (1830-1833)

Russian artist Karl Bryullov was impressed by the history of Pompeii while visiting Vesuvius in 1828. He was a very restrained person by nature, but then Karl was simply overwhelmed with emotions, he stayed in the ruined city for four days and after a couple of years began to paint his famous painting.

There is a special secret on the canvas - if you look closely, in the left corner you can see a self-portrait of the artist himself. He also captured his beloved, Countess Yulia Samoilova, with whom he had a long relationship at least three times, possibly more. She can be seen in the form of a mother clutching her daughters to her chest, in the form of a girl with a jug on her head and in the form of lying on the ground.

Self-portrait with a pipe / Vincent van Gogh (1889)

Everyone knows the story of the cut off ear of the extravagant artist Vincent van Gogh. He even painted his self-portrait with a bandaged ear, which caused heated debate among art historians. It is still not known for certain whether he cut off the ear completely or injured it.

For a long time, experts were embarrassed by the fact that in the picture Van Gogh is depicted with a bandage on his right ear, and he injured his left. But the secret was revealed - the Dutch artist painted self-portraits, looking in the mirror, so there was confusion in the picture due to the mirror image.

Blue Room / Pablo Picasso (1901)

Now the names of these artists are known to everyone, and at the beginning of their career they had to paint several paintings on one canvas - they could not afford to buy fabric. That is why many masterpieces have a so-called double bottom, for example, Pablo Picasso's painting "The Blue Room".

With the help of X-rays, it was possible to find out that a portrait of a man was painted under the image. Art historians determine who this man was. According to one version, Picasso painted a self-portrait.

The Old Fisherman / Tivadar Kostka Chontvari (1902)

The Hungarian artist Tivadar Kostka Chontvari created many paintings during his life, but was little known. He suffered from bouts of schizophrenia, but still dreamed of the glory of Raphael. Tivadar became famous after his death, when the painting "The Old Fisherman" was deciphered, which has now become very popular. It was created in 1902 and is considered one of the most mysterious works of the artist.

At first glance, the canvas depicts an old man, as it was believed for many years. Until one day it occurred to someone to look at the mirror image of the two halves of the old man's face. Then the main secret of this canvas was revealed - on it the master depicted God and the Devil, which are in every person.

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Gower / Gustav Klimt (1907)

This painting is one of the most famous works of Gustav Klimt. In 2006, Golden Adele was bought for a fabulous sum of $135 million. The beautiful woman depicted on it was actually written for the sake of ... revenge.

In 1904, the whole of Vienna, including her husband Ferdinand, spoke about the novel by Adele Bloch-Gower and Gustav Klimt. He came up with an unusual revenge and ordered the artist a portrait of his beloved wife. Ferdinand was very picky and Klimt made over 100 sketches. During this time, the mistress, whose image was given so difficult, got bored with the artist, and their romance ended.

Black Square / Kazimir Malevich (1915)

One of the most famous and controversial Russian paintings is the Black Square by Kazemir Malevich. Few understand the hidden meaning of this provocative canvas. But it’s worth starting, perhaps, with the fact that the square is not at all square and not even black!

X-ray helped to determine that under the "Black Square" there is another work by Malevich, on top of which he wrote his masterpiece. For him, he prepared a special composition of matte and glossy paints, among which, by the way, there was no black tint. And, despite the fact that the sides of the so-called square are 79.5 cm long, the figure does not have a single right angle.

One way or another, Mona Lisa remains one of the most mysterious paintings of our time. Perhaps we will never know what this or that artist wanted to tell us, or maybe at all, all the signs are just a coincidence ...

Each of us has our own specific baggage of knowledge and experience, our own preferences and prejudices. As the saying goes: "The taste and color of all felt-tip pens are different."

Some like black, some like red, some like cubism, some like renaissance. There's nothing to be done here. However, in my opinion, each of us must have a certain “base” - knowledge on the basis of which we can then build comparative series and draw parallels.

It is for this that we go to, get a higher education,. As part of this very self-development, I propose to get acquainted with the brightest, most interesting and unusual works of world art. Perhaps someone will look at them for the first time, and someone will remember why they love this or that artist so much, someone will want to learn something new and will start looking for all the paintings of the author they like, but one way or another everyone will be able to supplement their "comparative series" and see the crowns of the authors' creations in their genre.

(All pictures are presented in a random order - I find all of them interesting and eloquent, so, in my opinion, there is nothing to put them in some kind of rating)

1. “Impressions. Sunrise". Claude Monet, 1872

A wonderful, atmospheric picture, which at one time gave its name to the no less atmospheric direction in art - impressionism. Seeing her at an exhibition in 1874, critics began to call Monet and his paintings "impressionistic".

The early port of Le Havre, the lone boat are all classic Monet attributes. His landscapes have always displayed calmness and all the same time the perpetual motion and transience of nature.

The painting has almost always been (and is now) in the Marmottan-Monet Museum. She survived her abduction, attempts to “attach” her somewhere and, after a long search, return to her rightful place.

2. "Scream". Edvar Munch, 1893

This picture has always been and still remains incredibly curious. It would seem that this is not a work of the high Renaissance. There are no precisely adjusted strokes that merge into a single picture and accurately convey the facial features or mood of the picture.

A slightly angular, sketchy character that just stands on the bridge has been attracting interest and discussion for more than a century. One of the most heated controversies associated with this work recently was the sale of this painting (one of its four versions) at an auction of $120 million.

As already mentioned, there are 4 versions of this picture in total - their essence is the same. They differ only in the materials with which the picture was written.

The very fourth version of the painting that was sold for a lot of money, you are unlikely to see anywhere now (unless you are friends with the buyer). But the second, no less interesting version of this work of art can be seen in the Oslo National Gallery.

Also, this canvas is often used in modern pop culture, inspired by it. Let's take, for example, the mask from the movie "Scream" or the characters of the science fiction series "Doctor Who" - looking at them, certain associations immediately appear in the head.

3. "Algerian women". Pablo Picasso, 1955

In fact, this is another of Picasso's paintings, written in his favorite style in the late period of creativity. In total, there are 15 paintings with this name in variations. Now we see the last 15th work.

What's so special about it, you ask? Everything is simple. The 15th painting (or in the official title "Version O") of this series is the most expensive painting sold at the official open auction - $179.3 million.

Now it is in the private collection of a billionaire in Qatar.

4. "When the wedding." Paul Gauguin, 1892

Gauguin is a prominent representative of post-impressionism, and all his paintings have a pronounced style. This painting, in fact, reflects the typical style of the artist - a rich scene, bright, some neglect of details in favor of reflecting the general mood of the picture.

Why is this painting so unique?

This canvas is another representative of the paintings sold for a huge amount at private and public auctions. This painting was sold to the Qatar Museum Authority for a previously unheard-of $300 million.

5. Turquoise Marilyn. Andy Warhol, 1964

The second half of the twentieth century was famous for unusual characters in various fields of culture and art, and, of course, it is impossible to forget such a bright personality as Andy Warhol.

Everything he did, from his paintings to films, pointed to his originality and creativity.

This painting, along with his other works, is a "variegated" representative of pop art and is one of his longest-running works - $ 80 million.

6. "Suprematist composition". Kazimir Malevich, 1916

Suprematism in Soviet culture was not received with due enthusiasm, and one can say that Kazimir Malevich achieved success and recognition at that time not with his works, but rather with his love for not all understandable experiments. “Suprematist Composition” is just one such experiment.

However, from the very beginning, his work was perceived a little differently abroad, and therefore no one was surprised at the price for which this painting was sold - $ 60 million.

7. "The constancy of time." Salvador Dali, 1931

This picture is used in contemporary art (inspired by it, works are made “based on it”), its elements can often be found in design.

In a word, this picture is a vivid example of Salvador's extraordinary talent, reflecting his inner world and an interesting angle of view on everything that happens around him.

8. "Mona Lisa". Leonardo Da Vinci, 1603-1505

The undoubted masterpiece of the genius of the Renaissance. The picture is as legendary as its author is legendary.

Scientific works are written about it, it is sung in various genres of art, it is already a “common noun” - and all this is about a small picture. It is now located in the Louvre, and you can go to admire it if you wish.

9. “Breakfast of rowers”. Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1881

This is not the most famous painting by Renoir, but, nevertheless, it is no less an excellent representative of its kind and genre.

If you look at this picture, you will completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a summer morning, and literally feel the light breeze that blows from the water.

Renoir, like many other impressionists, is always incredibly atmospheric and light.

It was this picture in the already cult film “Amelie” that one of the heroes sang. It was with this girl that drinks water that Amelie herself was associated.

Maybe you will find a hero to match yourself, who knows.

10. "Liberty leading the people". Eugene Delacroix, 1830

Delacroix is ​​a representative of romanticism - it is logical that this painting of his is also a vivid example of romantic rebellion against the state and a symbol of victory over enemies.

The painting is one of the artist's most famous works. Exhibited in the Louvre in a large room dedicated to the work of Eugene.

It is often used as inspiration in modern culture, design and other areas of art.

If you buy what is probably the most musically interesting Coldplay album, you will see that this particular work of art serves as the cover of this collection.

End of part 1. To be continued.

There are works of art that seem to hit the viewer on the head, dumbfounded and amazing. Others drag you into reflection and in search of semantic layers, secret symbolism. Some paintings are covered with secrets and mystical mysteries, while others surprise with an exorbitant price.

We carefully reviewed all the major achievements in world painting and selected two dozen of the strangest paintings from them. Salvador Dali, whose works completely fall under the format of this material and are the first to come to mind, were not included in this collection intentionally.

It is clear that “strangeness” is a rather subjective concept, and for everyone there are amazing paintings that stand out from a number of other works of art. We will be glad if you share them in the comments and tell us a little about them.

"Scream"

Edvard Munch. 1893, cardboard, oil, tempera, pastel.
National Gallery, Oslo.

The Scream is considered a landmark expressionist event and one of the most famous paintings in the world.

There are two interpretations of what is depicted: it is the hero himself who is seized with horror and silently screams, pressing his hands to his ears; or the hero closes his ears from the cry of the world and nature sounding around him. Munch wrote four versions of The Scream, and there is a version that this picture is the fruit of a manic-depressive psychosis from which the artist suffered. After a course of treatment at the clinic, Munch did not return to work on the canvas.

“I was walking along the path with two friends. The sun was setting - suddenly the sky turned blood red, I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned against the fence - I looked at the blood and flames over the bluish-black fjord and the city. My friends went on, and I stood, trembling with excitement, feeling the endless cry that pierces nature,” Edvard Munch said about the history of the painting.

“Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?"

Paul Gauguin. 1897-1898, oil on canvas.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

At the direction of Gauguin himself, the picture should be read from right to left - the three main groups of figures illustrate the questions posed in the title.

Three women with a child represent the beginning of life; the middle group symbolizes the daily existence of maturity; in the final group, according to the artist, "an old woman approaching death seems reconciled and given over to her thoughts", at her feet "a strange white bird ... represents the futility of words."

A deeply philosophical picture of the post-impressionist Paul Gauguin was written by him in Tahiti, where he fled from Paris. At the end of the work, he even wanted to commit suicide: "I believe that this canvas is superior to all my previous ones and that I will never create something better or even similar." He lived another five years, and so it happened.

"Guernica"

Pablo Picasso. 1937, oil on canvas.
Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid.

Guernica presents scenes of death, violence, atrocities, suffering and helplessness, without specifying their immediate causes, but they are obvious. It is said that in 1940 Pablo Picasso was summoned to the Gestapo in Paris. The conversation immediately turned to the picture. "Did you do that?" - "No, you did it."

The huge fresco "Guernica", painted by Picasso in 1937, tells about the raid of the Luftwaffe volunteer unit on the city of Guernica, as a result of which the six thousandth city was completely destroyed. The picture was painted in just a month - the first days of work on the picture, Picasso worked for 10-12 hours, and already in the first sketches one could see the main idea. This is one of the best illustrations of the nightmare of fascism, as well as human cruelty and grief.

"Portrait of the Arnolfinis"

Jan van Eyck. 1434, oil on wood.
London National Gallery, London.

The famous painting is completely filled with symbols, allegories and various references - up to the signature "Jan van Eyck was here", which turned the painting not just into a work of art, but into a historical document confirming the reality of the event, which was attended by the artist.

The portrait, presumably of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife, is one of the most complex works of the Western school of painting of the Northern Renaissance.

In Russia, in the past few years, the painting has gained great popularity due to Arnolfini's portrait resemblance to Vladimir Putin.

"Demon Seated"

Mikhail Vrubel. 1890, oil on canvas.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

"Hands Resist Him"

Bill Stoneham. 1972.

This work, of course, cannot be ranked among the masterpieces of world art, but the fact that it is strange is a fact.

Around the picture with a boy, a doll and palms pressed against the glass, there are legends. From "because of this picture they die" to "the children in it are alive." The picture looks really creepy, which gives rise to a lot of fears and conjectures in people with a weak psyche.

The artist assured that the picture depicts himself at the age of five, that the door is a representation of the dividing line between the real world and the world of dreams, and the doll is a guide that can lead the boy through this world. The hands represent alternative lives or possibilities.

The painting gained notoriety in February 2000 when it was listed for sale on eBay with a backstory that said the painting was "haunted". "Hands Resist Him" ​​was bought for $1,025 by Kim Smith, who was then inundated with letters with creepy stories and demands to burn the painting.