Today we are going to talk about the world’s most famous paintings like The Mona Lisa, The Starry Night , and The scream and will be explaining them in the way where it brings fun, easy to understand and totally free of fancy art-speak. Ever looked at an old painting and wondered why don’t you get what’s the meaning behind it. Don’t worry we have got your back! We are just going to discuss few most famous paintings, we promise no stuffy art talk, just hilarious insights, weird backstories and a whole lot of ‘Wait, What?!’. So are you ready to laugh your way through the classics? Let’s dive in!
Top 10 paintings we are going to discuss are:
MONA LISA: THE OG OF RESTING FACE😂
As you guys know it’s a painting made by Leonardo Da Vinci between 1503-1519 in Renaissance period
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on a poplar wood panel
- Where it’s located: Louvre Museum, Paris
Few Fun Facts you don’t know about The Mona Lisa:
The Lady you see in the painting is not actually Mona Lisa
Many people believe that the woman in the painting is Mona Lisa, but it isn’t true. Her name was actually Lisa Gherardini Gioconda, an italian noble woman. The name means ‘My Lady Lisa’. It also have a lesser known name ‘La Gioconda’ .
She was almost a coffee table
Before becoming a world famous painting she was just a painting! But her fame grew when she was stolen around 1911-1913. Who knew getting ‘Kidnapped’ could be so good for your career😉.
The Original “Resting Face”
The Mona Lisa perfect the art of resting face before it was trendy. You can almost hear her saying “i didn’t ask for this level of attention, okay!🙄”
She took a vacation to Napoleon’s Bedroom
Napoleon Bonaparte loved The Mona Lisa so much that he hung her in his bedroom for a while. Imagine waking up to that smug little smile every morning!
She’s the most photographed Woman in History
Millions of tourists snap her photo every year, but she never complains about bad lighting or awkward angles😂. True professional😄
She’s been attacked………Twice
People have thrown rocks and acid at her. She’s basically survived more action than a Die Hard Movie, which is why she now hides behind bulletproof glass 😂.
A Tiny Painting, Big Drama
At just 30×21 inches, the Mona Lisa is smaller than most TVs, but she has caused more drama than an Indian serials. Who knew something so small could be so extra?
THE STARRY NIGHT:WHEN THE SKY DECIDED TO DANCE
An oil painting by Vincent van Gogh. The painting was created in 1889 .
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on Canvas
- Where it’s located: Museum of Modern Art , New York City
Some weird and funny backstory about The Starry Night:
This painting was ‘Accidently’ made; Van Gogh painted The Starry Night while in an asylum, so he didn’t exactly have an access to a full art studio. He had a tiny room with limited supplies, and he often used unconventional tools. One rumor said that he didn’t have proper brushes for some of his paintings, so he used bits of old broomsticks to apply paint. If that’s not creative, I don’t know what is.
The Starry Night’s secret identity despite being one of the most famous paintings in the world now, The Starry Night was largely ignored while Van Gogh was alive. The painting didn’t even have a permanent home for many years after it was completed. It was like a secret art club, just waiting for the world to catch up!
Van Gogh considered painting as a therapy. He used to paint to show his emotions through colors and swirls of the colors on the canvas.
THE SCREAM:😱
This painting was made by Edward Munch in 1893
- What it’s made of: Oil, tempera, pastel and crayon on cardboard
- Where it’s located: National Museum and Munch Museum, Oslo,Norway
Fun Facts and weird backstories of The Scream:
It has multiple Versions
The painting has been painted 4 times: twice in 1893, once in 1895 and 1910.
The painting was stolen Twice
Yes the painting has been stolen twice; once in 1994 from Oslo’s National Gallery and second from the Munch Museum in Oslo.
The Hidden Message
It has a hidden pencil message written in the corner which says; “Could only had been painted by a madman”
😱The Emoji maker
Ever notice ‘the face screaming in fear’ emoji(😱)? It’s directly inspired by The Munch’s painting.
Eerie figure’s
Have you notice that there are two person walking in the background. Some people find this eerie and gives a message suggests that this is the world where people are oblivious of other’s pain and fear, and shows that people are lonely.
Big Pearl Energy🦪(GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING )
This was painted by Johannes Vermeer in 1665.
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on Canvas
- Where it’s located: Mauritshuis Museum in The Hauge, Netherlands
Fun Facts and weird backstories of The Girl with a Pearl Earring :
The Mystery Girl
No one knows who she is, so she is basically like an OG Influencer: famous for just being iconic. Move over Kardashian’s😤
Vermeer wasn’t famous in his times
Imagine creating one of the famous painting and no one in your neighborhood know your name😄. Weird right? He got his fame after his death. It’s so weird that most of the artists in history got their fame after they died. So in the end we can conclude that it’s important to die to get fame😂
The Mona Lisa’s Chill Cousin
Unlike Mona Lisa, who gives a weird smile , this girl seems like a bit friendly to approach and you can hear her saying “I’m cool , I’m trendy and a bit friendly😄”
GUERNICA :The painting which was completed in 35 days
This painting was made by Pablo Picasso in year 1937
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on Canvas
- Where it’s located: Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid
This painting was considered as an anti-war symbol becuase picasso made it during Spanish Civil War . This attack was carried out by Nazi’s Germany Lutfwaffe. This painting measured 11 feet 5 inches (3.49 meters) tall and 25 feet 6 inches (7.76 meters) wide which is considered as Picasso’s largest work .The painting is filled with symbolic imagery:
- A lightbulb at the top, which can symbolize technological advancements used for destruction or bring to mind the “eye of God.“
- A horse in agony, symbolizing suffering.
- A bull, often interpreted as a symbol of brutality and darkness.
- Picasso painted Guernica in just 35 days. Imagine the pressure. Now compare that to how long it takes you to reply to a simple email. Picasso: 1. Us: 0🤧.
- Art critics spent so many decades writing the deep meaning behind “Guernica” . Imagine Picasso’s ghost saying ” I drew what i felt Babe😌”
AMERICAN GOTHIC: The Model’s Didn’t Got Paid Enough
This painting was painted by Grant Wood in 1930
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on Beaver Board
- Where it’s located: Art Institute of Chicago
Fun Fact about The American Gothic:
They aren’t couple
The 2 people you are seeing in the painting is not couple. They are actually Farmer and his Daughter(Awkward Family Vibes:100%😬) Grant Wood sister Nan modeled for the role of daughter and the role of farmer was actually modeled by his dentist.
That house is real
The house in the background you is actually real and its located in Eldon, Lowa. This house is still standing still and now it’s actually more famous than the town.
A Chicken almost stole the show
A chicken would have actually made it’s debut by a painting but Grant Wood ditched the idea of adding chicken, he wanted to add but god knows why he dropped the idea. It would have been so good to see a chicken stealing the show 😌😂
“Hold the Smile” challenge
Grant Wood told his sister Nan and dentist to ‘Not Smile’? But guess what they look like someone just dropped their fussy baby for them to babysit😂
THE NIGHT WATCH: The Painting That Wasn’t Paint At Night Time
This painting was made by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1642
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on canvas
- Where it’s located: Amsterdam Museum on permanent loan to Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands
During the time of World War II this painting was kept in the cave to keep it safe from Nazi’s. This painting wasn’t actually made at night time , it was a day time when it was painted. Years of grime and dark varnish made it look like it was set at night.
The original painting was HUGE (12 x 14 feet), but it was trimmed down in 1715 to fit on a new wall. Imagine having to crop your masterpiece like a bad profile picture! the painting is kept under surveillance 24 hours in the The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
WHISTLER’S MOTHER
This painting was made by James Abbott McNeill Whistler in 1871
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on Canvas
- Where it’s located: Musee d’Orsay in Paris, France
The lady you see is not a model
The lady is actually Anna, mother of the painter. His original model canceled at the last moment , so he asked his mom to model for the painting.
She is basically Mona Lisa of Moms
She is called as ‘Victorian Mona Lisa’ as she is also made in Renaissance Era
She’s actually a softie
She looks stern in the painting but she was known as loving and caring mom.
She’s is mother of the world
The painting became a global symbol of motherhood, even though Whistler himself didn’t have kids. It’s basically the OG Mother’s Day card😌!
It inspired a movie
Yes this painting actually inspired a movie ‘Mr. Bean’ Bean (1997) which revolves around the painting.
PERSISTANCE OF MEMORY(DalÑs Inspiration From Cheese🧀)
This painting was made by Salvador Dalà in 1931
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on Canvas
- Where it’s located: Fifth floor of the Museum of Art(MoMA) in New York City
Clocks having a meltdown
Dalà basically turned clocks into the ultimate drama queens. They’re not ticking; they’re literally melting under the pressure of time! Dalà was inspired to create the melting texture of a piece of melting Camembert cheese.
Ants are weirdly busy
The ants crawling on the orange clock symbolize decay, a recurring motif in Dalà works to explore themes of impermanence and death.
Mysterious Figures
That weird, blobfish-like thing in the middle of the painting? It’s the distorted self-portrait of DalÃ. Imagine saying Dalà ” Yes, I look like a sad , melting potato, and I love it”
Museum Home
The painting is part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art(MoMA) in New York City, where it has been housed since 1934
It’s Tiny but Mighty
The painting is so small it could fit in a big purse, yet it’s one of the most famous artworks in history. Proof that good things come in small, melty packages.(Chota packet bada dhamaka 😂)
NAPOLEON CROSSING THE ALP’s(the one who use to travel on mules😂)
This painting was painted by French artist Jacques-Louis David between 1801 and 1805
- What it’s made of: Oil painting on Canvas
- Where it’s located: Chateau de Malmaison, Rueil-Malmaison
- Napoleon wasn’t that heroic as he looks like in the painting. He didn’t want to risk falling off a horse while leading his troops!
- Napoleon commissioned the painting but gave Jacques-Louis David a free rein.
- Look closely you will notice that are engraved names like Bonaparte, Hannibal and karolus Magnus . David added these as a shoutout to legendary leaders that crossed the alp’s.
- There are fives versions of painting! Napoleon like it so much that he had David make duplicate version of it.
- Napoleon actually didn’t pose for the painting. David use his younger brother as a stand in.
Other famous paintings are:
Blue Dancers by Edgar Degas (1897)
The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1563)
Perseus and Andromeda by Peter Paul Rubens (1622)
The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt van Rijn (1661–1669)
Christ Carrying the Cross by El Greco (1580)
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1560)
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci (1495—1498)
In the end we can say that every paintings have their funny and weird backstories that we just need to know. Next time if someone say you don’t get the meaning behind why Mona Lisa is smirking just tell them; “She is basically laughing on your face that you can’t even take a perfect picture😌”. Just go ahead and create you masterpiece, what if in few hundred years someone might consider it as “Revolutionary”.
Want to read more? So here is my blog about What Is Art?