If you are familiar with the best of the art world, you are sure to come across many paintings that have stood the test of time. Many have been regarded as the masterpieces of the world and have been turned into famous reproductions.
The art dates back to about 40,000 years when the first few men took charcoal to paint the walls of their caves. Since then, men couldn’t get enough of painting and took a paintbrush to come up with the marvelous paintings that have left the people all around baffled. Today, let’s have a look at some of the best people’s paintings and unveil the artists’ motives behind these triumphant pieces.
1. Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
The most famous Mona Lisa’s painting by the reputed Leonardo da Vinci is arguably the most reputed woman painting of all time. And nobody can deny the fact that the subject, with her delicate smile and attractive composure, has gained many admirers across the world through all these times.
Leonardo smartly placed the woman at the center of the portrait following the pyramid design of the painting. The glowing light accentuates her great features like face, neck, breasts, and hands, and you cannot miss the beautiful yet gloomy-looking backdrop that simply tells us that beauty exists in the darkest of the places.
2. Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis David
Of all the unattainable, handsome young and brave chaps of all the time that have been rendered down in various men’s painting, Napoleon Crossing the Alps pictured by Jacques-Louis David is a feast for every woman’s eyes even to these days!
The young man in this picture is seen riding the horse showing a defining moment when he crossed the Alps. He paved the way to France’s new political scenes with staging the coup d’état against the then-revolutionary government. This painting simply captures the beautiful yet confident and focused nature of the captain. Similarly, his horse has been pictured bravely, ready to take orders and march as far the rider wants it to!
3. Portrait of a Boy by Rembrandt van Rijn
In this unfinished children painting, Rembrandt depicts his son; however, no one can surely say that he is his boy. No matter what, one cannot deny the fact that Rembrandt has not failed to capture the innocence of the child. The boy’s posture, charm, and openness have been exemplified with a rich, velvety, dark background.
When you carefully notice the child’s face, you can see the modest smile and his glowing face in the light. Not to mention, the costume has been delicately described with the strokes of the mastery paintbrush. The modern audience can safely conclude that he is indeed a model of the then children who have the openness and charm that we currently notice in our generation.
4. Family Group by Frederick R. Spencer
Family paintings are no easy task for a painter. The artist has to understand each person’s character to portray them on a canvas correctly. To add to their burden, they have to detail each and everything from the scene in the most exquisite way! Frederick R. Spencer was considered one of the greatest painters because he was able to achieve the entire feat as mentioned above.
In his Family Group picture, he has painted a royal family against a stupefying background that has been illustrated in great detail. The most eye-catching scene from the background is the open window, through which the roses are crawling into the room. Coming to the subjects of this family painting, they are all been described exactly as they may have been in their real-life – the children playing and being jolly about the whole scenario and the adults being mature and posing.
5. The Musician by Tamara de Lempicka
Another woman painting specialists with an excellent eye for the cubic form of painting, Tamara de Lempicka was known for perfectly depicting women in all forms. In this portrait, Tamara has described a woman involved in music-making.
With her eyes focused in a distant musical world, her fingers passionately playing the instrument, her blue clothing elegantly draped around her body, you can’t help but notice the taste of women in the period in which this masterpiece was created.
What Can we Take Home?
When it comes to artwork, you can notice the different ways in which a painter tries to give life to their painting. Whether it is people painting of a woman, man, children, or family picture, every painter has his own preferred style to showcase.
They will adapt many different ways to show us what they have in their minds in a certain way that they have developed over the many years of practicing their favorite art form. The above famous paintings are the testament to this!