The top 100 paintings of all time.. OF ALL TIME.

[WordMan]

@lokij

Sadly, your first suggestion violates one of my rules as it is painted on the wall of the Brancacci chapel. You’re right to say it’s a very worthy painting from the period.

If the world is going up in smoke for some reason, I would chisel the sucker out of the Chapel ;). Masaccio’s use of perspective and foreshortening is contemporary with Uccello (I think) and better done, although Masaccio got Adam’s arms a bit wrong ;). But the raw grief and emotion he portrayed, like Giotto’s angels banging up against the front of their frescoes in the Arena chapel - that’s game-changing stuff that had huge influence on all Western painting coming after that. ETA: for example, you may think that there are better novels than Don Quixote, but to deny its place as a “first modern novel” (amongst others) and hugely influential is selling it short. I assert that Masaccio’s work is equally seminal. IMHO, YMMV, at all.

I have to disagree with including Francesca, however. I only have room for 100 and though his work is beautiful and a masterwork of the period, I just don’t find it has the emotional appeal of Botticelli. In addition, all of his work that I’ve been able to find are religiously themed. One of the reasons I chose Botticelli is that he broke with that convention.

That said, you wouldn’t go wrong with your suggestions either. When you have to pick only 100 you have to be a bit arbitrary.

Hmm - I am neutral regarding religious themes if the painting moves me in an intentional way. The austerity and discipline shown in that painting - and, again, the clean layout of the shapes and lines - that transcends specific religion and shows me how art is the mastery of craft in the service of communicating…

[HoboStew]

I love Kandinski, so I would nominate one of his, maybe Composition VIII.

While we are on the subject of paintings, I went to the Villa Borghese in Rome a few months back, and was very struck by the Apotheosis of Hercules by Cristopher Unterberger. It was on the ceiling, and painted in such a way that it expected the viewer to be looking up, and painted the perspective to match what you would see if you were looking at the sky. But what really amazed me is that it appeared that Unterberger painted dropshadows for the figures in the painting, and had them extend over the frame around the painting. It really added to the illusion, and I don’t think I have ever seen a painter break the fourth wall like that. Has anyone else seen anything like this?

[lokij]

@HoboStew

While we are on the subject of paintings, I went to the Villa Borghese in Rome a few months back, and was very struck by the Apotheosis of Hercules by Cristopher Unterberger. It was on the ceiling, and painted in such a way that it expected the viewer to be looking up, and painted the perspective to match what you would see if you were looking at the sky. But what really amazed me is that it appeared that Unterberger painted dropshadows for the figures in the painting, and had them extend over the frame around the painting. It really added to the illusion, and I don’t think I have ever seen a painter break the fourth wall like that. Has anyone else seen anything like this?

Wow, that sounds like a really interesting effect. I can’t seem to find any decent pictures of it online though.

The only thing that popped into mind when you mentioned breaking the fourth wall is Julian Beever’s sidewalk art. Hmmmm

[Malthus]

@HoboStew

I love Kandinski, so I would nominate one of his, maybe Composition VIII.

While we are on the subject of paintings, I went to the Villa Borghese in Rome a few months back, and was very struck by the Apotheosis of Hercules by Cristopher Unterberger. It was on the ceiling, and painted in such a way that it expected the viewer to be looking up, and painted the perspective to match what you would see if you were looking at the sky. But what really amazed me is that it appeared that Unterberger painted dropshadows for the figures in the painting, and had them extend over the frame around the painting. It really added to the illusion, and I don’t think I have ever seen a painter break the fourth wall like that. Has anyone else seen anything like this?

This sort of trickery is sometimes used in trompe-l’œil paintings, to add to the illusion. I really like this example:

“Escaping criticism”

[lokij]

I feel pretty good about things so far. Some of my choices have already been anticipated, which I think means I chose wisely. Picking up where I left off before with #21…

“La Donna Velata”, Oil on canvas, Raphael

I struggled with this choice, not being much of a fan of Raphael’s work. I set out trying to avoid duplicating themes as much as possible and I was very aware that I’m already a bit portraiture heavy. That said, it’s impossible not to include what is very likely Raphael’s masterpiece. If I had to choose between this and the Mona Lisa then there would be no choice, the lady in the veil wins.

“Lamentation of the Dead Christ”, Tempura on canvas, Andrea Mantegna

This is such a shocking departure from the other depictions of christ until now on the list. Yeah… the perspective is flawed, but it is flawed to a purpose. If you look at this painting you see a dead man, one who died a particularly hard and painful death. At the moment he captures, there is no hint of the promise of the resurrection and only the pain of the loss of a son and brother. He’s being mourned and not in sort of classic staged ‘looking tearfully towards heaven’ way, but bitterly… bitterly, which makes it so very striking.

“Venus of Urbino”, Oil on canvas, Titian

Sexy! This painting has been pissing off prudish sorts for almost 500 years. It would go on my list for that reason alone (in addition to the way it inspired a multitude of other artists), but I also happen to really like Titian. I can’t justify giving him more than one slot, really… but I wish I could.

“Judith Slaying Holofernes”, Oil on canvas, Artemisia Gentileschi

I love this painting. I was really unhappy that this is the first woman to make an appearance on my list (that we know of), but what a painting. It’s difficult not to look at the drama in the subject matter, the intensity on Judith’s face and not see it as a proto-feminist statement.

“View of Toledo”, Oil on canvas, El Greco

This is the first European landscape on the list and one of the best ever painted. If you were to discuss artists who were ahead of their time it would be very hard to think of a better example than El Greco. Just gorgeous.

“The Ambassadors”, Oil on wood, Hans Holbein the Younger

You know, you could write an entire book about what’s going on in this painting. Oh, wait… somebody already has.

“Las Meninas”, Oil on canvas, Diego Velazquez

In terms of composition it’s hard to top ‘Las Meninas’. Much like ‘The Ambassadors’ there is much more going on than you catch in a casual viewing. This painting often tops lists of the greatest or most important paintings of all time. I don’t personally feel it’s the very top spot, but it’s a very strong argument.

“The Cardsharps”, Oil on canvas, Caravaggio

Caravaggio, the bad boy of Baroque. Hard drinker, gambler and actual murderer. When people jokingly suggested dogs playing poker as an entry, it actually made me recall this painting. It’s the details that make Caravaggio great, the hole in the gloves, the dirt under the fingernails and the hint of stubble on the face. The painting actually kind of drips menace if you look at it… notice the dagger.

“Two Lovers”, Tempura on paper, Reza Abbasi

This is the Persian miniature I mentioned previously. It’s an excellent example of the art form, but I find some of the controversy surrounding it almost as interesting. Some people seem to feel it depicts two men, not a hetero couple at all… that there’s that kind of ambiguity about it after all of this time is an interesting commentary on the universal nature of love.

“Venus at a Mirror”, Oil on canvas, Peter Paul Rubens

There is a reason we have the adjective ‘Rubenesque’ in the English language. It’s just a beautiful painting with a lot going for it. From the masterful way he paints the subjects face at two distinctly different angles to the contrasts between her surroundings and her nudity. We shouldn’t overlook the respectful (IMO) treatment of the maidservant, people of color are rare in European art for this time. I think it’s also important to show that ideals of feminine beauty have varied over the years.

[Argent_Towers]

Arcimboldo’s Vertumnus (actually a portrait of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II). This guy did many other such paintings, but this is the best known.

[HoboStew]

@Malthus

This sort of trickery is sometimes used in trompe-l’œil paintings, to add to the illusion. I really like this example:

File:Escaping criticism-by pere borrel del caso.png - Wikipedia

“Escaping criticism”

Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears in this that the painter painted a sub frame in the painting itself (sort of a frame within a frame) and painted the illusion over it. The painting I am describing put the effect on the actual frame itself ie the wood/whatever around the canvas. Maybe I am interpreting the picture wrong but thats what it looks like.