Now that we covered the obvious candidates, the thread will continue with people naming obscure paintings to signal their status as art cognoscenti…
The only one mentioned so far that surprised me is American Gothic. I vaguely knew of the work; I could not have named the artist. I was born in the U.K., I think it must be much more well known in the U.S. than elsewhere in the world.
Kill joy. 
I agree. That’s a pretty famous painting in the US, but not so famous outside.
Is “The Creation of Adam” really a painting? Isn’t it just a piece of a larger work? Personally, I’d go with “The Birth of Venus”. But I’m not an art cognoscento.
Head of Christ from 1940 is a contender, even if people can often not name the painting or its artist.
Sold(or at least produced) 500 million copies and has formed the image of Christ in the minds of many.
Fifty years ago, I’d have said “Whistler’s Mother” in the US. Not because everyone knew what it looked like, but the name was used a lot in jokes.
I am actually surprised no one has mentioned Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1 aka Whistler’s Mother. It or American Gothic is probably one of the most famous paintings by an American artist. Or maybe George Washington Crossing the Delaware.
I think you’re right. It’s a visually arresting image that has attracted a lot of copies, parodies, and so on.
Or Blue Boy, for the same kinds of reasons (not jokes, but prevalence in popular culture).
Oh yeah, good call.
I think the one of Washington crossing the Delaware is essentially unknown outside the US… I’m sure many Europeans have at least seen a parody of American Gothic, but I’m Canadian and have never seen the Washington one. I have a feeling it’s known there only because of its history-book subject, not because of its quality as art.
Dogs playing poker.
Told you this would happen.
Count me as one of those. I was visiting the Gemäldegalerie in Dresden, not knowing what sorts of works of art were in the museum, beyond a bunch of Bellotto’s paintings, when I turned a corner and saw this giant Madonna on the far wall of a nook in the museum. Stared at it a sec, saw the bottom of the painting, and was shocked to see the putti. I had no idea what painting they originally came from, and if I did, I certainly didn’t expect to see it there. A highlight of the trip, along with visiting Meissen.
Probably the most surprised I’ve ever been when viewing works of art.
EDIT: I don’t think it’s second place, but Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People is another pretty famous image, not yet mentioned. I think it’s probably Creation of Adam, if I had to guess one.
It’s 77 cm × 53 cm (30 in × 21 in), about the size of a coffee table book, and frankly, IMHO not all that special.
I just thought of another famous painting:
The painting of Henry VIII holding a turkey leg.
Outside chances for* Persistence of Memory*, Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear , Guernica, The Kiss, Girl With A Pearl Earring, Napoleon Crossing The Alps, Olympia or Night Watch.
But really, it’s Starry Night.
*The Great Wave off Kanagawa *and Vitruvian Man are disqualified by virtue of not being paintings.
Note I didn’t have to specify who any of those were by…
Christina’s World? Night Hawks?
Only in America.
I guess another famous image, though lots of people wouldn’t know the artist, is the Gilbert Stuart painting of Washington that was used as the basis for the $1 bill.
I suppose then you’d have to add the portrait of Ben Franklin on the $100 bill as well. Or the engraving of Abraham Lincoln on the US penny.
I’m Canadian too, and Washington Crossing the Delaware is extremely well known. It’s been parodied by many, even Larson in The Far Side.
Whistler’s Mother is probably a painting most people would know.
I think that Starry Night is pretty clearly van Gogh’s most famous painting, though most will also recognize his Sunflowers and Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear.
As for American paintings, American Gothic is probably the single most famous, but Norman Rockwell’s oeuvre as a whole is probably better-known (except, again, there’s no one of them that stands out above the rest).
Would any of Picasso’s be contenders? I’m thinking either Three Musicians or Don Quixote.
Overall, though, I’m going to have to go with either The Last Supper or The Creation of Man. And if we call the entire Sistine Chapel a single work, then it’s probably in the lead, because there are other well-known panels in it, too.
Heh. Nice try.
