# Your Favorite Painting
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 10, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333 "2002-05-10T18:37:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/1 "2002-05-10T18:37:16Z")
Now I know how to link URLs, and a little knowledge bouncing about in my tiny brain-pan is a dangerous thing . . . Anyway, my favorite painting is Titian’s [Young Englishman](http://www.abcgallery.com/T/titian/titian27.html), from about 1545. Beats the Mona Lisa all hollow, if you ask me. It’s at the Pitti Palace, and I have a nice print of it at home (the one on this link is much yellower than it should be!).
So, art fans, what’s your favorite painting?
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### Author:  [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/2 "2002-05-10T18:51:32Z")
Easily John William Waterhouse’s [Hylas and the Nymphs](http://www.webgate.dk/elevnet/html/html-kursus/Waterhouse/hylas.htm), of which I have a nice print hanging above my bed.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/3 "2002-05-10T18:56:49Z")
I was recently in the National Gallery of Art, which has a Goya exhibition (including the Naked Maja and the Clothed Maja). I’ll have to say the most impressive painting was his [Family of the Infante Don Luis](http://www.mezzo-mondo.com/arts/mm/goya/GOF002.html). I especially like the guy grinning at the “camera.”
Years ago, I was impressed when I saw Dali’s [The Enigma of Hitler](http://www.storybytes.com/images/a-dali/fullsize/enigma-of-hitler.jpg). I remember how the image of Hitler in the center seemed as though it was a photo glued onto the canvas (not apparent in the link).
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### Author:  [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/4 "2002-05-10T18:58:41Z")
I can’t pick out a single favorite, because I like different things in different styles, but I’d say my top two are Dali’s [Musical Tempest](http://content.barewalls.com/closeup/dal090c.jpg) and Wyeth’s [Christina’s World](http://content.barewalls.com/closeup/c5W203c.jpg). I know that second one is kind of a cliche, but I still dig it.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/5 "2002-05-10T18:58:53Z")
I was recently in the National Gallery of Art, which has a Goya exhibition (including the Naked Maja and the Clothed Maja). I’ll have to say the most impressive painting was his [Family of the Infante Don Luis](http://www.mezzo-mondo.com/arts/mm/goya/GOF002.html). I especially like the guy grinning at the “camera.”
Years ago, I was impressed when I saw Dali’s [The Enigma of Hitler](http://www.storybytes.com/images/a-dali/fullsize/enigma-of-hitler.jpg). I remember how the image of Hitler in the center seemed as though it was a photo glued onto the canvas (not apparent in the link).
More at the gallery that impressed me was Rembrandt’s [The Old Mill](http://www.ee.byu.edu/~jonep/rmbrandt/mill.html). Again, the photo is nowhere near as impressive as the original.
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### Author:  [@Melandry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melandry)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/6 "2002-05-10T18:58:58Z")
My favorite artist is J-L David, and [Le Serment des Horaces](http://sunsite.dk/cgfa/jdavid/p-8horatii.htm) is my favorite painting of his.
My favorite painting of all time, though, may be [Jeune Homme nu assis au bord de la mer](http://sunsite.dk/cgfa/f/p-flandrin1.htm) by Hippolyte Flandrin.
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### Author:  [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/7 "2002-05-10T19:26:16Z")
[The Lacemaker](http://www.cacr.caltech.edu/~roy/vermeer/zel.jpg)
It’s by Vermeer. One of the great joys of going to Europe was being able to see this painting several times, as well as others of his.
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### Author:  [@OfBlinkingThings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OfBlinkingThings)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/8 "2002-05-10T19:27:37Z")
This is not a painting, but it is my favorite piece of art. It is Egon Schieles "self portrait with nude in mirror [http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/schiele/schiele.nude-mirror.jpg](http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/schiele/schiele.nude-mirror.jpg)
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/9 "2002-05-10T19:45:02Z")
I’ve always been drawn to Constable’s _The Hay Wain_.
[http://sunsite.dk/cgfa/constabl/p-constable13.htm](http://sunsite.dk/cgfa/constabl/p-constable13.htm)
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### Author:  [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/10 "2002-05-10T20:37:37Z")
The top two of many:
Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel:
[http://www.artchive.com/artchive/M/michelangelo/creation.jpg.html](http://www.artchive.com/artchive/M/michelangelo/creation.jpg.html)
Albrecht Durer’s self portrait:
[http://www.artchive.com/artchive/D/durer/self28.jpg.html](http://www.artchive.com/artchive/D/durer/self28.jpg.html)
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### Author:  [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/11 "2002-05-10T20:49:43Z")
I’ve always loved John Singer Sargent’s [Rehearsal of the Pasdeloup Orchestra at the Cirque d’Hiver](http://members.tripod.com/~BDenda/Sargent14.html), ever since I saw it ‘in person’ at Boston’s MFA years ago. I don’t know if I can even explain _why_ I like it so much… It just makes me happy looking at it. How’s that for a fine art critique?
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### Author:  [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/12 "2002-05-11T00:29:48Z")
My favorite has to be Henri Matisse, [The Dance](http://www.artofcolour.com/matisse-pure-colour/matisse-pure-colour-image-files/dance.jpg). Something in the form and color, the sense of movement pleases my on many levels. My wife, the art history student could probably make a better statement about it. I just like it. Therefore, a print hangs in my bedroom.
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### Author:  [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/13 "2002-05-11T00:45:46Z")
I’m writing The Big Paper on Memling’s large Passion in Turin
[ ](https://www.wga.hu/html/m/memling/1early2/04passi.jpg)
but some other things I think are swell are Saenredam’s church interiors: [http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/s/saenreda/buurker.jpg](http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/s/saenreda/buurker.jpg)
and Hercules Seghers is the best printmaker ever. So far before his time it’s not even funny.
[http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/s/seghers/hercules/index.html](http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/s/seghers/hercules/index.html)
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### Author:  [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/14 "2002-05-11T00:50:31Z")
[Ophelia](http://artmagick.com/images/paintings/millais/millais7.jpg) by [John Everett Millais](http://artmagick.com/artists/millais.aspx) is one painting I’ve been in love with since I was a little girl (I was a wee strange even then).
[The Beguiling of Merlin](http://artmagick.com/Paintings/Painting1829.aspx) by [Edward Burne-Jones](http://artmagick.com/artists/burne.aspx) is another one that comes to mind now.
I love the Pre-Raphaelites.
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### Author:  [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/15 "2002-05-11T01:09:56Z")
Ooooo, I like Matisse too.
But my favourite artists are those from the Heidelberg School, the Australian impressionists.
I don’t have A favourite painting, but I like the works of [Charles Conder](http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/conder_charles.html) especially. Have a gander at [A Holiday at Mentone](http://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au/holiday.html), and [Coogee Bay](http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/collection/australian/painting/c/apa00121.html).
(I hope all that coding works…)
I love the Aussie impressionist’s works so much I bought an out-of-print copy of _Golden Summers - Heidelberg and Beyond_, which was the official book of the Golden Summers exhibition which began in 1985.
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### Author:  [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/16 "2002-05-11T01:12:37Z")
Girl Combing Her Hair by William McGregor Paxton (1869-1941) No linkety, couldn’t find it online tonight, but it’s my wallpaper so it must be around somewhere.
The first time I saw it in my daughter’s Literature book I was mesmerized. So hauntingly familiar. Soft sloping shoulders, pale skin, slightly frizzy red hair. Then I realized it looked just like my mother. My brother insists that it looks more like my daughter, and my ex-husband says it looks like me. It’s true…it’s all three of us.
It’s a simple painting, nothing extraordinary, yet I find so much comfort in it.
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### Author:  [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/17 "2002-05-11T01:22:10Z")
Felician Rops’ [“The Temptation of St. Anthony”](http://www.beautyandruin.com/findesiecle/fin/rops3.jpg).
Rops did a LOT of sick shit, but this is one of his best. In oils, anyway. For lithographs, I’d go for [“The Sacrifice”](http://www.art-memoires.com/lettre/lm1820/18ddfrile5.htm), or “The Idol” (can’t find a link to that one).
I also love Giovanni Segantini’s horrible fin de siecle nightmare paintings, like ["Punishment for Lasciviousness](http://www.beautyandruin.com/findesiecle/fin/sega5.jpg).
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### Author:  [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/18 "2002-05-11T02:22:36Z")
I’m hard pressed to decide on a favorite, but after doing a paper on Boccioni, it’s no surprise I got to appreciate his work, “The City Rises” is my favorite painting by him.
[http://www.artchive.com/artchive/B/boccioni/boccioni\_city.jpg.html](http://www.artchive.com/artchive/B/boccioni/boccioni_city.jpg.html)
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/19 "2002-05-11T02:28:56Z")
The one that struck me the most is by a local artist, Lester Schwartz, titled _Jazz in Blue._ It was part of an exhibit at my college in the late 1980s, and I found myself returning to the gallery again and again to stare at it, drink it in. It was stunning.
I also love Andrew Wyeth’s [Master Bedroom.](http://www.barewalls.com/product/artwork.exe?ArtworkID=1319&thumbs=1) I didn’t notice the dog for several seconds. The whole scene is so peaceful – I always wish I were in it, curled up next to that lovely dog. Why do I not own a print of this?
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### Author:  [@johncole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johncole)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2002, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-painting/108333/20 "2002-05-11T03:02:15Z")
Turner
[Norham Castle, Sunrise](http://www.artchive.com/artchive/T/turner/norham_castle.jpg.html)
Twenty years before the impressionists.
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