Art is a beautiful manifestation of the human mind’s numerous talents and over the years, the world has witnessed a number of breathtaking creations that left everyone awestruck. The talent and ideas portrayed by these artists was nothing short of magic and each creation went on to garner immense applause and fame for its creator. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous artistic creations which enthralled the world and tickled the senses of avid art connoisseurs.

This happens to be a sculpture which shook the very foundations of Greek culture and art and made its way into the books of history as the most legendary sculpture ever created. The Athenian artist and sculptor Myron breathed life into this masterpiece and the Romans took a fancy to it as well. Eventually, several copies were created before the original was lost and today, Discobolus stands tall as the symbol of the Olympic Games.

This is a biblical account of the inhuman infanticide by King Herod who ruled over the Jews. The tale states that the King was petrified of a prophecy which proclaimed that a newborn King of Jew would eventually overthrow him and take his throne. To prevent the prophecy from coming true, Herod ordered the brutal execution of all the innocent infants in his neighborhood and the horrifying tale is depicted with incredible detail in this painting.

This painting is a soul-stirring portrayal of the despair and emotional suffering of the artist Vincent van Gogh who sought solace in the starry night he witnessed from the window of his room in Southern France. The idea conveyed is that sometimes, experiencing Mother Nature in her full glory, can wash away all your worries and emotional turmoil, even in the toughest of times.

This painting is supposedly inspired by Albert Einstein’s famous ‘Theory of Relativity’ which states that space and time are relative concepts and not absolute, which is portrayed by the melting clocks. This is known to be a surreal painting which taps into our intellect and makes us question the simplest of things, just like all great scientists did.

This heart-wrenching work depicts the scene where Mary is holding the body of Jesus, immediately after he was taken off from the cross. This sculpture tugs at the heart on many levels, because the love and devotion of a mother towards her child is unmatched and this work beautifully portrays the immense grief and aching heart of a mother who just lost her only son.

The Norwegian artist Edvard Munch would have never known that a real-life experience would go on to achieve unparalleled fame in the world of art. The incident which drove him to create this masterpiece was a piercing scream which shook his senses in the midst of a walk, while his two comrades left him behind. This piece depicts human terror in a way that brings goosebumps to the viewer and taps into the concept of fear and angst.

Also known as Easter Island Heads (Moai), these creations are magnificent, to say the least. The name can be deceptive though because each of these creations have their full bodies buried underground. There are at least a 1000 statues and they are located on the Easter Island in the South-Eastern Pacific Ocean. The stone used to carve these figurines is called Tuff, which is compressed volcanic ash. Apparently, each of these figures represent a male chieftain who passed away, thus honoring his memory and service to the Rapa Nui community.

This mural sized oil painting by Picasso is arguably one of his best creations. When the Nazi Germany brutally bombed Guernica, a village in northern Spain, the Spanish community was left to suffer amidst war, angst, pain and flames. The painting beautifully captures the destruction and havoc wreaked by wars as it shows the suffering of innocent civilians and animals alike.

Who hasn’t heard of the Statue of Liberty? Located on the Liberty Island in New York City, this iconic statue was built by the French as a gift of friendship to the Americans. Today, this statue attracts tourists from all across the globe and is regarded as a universal symbol of freedom, democracy and justice!

Preserved in the Louvre Museum of Paris, this painting has captured the imaginations of poets, writers and musicians for several centuries. By using a unique shadowing technique, Da Vinci managed to create a smile and gaze that held the viewer’s attention no matter what the angle of viewing was. This happens to be a unique optical illusion which is why Mona Lisa went on to become the most-visited and most-spoken about portrait of all times!

About the author

Varshini Subhash

Varshini is an aspiring researcher in Computer Science with a passion for social impact. Promoting art, education and gender equality are some of the causes she has taken up so far. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, music and astrophysics.