Monday, June 17, 2013

The 10 Most Famous Paintings In The World And Where They Can be Found

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Trying to come up with a list of the 10 most famous paintings in the world today can actually be an exercise in futility. Why? Well, if you were to try and search the internet for a list of these ten famous paintings, you will find that there are actually different lists to be found. Different rankings and different paintings make it on different lists and this can very well confuse a person regarding which list to really trust for such an endeavor.
In reality, there really is no such thing as just 10 most famous paintings in the world. This is due to the fact that there are hundreds of amazing works of art out there that can easily make it to any list. There are, however, a few paintings that do make it to these top-ten lists and can probably be considered truly part of the most popular paintings around. Here are some of these very famous oil paintings, in no particular order:
1.    The Mona Lisa – Now who would ever forget that famous smile? You could probably even say that this is the most popular painting of all paintings in the world, however, some people may argue about that so let us just leave it as it is, one of the most well known paintings around. This painting is by Leonardo Da Vinci and is in the Louvre in Paris.
2.    The Scream – This is another painting that is also constantly seen in movies, ads, TV shows and the like. This painting is by Edvard Munch and is in the National Gallery of Norway.
3.    Starry Night – This masterpiece by Vincent Van Gogh is one of the 10 most famous paintings in the world and is considered to be one of the artist’s best works of art. This painting features the village of Saint-Remy and is on display in New York, in the Museum of Modern Art.
4.    The Persistence of Memory – This painting by Salvador Dali can be found in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and is easily recognizable due to the melting watches in the piece.
5.    Girl with a Pearl Earring – Also another very popular painting that you can easily see in any top ten list, this painting by Johannes Vermeer is considered a mystery. Very little is known about the artist’s work and the woman in it. The painting can be found in Mauritshuis located in The Hague.
6.    The Kiss – This is a painting by Gustav Klimt and is found in the Osterreichische Galerie, Belvedere, in Vienna, Austria.
7.    Luncheon of the Boating Party – This is a painting by Auguste Renoir and features a group of people enjoying each other’s company on a balcony party along the River Seine in France. This painting can be seen as part of the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C., USA.
8.    The Dream – One of Pablo Picasso’s many famous cubist paintings, this one was sold off to a collector and is now a part of someone’s private art collection.
9.    Cafe Terrace at Night – This is another one of Vincent Van Gogh’s works of art and can be found in the Kröller-Müller Museum, in Otterlo Netherlands. This painting shows a café view in Arles, France.
10.    The Last Supper – This is one of the 10 most famous paintings in the world and is by Leonardo Da Vinci. It is easily recognizable since it has been replicated numerous times. The original painting can be found in the monastery of the Santa Maria delle Grazie which is found in Milan, Italy.

Gustav Klimt The Kiss Painting Depict Love And Passion

The Kiss, Gustav Klimt
The Kiss is considered Gustav Klimt’s most famous painting from his Golden Period which was during 1898 to 1908. Each of the paintings he made during that time used gold leaf. Klimt began working on The Kiss  in 1907 when he was 45 years old. He didn’t finish the painting until 1908. Many people actually consider this painting much better than the Mona Lisa because of passion inside the painting and how unique the style is.
Like most of Gustav Klimt paintings throughout his life, this painting has a close relationship to eroticism and is also very modern because of the use of shapes and colors to show each of the subjects body. The painting shows what love and passion looks like close up since the couple are sitting on a bed. The couple look to be completely intertwined and deep in emotion. Three different shapes show off the different parts of the man and also the woman. The white and black rectangles in the painting show the man in his cape and the woman is in colored circles and flowers. The woman has her eyes closed as their heads start to form one simple connected figure. Their hands are also touching and the woman’s hand is wrapped sweetly and seductively around the man’s neck. With her eyes closed she is really showing that she is giving into the passion and the love she feels for the man she is with. Even though her head is slightly tilted away from him she is still ready and willing to share a kiss with him. From this painting we can see the truly great power and unreal feelings that love and passion can give to a couple as well to those who are around it.
In this painting you will notice there is a common gold shrouding that gives the background an instant timelessness and allows the viewer to only focus on the couple in the painting. Many people assume that the bright colors Klimt used are to show off just how bright, golden and simply beautiful the first kiss you share with someone is. This piece features a lot of gold leaf and a lot of bright eye catching colors all over the couple’s intertwined bodies.
Because Klimt liked to add sexuality to all his oil paintings people assumes that the female in the painting is giving into the kiss because she is having a moment of sexual ecstasy. It is also assumed that both of the lovers have loss themselves in their passion and love and it is in a unity that only two people who are truly in love can explain and experience.
Many art analysis think that the models in the masterpiece is himself and his companion Emilie Floge. However since Klimt was known for being unfaithful throughout his life, there is no way to really tell if that is who the couple is.
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt is a one of a kind masterpiece that shows what love should be like at all times. Passion and unity should be a part of a couples relationship. The hands and faces are the only thing that is shown in detail in this painting, this is because their bodies are combined in a great gold swirl of true love and also erotic passion.

The Great Wave of Kanagawa, a Painting by Hokusai

The Great Wave of Kanagawa, Hokusai
In this oil painting you can almost hear the roar of this mighty wave as it crests to an enormous peak. How could the three fishing boats ever survive it? Their craft is dwarfed by the mammoth wave. See the fishermen crouched on their knees. Are they frightened? Are they in serious peril?
Not really. We can tell that the artist is not trying to transmit the terror of the ocean or the cruelty of the elements. You can see his sense of humor in this woodcut. The artist looks at the ocean and sees a design. He has cradled the three boats in the waves and has created a balance in the picture. He has detailed the whitecaps and exaggerated the curves to emphasize the natural pattern.
This delightful picture was made by the well-known Japanese artist, Hokusai. He was extremely productive; in his lifetime he made more than 30,000 designs, paintings, and woodcuts.
This seascape “The Great Wave of Kanagawa” is one of a series of prints. Hokusai set an interesting problem for himself. He made 36 different designs, all having one thing in common. Somewhere in each picture was a view of Mount Fuji. You can’t miss it in this one. In other scenes you see the mountain from close up or from afar, from towns, boats or roof tops, and even from inside of homes. All the scenes are prints done in this same graceful style using line and strong pattern.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Abstract Oil Paintings for the Home

Piet Mondrian Composition A
Abstract oil paintings continue to be very popular today, ever since the world’s evolution which has driven us to the modern era. Abstract paintings are just one of the examples of how art continually evolve. Modern houses choose to decorate their home with abstract paintings to make their living space appear simple but stylish.
Starting from the detailed and complex painting styles in the past eras, the painting styles of artists today have grown to be simpler yet strikingly full with complex emotions. These abstract paintings are one of a kind in a way that they show the beauty of art not merely from the way that the paintings present themselves physically and visibly but from the way they release emotions, feelings and thoughts out of the abstract image. That is how abstract paintings work. And that is also why modern individuals today find them both elegant and artistic.
When beginning to choose an abstract oil painting from the several ones in the gallery, one might feel some difficulty. These abstract images come in different styles and one might have a problem getting a clue on how to start selecting. But when one thinks about it carefully, choosing a good painting may not be that difficult.
Generally, abstract paintings on canvas are created with a wide variety of colors, shades, styles, and textures. This variety of painting designs and styles are already perfect adornment for a modern house. Choosing one that strikes the most among all the others is usually the best method. Because just like what is mentioned above already, that is how an abstract painting works.
In selecting an abstract piece of art, it is also important to consider the painting size. Why would anyone buy a large sized painting when he doesn’t have a wall space larger than that painting at home? Where will he put that? That indeed sounds ridiculous. But in art, being ridiculous can also be a part of the fun. As long as adjustments can be made in the house easily, any size of the painting can be bought. One cannot deny an abstract painting to be a beauty when it strikes him so much no matter how big the canvas is, right?
Choosing abstract oil paintings can actually be so much fun – especially to a person who love colors and symbolisms. Most abstract paintings use vibrant colors and different, unique shapes that are hardly explainable by the eyes and the mind of a literal and objective person. Abstract paintings require understanding, thinking and releasing of emotions and that makes it so much fun. Some abstract paintings are able to express a whole lot of different things unique to every individual.
An abstract painting hanging around the house adds to the total modern beauty of the home. It’s a refreshing sight after all the other forms of art created traditionally. One can be amazed with not just how the abstract oil paintings were painted, but also with the message they deliver in a way that is uniquely amazing.

Using Floral Oil Paintings As Home Decors

Bouquet of Sunflowers by Claude Monet
If you want to add a certain level of elegance to any room of your home, then it will do you well to look for floral oil paintings that you may use for any area of your home. You can never go wrong by adding this type of artistic piece in your home, especially if you want to add a delicate and calming feel to a room. Here are some guidelines that you may use to ensure that you will be able to use this kind of artistic pieces as effectively as possible. So long as you keep these guidelines in mind, you should be able to incorporate flower oil paintings to the theme of a room. Go through the following techniques and use them to peruse through the options that are available to you.
One of the most important considerations that you have to look into in choosing floral oil paintings is the location where you plan to hang the piece. You should be able to spot the area of your home where the piece will work best. If you were to hang the painting above your headboard, for example, then you should see to it that you limit your options among ones that have the right size and texture. As a rule of thumb, you should try to avoid placing your floral paintings side by side along with other pieces, so as to avoid diverting people’s attention. Floral paintings, despite their calming feel, tend to be quite busy, which makes them great stand-alone pieces.
Another consideration that you have to look into in order to find the best oil paintings of flowers that will work for your use is to look at the way that the floral elements are incorporated into the pieces’ designs. It is fairly common for these elements to be bunched up in the center of the canvas, but there are also pieces that deviate from this norm. Make sure that you stick to pieces that have the right composition that will work best for the effect that you want to achieve. Get a clear idea of the over-all effect that you want to achieve and use this image to pick out the pieces that you will use for your home.
Most experts would agree that floral oil paintings work best when they are used as the focal point of the room. For this reason, it is highly advised that you avoid using highly structured pieces in a certain area of your home if you are planning to hang the painting in it. This way, the attention of everyone who would visit this are of your home will be directed to the floral art piece. If you have your heart set on using artistically-heavy furnishings for this area of your home, then at least try to use subdued and neutral colors for them. Make sure that you choose neutral elements for the rest of the decors that you will use in the room as well, including the wallpaper and the curtains.

Abstract Oil Paintings Is Perfect For Modern Decoration

Insula Dulcamara by Paul Klee
When you are starting your search for modern decoration abstract oil paintings are the perfect option. Maybe you aren’t even considering abstract oil paintings as a way to bring something modern into your home. You might also be assuming that abstract oil paintings are too difficult for you to choose from and you don’t even know where to start. The truth is abstract oil paintings provide your home with the perfect amount of modern decoration for a wide number of reasons. The main reason is because abstract oil paintings come in a wide range of colors and styles. You will discover that abstract oil paintings are both unique and creative. The wide range of colors,textures and also styles make them the perfect modern decoration accessory.
When it comes to using abstract paintings for modern decoration you need to consider which sizes you want to use for your home. The wonderful thing is that oil paintings come in a wide range of unique sizes. There is no limit to what size you can get. You also have the ability to have things made into custom sizes. Another reason abstract oil paintings are wonderful for modern decorating is because these kinds of paintings can add just enough of color and also create a nice unified feeling for the room the painting is located in.
You would be surprised to see just how quickly you can create a unified feeling in a room simply by adding a nice abstract art oil painting on the wall of your dinning room or placing an oil painting above your fireplace. Overall, abstract oil paintings provide you with just enough color and just enough uniqueness and creativity that you will quickly discover just have great modern decorating can be for your home. It’s about time that you get out and start searching for the perfect abstract oil paintings for your home. You will be so glad you did.

Wall Paintings For Sale – What You Need To Know

Bulb Fields by Vincent Van Gogh
In decorating your new house, it will be best to put some wall oil paintings to make your home look classy and presentable. The decorations on your wall will speak for you. The paintings will define who you are and will give personality to your home. Better make sure that you choose the best oil paintings that you put on your wall. You may like optical illusions but it is quite disturbing to have them on your walls. One may want to start on the lookout for signs that say oil paintings for sale.
There are a lot of choices when it comes to wall paintings. You can choose from legendary artists to young and fresh artists. There are so many young and fresh artists who put signs of wall paintings for sale in their private exhibits or even street exhibits. The paintings of these aspiring artists are really promising. You will never be disappointed in hanging their works on your wall.
Replica oil paintings of renowned artists are also very appealing as home decorations. It adds a certain class to your living room. Replica paintings are usually behind those wall paintings for sale signs. It also helps that either you choose one artist to decorate your whole house or if you want varied artists make sure that they are on the same movement. This is to prevent clashing among your choice of decoration for your house. It will not make you look smart if you have many paintings in your house. It will make your visitors feel confused especially if they are art enthusiasts. Remember that your house is a home and not a museum. It is best to stick to one artist or to one movement that suits you or the one you favor the most.
If you cannot find any street or any exhibit that has wall paintings for sale, you can always surf the web for high quality wall paintings. There are different kinds to choose from these websites that specifically sell wall paintings. You can find replica paintings of famous painters like Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Monet, and many other painters. There are also new artists in these websites that sells their works that may be in realism, impressionism, and other art movements. You can choose from the wide array of art movements that suits your style and your home.
Young artists are experimenting with their art styles. They are mixing different styles to produce their own signature in the world of paintings. If you appreciate the new eccentric styles of the paintings today, well then, choose wall paintings that are made by young artists. They combine classic art styles with their new and fresh styles to produce their own brand of art. But if you want to look sophisticated to your guests who will gaze upon your wall then you may want to have the canon artists adorning your living room. So why not check on wall paintings for sale to give some style to your home.