Most famous paintings

1 ~ The creation of Adam
Artist: Michelangelo Buonarroti
Year: 1512

The work done by Michelangelo on the Sistine Chapel ceiling is a cornerstone of Renaissance art and The Creation of Adam is the most famous fresco panel of the masterpiece. The popularity of the painting is second only to Mona Lisa and along with The Last Supper, it is the most replicated religious painting of all time. The image of the near-touching hands of God and Adam has become iconic of humanity and has been imitated and parodied innumerable times.

2 ~ The Mona Lisa
Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
Year:1517
The Mona Lisa has been acclaimed as the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about and parodied work of art in the world. Its fame rests, in particular, on the elusive smile on the womans face which is why it is also known as "la Gioconda", or the laughing one. For Da Vinci, the Mona Lisa was forever a work in progress, as it was his attempt at perfection. The painting was never delivered to its commissioner; Da Vinci kept it with him till the end of his life. Guinness World Records lists the Mona Lisa as having the highest insurance value for a painting in history. It was assessed at US$100 million on December 14, 1962, which after adjusting inflation, would be around US$759 million today.

3 ~ The last supper
Artist: Leonardo Da Vinci
Year: 1498

In The Last Supper, Leonardo masterfully depicts the bewilderment and confusion that occurs among the disciples of Jesus when he announces that one of them would betray him. Leonardos detailed knowledge of anatomy, light, botany and geology; his interest in how humans register emotion in expression and gesture; and his subtle gradation of tone; all come together to make this painting among the most revered and famous works of all time.

4 ~ The school of athens
Artist: Rapheal
Year: 1511

Raphaels masterpiece, The School of Athens, is one of the four main frescoes on the walls of the Stanze di Raffaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The four paintings epitomize Philosophy, Poetry, Theology, and Law; with The School of Athens representing Philosophy. Critics have suggested that every great Greek philosopher can be found among the 21 painted in the painting. However, apart from Plato and Aristotle, who are placed in the center of the scene, no ones identity can be verified with certainty. The School of Athens is considered the perfect embodiment of the classical spirit of the High Renaissance.

5 ~ Primavera
Artist: Sandro Botticelli
Year: c. 1482

Primavera means the season of spring and the painting is sometimes also referred to as Allegory of Spring. There have been various interpretations of the painting but it is generally agreed that at some level it is an elaborate mythological allegory of the burgeoning fertility of the world. Primavera is one of the most written about and most controversial paintings in the world. Botticellis fascinating use of color and multiple interpretations of the work have made the painting hugely popular and it often cited as a prime example of the grace of Early Renaissance art.