The collection of famous paintings at the Metropolitan Museum is one of the world's most comprehensive - and overwhelming. This 2 million square foot facility houses 2 million works of art spanning 5,000 years of art history.
How can you see some of the most famous paintings at the Metropolitan - while staying focused? Take along this itinerary!
When I first began frequenting art museums, I wanted to know which famous paintings shaped art history, which art museums housed them, and what political and social forces influenced the famous painters (Yep, I was in a hurry to learn art history!)
I did loads of art history research to learn which of the Met's paintings were discussed most often by art history experts. The results:
-Balthus. Nude Before a Mirror, 1955
-Bierstadt, Albert. The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak, 1863.
-Bonheur, Marie-Rosalie (Rosa). The Horse Fair, 1853.
-Boucher, Francois. The Toilet of Venus, 1751.
-Campin (The Master of Flemalle), Robert. Merode Altarpiece (Triptych of the Annunciation). Tempera and oil on wood, 1425 - 1430
-Caravaggio, (Michelangelo Merisi). The Musicians, ca. 1595. Is it four young men, or two viewed from different angles?
-Christus, Petrus. A Goldsmith in his Shop, Possibly St. Eligius. Tempera and oil on wood, 1449
-Cole, Thomas. View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, MA, after a Thunderstorm (The Oxbow). Oil on canvas, 1836.
-Constable, John. Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Grounds, ca. 1825
-Courbet, Gustave. Woman with a Parrot, 1866
-Daumier, Honore. The Third Class Carriage, 1863 - 1865. An ardent defender of the poor and those who could, as here, only afford third-class rail tickets, -Daumier frequently portrayed those displaced by industrialism.
-David, Jacques-Louis. Death of Socrates, 1787.
-Eakins, Thomas. Max Schmitt in a Single Scull, 1871
-El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos). View of Toledo, circa 1604 - 1614. Is this, one of the best known El Greco paintings, real or imagined? It's some of each, as explained by the art analysis in Masterpiece Cards.
-Goya, Francisco de. Don Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuniga, circa 1798.
-Hartley, Marsden. Portrait of a German Officer, 1914.
-Ingres, Jean-Auguste-Dominique. Princess de Broglie. Oil on canvas, 1853
-Kauffmann, Angelica. Telemachus and the Nymphs of Calypso, 1783. Kauffmann was one of the most prominent female artists of her era. Astonishingly, she was forbidden - like other female painters - from sketching nude models of either gender.
-Labille-Guiard, Adelaide. Self-Portrait with Two Pupils, 1785
-Louis, Morris. Alpha-Pi. Acrylic on canvas, 1961. Morris' paintings were considered "breakthrough" in art history -- literally and figuratively!
-Matisse, Henri. Promenade Among the Olive Trees. Oil on canvas, 1905.
-Memling, Hans. Maria Baroncelli Portinari and Tommaso di Folco Portinari. Oil on wood, circa 1470
-Modigliani, Amedeo. Reclining Nude. Oil on canvas, 1917
-Monet, Claude. Rouen Cathedral: The Portal (In Sun), 1894.
-Murillo, Bartolome Esteban. The Virgin and Child, 1675 - 1680
-Georgia O'Keeffe. Black Iris, 1926. Oil on canvas, 36" by 29 7/8".
-Panini, Giovanni Paolo. Modern Rome. Oil on canvas, 1757.
-Picasso, Pablo. Portrait of Gertrude Stein, 1906.
-Pollock, Jackson. Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), 1950.
-Rembrandt. Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer, 1653.
-Rubens, Peter Paul. Venus and Adonis. Oil on canvas, circa 1635.
-Sargent, John Singer. Madame X, 1894.
-Stuart, Gilbert. George Washington, 1795
-van Goyen, Jan. Pelkus Gate near Utrecht. Oil on panel, 1646
-Velazquez, Diego. Juan de Pareja. Oil on canvas, 1650. One of the few Velazquez paintings in the U.S.!
-Vermeer, Jan. Young Woman with a Water Pitcher. Watteau, Jean-Antoine. Mezzetin, circa 1718.
Images of many of these art paintings may be seen at Famous Paintings Reviewed, an art history blog. Look in the blogroll!
Fascinated by art paintings and the art history behind them? Explore Masterpiece Cards, art history flash cards that reproduce and explain 250 world famous paintings. http://www.TheMasterpieceCards.com.
How can you see some of the most famous paintings at the Metropolitan - while staying focused? Take along this itinerary!
When I first began frequenting art museums, I wanted to know which famous paintings shaped art history, which art museums housed them, and what political and social forces influenced the famous painters (Yep, I was in a hurry to learn art history!)
I did loads of art history research to learn which of the Met's paintings were discussed most often by art history experts. The results:
-Balthus. Nude Before a Mirror, 1955
-Bierstadt, Albert. The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak, 1863.
-Bonheur, Marie-Rosalie (Rosa). The Horse Fair, 1853.
-Boucher, Francois. The Toilet of Venus, 1751.
-Campin (The Master of Flemalle), Robert. Merode Altarpiece (Triptych of the Annunciation). Tempera and oil on wood, 1425 - 1430
-Caravaggio, (Michelangelo Merisi). The Musicians, ca. 1595. Is it four young men, or two viewed from different angles?
-Christus, Petrus. A Goldsmith in his Shop, Possibly St. Eligius. Tempera and oil on wood, 1449
-Cole, Thomas. View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, MA, after a Thunderstorm (The Oxbow). Oil on canvas, 1836.
-Constable, John. Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Grounds, ca. 1825
-Courbet, Gustave. Woman with a Parrot, 1866
-Daumier, Honore. The Third Class Carriage, 1863 - 1865. An ardent defender of the poor and those who could, as here, only afford third-class rail tickets, -Daumier frequently portrayed those displaced by industrialism.
-David, Jacques-Louis. Death of Socrates, 1787.
-Eakins, Thomas. Max Schmitt in a Single Scull, 1871
-El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos). View of Toledo, circa 1604 - 1614. Is this, one of the best known El Greco paintings, real or imagined? It's some of each, as explained by the art analysis in Masterpiece Cards.
-Goya, Francisco de. Don Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuniga, circa 1798.
-Hartley, Marsden. Portrait of a German Officer, 1914.
-Ingres, Jean-Auguste-Dominique. Princess de Broglie. Oil on canvas, 1853
-Kauffmann, Angelica. Telemachus and the Nymphs of Calypso, 1783. Kauffmann was one of the most prominent female artists of her era. Astonishingly, she was forbidden - like other female painters - from sketching nude models of either gender.
-Labille-Guiard, Adelaide. Self-Portrait with Two Pupils, 1785
-Louis, Morris. Alpha-Pi. Acrylic on canvas, 1961. Morris' paintings were considered "breakthrough" in art history -- literally and figuratively!
-Matisse, Henri. Promenade Among the Olive Trees. Oil on canvas, 1905.
-Memling, Hans. Maria Baroncelli Portinari and Tommaso di Folco Portinari. Oil on wood, circa 1470
-Modigliani, Amedeo. Reclining Nude. Oil on canvas, 1917
-Monet, Claude. Rouen Cathedral: The Portal (In Sun), 1894.
-Murillo, Bartolome Esteban. The Virgin and Child, 1675 - 1680
-Georgia O'Keeffe. Black Iris, 1926. Oil on canvas, 36" by 29 7/8".
-Panini, Giovanni Paolo. Modern Rome. Oil on canvas, 1757.
-Picasso, Pablo. Portrait of Gertrude Stein, 1906.
-Pollock, Jackson. Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), 1950.
-Rembrandt. Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer, 1653.
-Rubens, Peter Paul. Venus and Adonis. Oil on canvas, circa 1635.
-Sargent, John Singer. Madame X, 1894.
-Stuart, Gilbert. George Washington, 1795
-van Goyen, Jan. Pelkus Gate near Utrecht. Oil on panel, 1646
-Velazquez, Diego. Juan de Pareja. Oil on canvas, 1650. One of the few Velazquez paintings in the U.S.!
-Vermeer, Jan. Young Woman with a Water Pitcher. Watteau, Jean-Antoine. Mezzetin, circa 1718.
Images of many of these art paintings may be seen at Famous Paintings Reviewed, an art history blog. Look in the blogroll!
Fascinated by art paintings and the art history behind them? Explore Masterpiece Cards, art history flash cards that reproduce and explain 250 world famous paintings. http://www.TheMasterpieceCards.com.