Most of us know the Mona Lisa and The Starry Night. Apart from these pieces by Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent van Gogh, our knowledge about art and artists is fairly limited. But there are many paintings that we should at least be able to recognize, if not know a lot about. It will help us appreciate beauty and understand our history as well. Every month we will try to acquaint you with five paintings to help you cultivate a robust understanding of art over time. 

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, mid-1940s

This is one of the most famous paintings of the Italian Renaissance. It was painted by Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, known as Sandro Botticelli. It depicts goddess Venus arriving at the shore after her birth. She stands nude on a giant scallop shell. The wind god Zephyr blows at her from the left, along with a young female he carries. Together, they are trying to push Venus toward the shore. A nymph is ready to wrap a cloak, decorated with spring flowers, around Venus to cover her nudity. Venus was born as the goddess of beauty and the viewers can witness this act of creation through the painting. 

Guernica by Pablo Picasso, 1937

Painted in black, gray, and white, the painting shows the suffering of people due to violence and war. The mural-sized oil painting was created by Pablo Picasso as a response to the bombing of Guernica, a village in northern Spain. It’s one of the most influential anti-war paintings in history. After its completion, it was displayed in a touring exhibition to raise funds for war relief. Picasso spoke very little about the painting’s meaning. He wanted the viewers, critics, and historians to interpret its meaning. 

The Burning Giraffe by Salvador Dali, 1937

Dali painted this just before his exile to the United States. It depicts Dali’s struggle in his home country and his views on political consciousness. Inspired by Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic method, the painting has blue female figures with drawers opening from their bodies. It apparently refers to the inner consciousness in humans. The figure of the woman can also be interpreted as a social commentary on the ways in which people are shaped (and distorted) by societal norms. At a distance, you can see a giraffe with its back on fire. 

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer, circa 1665

Quite often mistaken for a portrait, Girl with a Pearl Earring is actually a painting of an imaginary figure. Vermeer was the master of light. It can be seen in the softness of the girl’s face and the glimmers of light on her moist lips and the shining pearl. The painting is nicknamed the ‘Mona Lisa of the North’. In 1999, American author Tracy Chevalier published a novel inspired by this painting. The painting, however, wasn’t always so iconic. After it was completed, it was lost until it resurfaced 200 years later.

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt, 1907-1908

Austrian artist Gustav Klimt is known for his ethereal, pattern-rich portraits. Several of his canvases are considered masterpieces. But The Kiss is perhaps his most famous, albeit controversial, work. The Kiss depicts a couple wrapped in a loving, golden-flecked, flower-filled embrace. It was rumored that Klimt and his longtime companion, Emile Floge, who was also said to be his lover, were the models of the painting, which was selected to be printed on the Austrian 100-euro coin, minted in 2003.