1.

Leonardo Da Vinci

Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci worked on
his masterpiece over a period
of 20 years. He carried it
with him everywhere. The
enigmatic smile has captured
the imagination of the world. It has been stolen
twice and now resides in the Louvre, Paris. When
the Mona Lisa visited America in the 1960s, it
gained a prominence close to that of the then US
president John F Kennedy. Why do people queue up
for so many hours to catch a fleeting glimpse?
Perhaps because it is very human, but at the
same time offering a sensation that there is
something beyond. In the world, but looking
beyond. Is that not a smile of supreme
satisfaction? Everyone will have a different
opinion, and that is part of the attraction of
the painting.

The Last Supper

Leonardo da
Vinci paints one of
the most famous scenes
in the Bible – The
Last Supper. It is
after Christ has said
one of the disciples will betray him. This is
the ultimate soap opera – the ultimate test of
man – who will we serve, God or Mammon? This is
why we are fascinated by the scene, how would we
have behaved at the table of Jesus Christ?

2. Edvard Munch

The Scream
A painting that symbolises the
anguish and pain of modern
life. It has become one of the
most famous pictures of modern
times. Somehow it makes me
think of Freud and looking at
our subconscious. It is
famous, but is it good? Why
look at the mud in the lily pond, when you can
enjoy the lilies on top?

3. Michelangelo
Creation of Adam –
Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo took four
years to paint the
Sistine Chapel. He
chose scenes from the
Old Testament. This is the moment of God
creating Adam. This particular panel is just a
fraction of the Sistine Chapel. To fully
appreciate the scale, splendour and beauty of
Michelangelo’s creation, you have to visit the
Vatican.
4. Vincent Van Gogh

Sunflowers
The genius of Vincent Van
Gogh is captured in this
painting of 12 sunflowers. It
has become one of the most
recognisable of his works.

5. Rene Magritte
Ceci N’est pas une
Pipe
A classic example of
modern surrealist art.
This is not a pipe,
but the picture is of
a pipe. Why is this
famous? We don’t
really know. Somehow
it became emblematic of surrealism and the
paradox of modern life.
6. Claude Monet

Poppies in a Field
Claude Monet is one of the
great impressionist
painters. This beautiful
pastoral scene encapsulates
the essence of how the
impressionists captured the
beauty and simplicity of
nature. It also captures that pre-industrialist
age, which was fast disappearing during Monet’s
life. It is an evocation of a bye-gone era. It
is hard not to feel nostalgic about this scene.
Notice also how the humans are but a sideshow to
the overall picture.

7. Jan Vermeer
The Girl With a Pearl Earring
Jan Vermeer painted this iconic
portraits (somewhat reminiscent
of the Mona Lisa) and is a
beautiful example of the Baroque
style and the use of light. The
age of the girl is deceptively
hard to fathom. On the one hand,
the beautiful lustrous eyes suggest the
innocence of childhood. On the other hand, there
are touches of a girl on the threshold of
womanhood. It creates a dynamic of purity,
innocence and the inevitable change of growing
into womanhood.

8. Jean Renoir
Le Moulin de la Galette
A leading
impressionist, Auguste
Renoir captures the buzz
and excitement of this
outdoor scene in Paris. It
is Paris at the turn of
the Century – a time when
Paris was a leading
cultural centre of the world, but essentially a
place where people were having a good time,
enjoying life.

9. Picasso

Peace
The simplicity of this
symbol of peace by Pablo
Picasso remains one of the
most powerful pieces of
art. Art not just for
beauty’s sake – but art
for the cause of world
peace.