Wondering about the art history eras and creative hands that created the most ineffable paintings? Are you curious about the most famous renaissance paintings of women, and what the inspiration was for painting them? Do you want to know what makes these awe-striking old paintings of women famous? who were the famous women artists of that time? What do these women art paintings depict in actuality?

From le Brun, van Gogh to Helen Frankenthaler and Andy Warhol, lets talk about inspirational female art works and related facts.

Here are a few facts about the eight most famous paintings of women; keep reading on to find out more.

1. Famous Paintings of Women: Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa

We are all familiar with this ethereal Renaissance painting created by Da Vinci, but here are a few facts that you might not know:

1. Mona Lisa is commonly believed to be Lisa Gherardini, whose husband Francesco commissioned this painting in Florence, Italy, in 1503.
2. It might come as a shock, bLisa Gherardini unfinished work.
3. Around 1800, one French Emperor had this painting hanging in his bedroom at Tuileries Palace for four years. His fascination with this painting made him affectionate toward Teresa Guadagni, a descendant of Lisa Gherardini.
4. This painting measures 30 inches by 21 inches, and the weight of this painting is 18 pounds.
5. No eyebrows: Some assume that it is a representation of the high-class fashion of that period. Some suggest it is proof that this is an unfinished piece. In 2007, through ultra-detailed digital scans, it had been revealed that Vinci had once painted eyebrows with bolder eyelashes; they just got faded as a victimThru ork.
6. This extraordinary painting iwas revealed that d a few deaths.
7. The painting had been stolen a few times. Pablo Picasso was one of the suspects.

2. Famous Paintings of Women: Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring

Girl with a Pearl Earring

We have seen this mesmerizing oil paint canvas by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer. Here are a few facts –

1. There is no strong evidence, but the girl in “Girl with a Pearl Earring” perhaps has been Maria, Vermeer’s oldest daughter.
2. This one work has several names: Head of a Girl in Turban, Girl in a Turban, The Young Girl with Turban, and Head of a Young Girl.
3. This painting is housed in Hague, and it’s been for over a century.
4. According to Kristy Puchko, the black background was ‘glossy green’ once; it has changed over time.
5. Arnoldus Andries des Tombe bought this painting for an insanely cheap price, 2 guilders that is just 200 cents.

3. Famous Paintings of Women: Edouard Manet’s Olympia

Olympia

Here are a few facts about one of the most famous paintings of women, well, of not-an-ideal woman according to the society of Edouard‘s era –

1. The most interesting fact about this nude painting is the maid’s expression; the look on the maid’s face is quite normal, there is no sign of discomfort but the society in that period was not as liberal as this painting.
2. The painting’s details feature a blue strapped slipper on just one foot, earrings and bracelet, black cord around neck, and orchid in hair.
3. The black cat in the painting is a symbol of her profession- prostitution.
4. There is no sense of awkwardness in her framework, which shows her supremacy.
5. Instead of using soft colour tones for nudes, as used by Manet’s contemporary artists, he used hard brush strokes for this fine work of art.
6. This is among the most well-known women paintings.

4. Famous Paintings of Women: James McNeill Whistler’s Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (Whistler’s Mother)

Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (Portrait of the Artist’s Mother, also known as Whistler’s Mother)

American artist James Whistler is best known for painting his beloved mother’s pain, known as Whistler’s Mother. Here are few facts about this portrait –

1. Whistler’s mother’s portrait was not planned. Maggie Graham, daughter of a Member of Parliament, was supposed to be on the portrait, but Whistler had not received any satisfactory finishing to the portrait. Then he asked his mother, and that is how we got this remarkable portrait.
2. In actuality, the portrait was to be prepared in a standing position, and the aging lady stood for three days as well. But she couldn’t anymore, so the artist drew it in a sitting position, which was easier for his mother.
3. This portrait measures about 56.8 inches by 64.2 inches.
4. The original name of this portrait is Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter’s mother.
5. Anna McNeill Whistler was a true Victorian, religious, good housewife, and mother. It is quite surprising, but Whistler’s mother was very supportive of James Whistler’s bohemian lifestyle.
6. This painting is described as America’s Mona Lisa. This painting is globally compared with American Gothic, The Scream, and Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.

5. Famous Paintings of Women: Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer

Here are a few facts about Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, which portrays a distinct influence of Egyptian art on the artist –

1. Gustav took 3 years to complete the painting.
2. The husband of the model owned this magnificent painting.
3. This illustration is not only an inspiration for art forms, but it has also inspired films and books.
4. This painting of strong woman is one of the richest artworks, especially because it uses materials like gold. The unique formation and style of this portrait make it one of the most famous paintings of women.

6. Famous Paintings of Women: Frida Kahlo’s Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird

Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird

Frida, one of Mexico’s greatest female portrait artists, was renowned because of her revealing and brutal self-portraits. Here are few facts about Frida’s most popular creation, Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, one of the most celebrated and famous paintings of women –

1. This masterpiece is one of Kahlo’s most popular works among 55 self-portraits.
2. After a streetcar accident, Kahlo, at a very young age, taught herself to paint. Over the years, painting self-portraits in distress became Frida’s habit. This excellent creation was also a part of her coping ritual.
3. In the year 1929, Frida wed Diego Rivera, a fellow Mexican painter. Their 10-year married life was tumultuous. It is believed that this self-portrait with the thorn necklace is a depiction of her suffering over the separation.
4. Nickolas Muray, an ex-lover of Frida, purchased this painting when she struggled through the financial crisis.
5. Some art historians concluded that this painting is perhaps blasphemous. The thorn necklace can be counted as the crown of the thorns of Christ. The butterflies can be interpreted as a symbol of resurrection, and the white frock is a distinct hint of martyrdom. This comparison leads some to believe that Frida is comparing herself to Jesus Christ.
6. In Mexican culture, the hummingbird is a sign of good luck.
7. The monkey represents Rivera; after all, in the painting, the monkey is tugging the thorn necklace tightly to make her bleed. Some say Rivera had given a monkey to Frida as a pet.
8. This self-portrait has travelled to numerous art museums in Spain, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Austria, Germany, France, and Rome.
9. Frida is known as one of the best female artists.

7. Famous Paintings of Women: John Singer Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X

John Singer Sargent  Madame X

American artist, John Sargent‘s Portrait of Madame X, is one of the most famous paintings of women, and it is considered a brilliant depiction of femininity and classical beauty. Here are a few facts about Madame X’s portrait-

1. In reality, Madame X was Madame Virginie Gautreau. She received several offers from artists to work as a muse, but she rejected all. After two years of begging, Gautreau agreed to Sargent’s proposal.
2. To gain her pale complexion, she is rumoured to have used lavender-coloured face powder and eaten arsenic wafers; however, according to modern researchers, the arsenic wafers were more likely to be rice powder.
3. Madame X’s hair is similar to the style of the Hellenic era.
4. Sargent longed to create the portrait of Madame X to have a concrete reputation in the art world of France.
5. The Portrait of Madame X was approved in the year 1884 for the Paris Salon.
6. Virginie Gautreau’s mother, De Ternant, wanted the painting down because she thought it hurt her daughter’s reputation, whereas her scandalous life and portraits made her more famous and interesting. Her mother even to went to the Salon itself to request them to pull down the painting. Later, Sargent pulled it down and did not exhibit for several years.
7. After exhibiting the portrait in 1905, the artist received quite a bit of fame from the British and the Americans and was approached for several commissioned works.
8. The portrait measures about 7 feet by 4 feet.
9. In 1916, Sargent sold his portrait to the Metropolitan Museum, and he considered this portrait his ‘best thing’. It is indeed one of the most famous paintings of women created in the 19th century.

8. Famous Paintings of Women: Sandro Botticelli’s Birth of Venus

The Birth of Venus, 1484

The Birth of Venus was painted in the period of the Early Renaissance. Botticelli painted the Birth of Venus on canvas- though the norm was wood panels because woods were more expensive than canvas; this portrait stood out and got recognized as a 15th-century Italian painting. It is certainly one of the most famous paintings of women. Here are a few facts about The Birth of Venus –

1. During the 15th century, Christianity was the main inspiration and influence, and certainly, nudity was out of the question, yet Botticelli dared to paint The Birth of Venus, a nude painting.
2. This oil on canvas painting depicts the goddess of love, Venus standing modestly inside a sea shell, blooming flowers and God of the west wind, Zephyr carrying either Chloris or Aura, nymphs of spring and wind blowing Venus ashore. Goddess of season, Horae is standing with a cape to protect the newborn Venus.
3. Some expensive alabaster powder was used to brighten the vivid colours of this portrait, making the colours and details timeless.
4. The portrait of Venus was photoshopped in the year 2014 to match the contemporary beauty standard, but the outcome was not satisfactory. The original depiction is far better.
5. The portrait was hidden from the public for 50 years because of the sensuality; although the violet sprinkles depict modesty, it is also used for love potions.

The Crystal ball by john William Waterhouse : Famous paintings of women’s backs

John William Waterhouse – the-crystal-ball-1902

1. It is a lovely painting by John William Waterhouse that draws inspiration from Renaissance architecture as well as British Pre-Raphaelites such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt, and John Everett Millais.
2. Waterhouse completed this painting in 1902 and, like most of his new work at the time, promptly exhibited it at the Royal Academy. It was shown beside The Missal, another of his creations. The artist’s style, which has been similar for decades, is reflected in the painting.
3. The model looks into the ball, letting the spectator to speculate on what she is seeing and thinking. Her demeanour conveys innocence and gentleness, but the skull at the rear of the image adds a macabre touch of symbolism. A previous owner despised this addition and even painted over it, but thanks to a recent restoration, the picture is now restored to its original composition.
4. The architectural details in the rear of the room give the picture a Renaissance feel, with a style that differs from the Gothic approach present in many paintings at the period.

Woman Bathing (La Toilette) by Mary Cassatt: oil paintings of females

Woman bathing la toilette-by Mary Cassatt

1. Woman Bathing (La Toilette) is one of a series of prints created by Cassatt in the late 1800s. She would have needed help with the printing process since it was not a medium she was acquainted with and there were multiple steps to completing the finished artwork.
2. When we look at the design, we see a woman bending over a basin of water, her hands within, as she begins to wash herself. Cassatt utilized this approach multiple times in this series of prints, with the mirror opposite providing a reflection that offers us an other image of her.
3. She wears a striped long dress or nightgown that is also unfastened from the upper part of her body so she may wash it. The table she’s leaning on is quite plain, with little ornamental embellishments. Next to the mirror are a few perfumery goods, and everything looks to be in working order.
4. Around her feet, meanwhile, there are some lovely details, including a huge jug with an Asian-style design that would have been used to carry water for the basin. The carpet underneath her is similarly patterned in a fashionable manner.
5. Cassatt had left a clear set of boundary lines to lay out the design, thus each of these groups of colours would have indicated a separate step in the printing process. Its a detailed piece of art which leaves the viewer in awe.

Portrait of Dora Maar by Pablo Picasso

Portrait of Dora Maar (1937), by Pablo Picasso

1. In 1936, a young Yugoslavian photographer named Dora, whose actual name was Dora Markovic, entered Picasso’s life. She was a friend of the poet Paul Eluard, hung around with Surrealists, and spoke Spanish.
2. Dora is shown magnificently in Portrait of Dora Maar, 1937, sitting in an armchair, smiling and resting her head on a long-fingered hand. With a red eye and a green eye gazing in opposite directions, the face is portrayed in a frontal and profile perspective.
3. For many, these distortions represent the core essence of Picasso’s work. Despite, or possibly because of, the aberrations, Picasso produced a stunning likeness that might be described as “truer than life.” The deformations largely serve an expressive purpose: the goal is to capture all of the qualities of the sitter rather than to alter reality.

Apart from the ones mentioned above there were still many world famous artists like Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Artemisia Gentileschi, Georgia O’Keeffe and Berthe Morisot; who have influenced new artists over time with their skill full paintings.

Doesn’t it astonish how remarkable these paintings are? Do you have any favourite artists? Are there any famous paintings of women that live in your mind rent-free? Are you familiar with any facts that you think some might not know?

Let us know in the comment section below about your views on the Top 8 Most Famous Paintings of Women.

Last Updated on July 16, 2024 by Sathi