From the Classical Era to Modernism
An in-depth look at how Da Vinci and Michelangelo changed the way we see the world.
(By Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1503–1506)
Da Vinci kept the painting with him for years, constantly refining it. Its legendary status was cemented in 1911 when it was stolen from the Louvre, causing a media sensation.Believed to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant.
(By Vincent van Gogh, 1889)
The view from Van Gogh's east-facing window at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, just before sunrise. It was painted shortly after Van Gogh famously mutilated his own ear. It is considered one of the defining works of the modern art movement.
(By Auguste Rodin, Modeled 1880)
The sculpture represents philosophy and poetry. The powerful, muscular body emphasizes the immense effort and struggle involved in profound thought. Originally a small figure, Rodin scaled it up to monumental size in 1904, transforming it into an independent, public symbol of human intellect.