Art & Drawing Ladder · Museum walk

Museum walk

Every work the Art & Drawing Ladder teaches with, in time order: 215 paintings, sculptures, buildings, prints and photographs from Europe, the Islamic world, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Each label gives the artist, the date, the materials and where the work is now, and notes what scholars still debate. 189 have pictures so far; the others show their labels while their pictures are prepared. Works still under copyright are described, never shown.

Art history flashcards Art History I Art History II

Search Region Period Only works with pictures

Prehistoric 40,000 BC to 2500 BC

Lion-Man of Hohlenstein-Stadel Paleolithic carver, about 40,000 years ago Mammoth ivory Museum Ulm, GermanyFound in pieces in 1939 and reassembled; dated to roughly 35,000 to 41,000 years ago.On the ladder: Carved Figures

Hall of the Bulls, Lascaux Cave, Paleolithic painters, about 17,000 years ago — **Hall of the Bulls, Lascaux Cave** Paleolithic painters, about 17,000 years ago Mineral pigments and charcoal on limestone In the cave (closed to visitors; replicas nearby), Montignac, FranceDates come from radiocarbon tests of charcoal and finds in the cave; most fall around 17,000 years ago.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Cave Paintings

Stonehenge, Neolithic and Bronze Age builders, about 3000 to 1500 BC — **Stonehenge** Neolithic and Bronze Age builders, about 3000 to 1500 BC Sarsen sandstone and bluestone Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, EnglandBuilt in stages; why it was built is debated (a ceremonial site, a burial place, and a marker of the solstices are the main ideas).Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Stonehenge and the Megaliths

Ancient Near East 3500 BC to 330 BC

Ziggurat of Ur, Sumerian builders, for King Ur-Nammu, about 2100 BC — **Ziggurat of Ur** Sumerian builders, for King Ur-Nammu, about 2100 BC Mud brick with a baked-brick facing Near Nasiriyah, Iraq (lower stages partly restored)Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Mesopotamia: Ziggurats and Steles

Law Code Stele of Hammurabi, Babylonian, about 1750 BC — **Law Code Stele of Hammurabi** Babylonian, about 1750 BC Basalt Louvre, ParisCarried off to Susa in the 1100s BC as war booty, where French archaeologists found it in 1901.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Mesopotamia: Ziggurats and Steles

Human-Headed Winged Lion (Lamassu), Assyrian, palace of Ashurnasirpal II, 883 to 859 BC — **Human-Headed Winged Lion (Lamassu)** Assyrian, palace of Ashurnasirpal II, 883 to 859 BC Alabaster (gypsum) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Assyria, Babylon and Persia

Ishtar Gate, Babylonian, for King Nebuchadnezzar II, about 575 BC — **Ishtar Gate** Babylonian, for King Nebuchadnezzar II, about 575 BC Glazed brick Pergamon Museum, Berlin (reconstructed from the excavated bricks)Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Assyria, Babylon and Persia

Apadana Stairway Reliefs, Persepolis, Achaemenid Persian, about 515 to 465 BC — **Apadana Stairway Reliefs, Persepolis** Achaemenid Persian, about 515 to 465 BC Limestone relief Persepolis, IranImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Assyria, Babylon and Persia

Ancient Egypt 3100 BC to 30 BC

The Pyramids of Giza, Egyptian, Fourth Dynasty, about 2600 to 2500 BC — **The Pyramids of Giza** Egyptian, Fourth Dynasty, about 2600 to 2500 BC Limestone and granite Giza, EgyptImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Pyramids and the Old Kingdom

The Great Sphinx, Egyptian, probably for King Khafre, about 2500 BC — **The Great Sphinx** Egyptian, probably for King Khafre, about 2500 BC Limestone bedrock Giza, EgyptMost Egyptologists date it to Khafre's reign; a few argue for his father Khufu.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Pyramids and the Old Kingdom

Temple of Hatshepsut, Egyptian, traditionally credited to Senenmut, about 1479 to 1458 BC — **Temple of Hatshepsut** Egyptian, traditionally credited to Senenmut, about 1479 to 1458 BC Limestone Deir el-Bahari, near Luxor, EgyptImage: Museo Egizio, Turin (photo archive), via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Temples and the New Kingdom

Bust of Nefertiti, Thutmose (workshop), about 1345 BC — **Bust of Nefertiti** Thutmose (workshop), about 1345 BC Painted limestone and stucco Neues Museum, BerlinFound in the workshop of the sculptor Thutmose at Amarna in 1912; it has been in Berlin since soon after.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Temples and the New Kingdom

Mask of Tutankhamun, Egyptian, Eighteenth Dynasty, about 1323 BC — **Mask of Tutankhamun** Egyptian, Eighteenth Dynasty, about 1323 BC Gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian, quartz, obsidian and glass Grand Egyptian Museum, GizaFound by Howard Carter's team in 1925, in the tomb they opened in 1922; long shown at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.Image: Photograph by Harry Burton of the mask in its coffin, 29 October 1925; via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Temples and the New Kingdom

Book of the Dead of Hunefer: the Weighing of the Heart, Egyptian, about 1275 BC — **Book of the Dead of Hunefer: the Weighing of the Heart** Egyptian, about 1275 BC Paint on papyrus British Museum, LondonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The Rules of Egyptian Art

Great Hypostyle Hall, Karnak, Egyptian, for Seti I and Ramesses II, about 1290 to 1224 BC — **Great Hypostyle Hall, Karnak** Egyptian, for Seti I and Ramesses II, about 1290 to 1224 BC Sandstone, once painted Karnak, Luxor, EgyptImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Temples and the New Kingdom

Aegean Bronze Age 3000 BC to 1100 BC

Palace of Knossos, Minoan, about 1700 to 1450 BC — **Palace of Knossos** Minoan, about 1700 to 1450 BC Stone, timber and plaster (partly reconstructed) Knossos, CreteArthur Evans rebuilt parts in concrete in the early 1900s; some of what visitors see is his reconstruction.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Minoan and Mycenaean Art

Mask of Agamemnon, Mycenaean, about 1550 to 1500 BC — **Mask of Agamemnon** Mycenaean, about 1550 to 1500 BC Gold National Archaeological Museum, AthensNamed by Heinrich Schliemann in 1876; it is centuries older than the age of the Trojan War, and a few scholars have questioned whether it was altered.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Minoan and Mycenaean Art

Octopus Flask (Marine Style) Minoan, about 1500 BC Painted clay Heraklion Archaeological Museum, CreteOn the ladder: Minoan and Mycenaean Art

Shang China 1600 BC to 1046 BC

Ritual Food Vessel (Ding), Shang dynasty, about 1300 to 1046 BC — **Ritual Food Vessel (Ding)** Shang dynasty, about 1300 to 1046 BC Bronze The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Bronzes, Clay Soldiers and Porcelain, Carving, Modeling and Casting

Olmec 1200 BC to 400 BC

Colossal Head from San Lorenzo, Olmec, about 1200 to 900 BC — **Colossal Head from San Lorenzo** Olmec, about 1200 to 900 BC Basalt National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico CityOne of seventeen known Olmec colossal heads, ten of them from San Lorenzo; most are now in the anthropology museums of Xalapa and Mexico City. Scholars think the heads portray rulers.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Olmec, Maya and Aztec

Ancient Greece 900 BC to 31 BC

Achilles and Ajax Playing a Game, Exekias, about 540 to 530 BC — **Achilles and Ajax Playing a Game** Exekias, about 540 to 530 BC Black-figure amphora Vatican Museums, Vatican CityBlack-figureImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Greek Vases: Black-Figure and Red-Figure

Peplos Kore, Greek, about 530 BC — **Peplos Kore** Greek, about 530 BC Marble with traces of paint Acropolis Museum, AthensArchaicImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Greek Sculpture: Archaic to Classical

Amphora with a Singer Playing the Kithara, Berlin Painter, about 490 BC — **Amphora with a Singer Playing the Kithara** Berlin Painter, about 490 BC Red-figure amphora The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkRed-figureImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Greek Vases: Black-Figure and Red-Figure

Charioteer of Delphi, Greek, about 475 BC — **Charioteer of Delphi** Greek, about 475 BC Bronze, with glass and copper inlay Delphi Archaeological Museum, GreeceEarly ClassicalImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Greek Sculpture: Archaic to Classical

Parthenon, Iktinos and Kallikrates; sculpture under Phidias, 447 to 432 BC — **Parthenon** Iktinos and Kallikrates; sculpture under Phidias, 447 to 432 BC Marble Acropolis, AthensDoric orderImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: The Parthenon, The Doric, Ionic and Corinthian Orders

Porch of the Maidens, Erechtheion, Greek, about 421 to 406 BC — **Porch of the Maidens, Erechtheion** Greek, about 421 to 406 BC Marble Acropolis, Athens (five originals in the Acropolis Museum, one in the British Museum)Ionic orderImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Contrapposto and the Hellenistic Age, The Doric, Ionic and Corinthian Orders

Theater of Epidaurus, Greek, traditionally Polykleitos the Younger, about 340 BC — **Theater of Epidaurus** Greek, traditionally Polykleitos the Younger, about 340 BC Limestone Epidaurus, GreeceImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: The Parthenon

Winged Victory of Samothrace Greek, about 200 to 190 BC Marble Louvre, ParisHellenisticThe date is estimated from the style and the ship-shaped base; scholars disagree over which victory it honored.On the ladder: Contrapposto and the Hellenistic Age

Ancient Rome 509 BC to AD 476

Portrait of an Older Man Roman, Late Republic, 1st century BC Marble The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkVerismOn the ladder: Roman Portraits and Wall Painting

Garden Room, Villa of Livia, Roman, about 30 to 20 BC — **Garden Room, Villa of Livia** Roman, about 30 to 20 BC Fresco Palazzo Massimo, National Roman Museum, RomeImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Roman Portraits and Wall Painting

Pont du Gard, Roman, about AD 40 to 60 — **Pont du Gard** Roman, about AD 40 to 60 Limestone Near Nîmes, FranceImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Roman Arches, Concrete and Domes

Portrait of a Couple (Terentius Neo and His Wife), Roman, 1st century AD (before 79) — **Portrait of a Couple (Terentius Neo and His Wife)** Roman, 1st century AD (before 79) Fresco National Archaeological Museum, NaplesThe names come from an election notice painted outside the house; who the couple were is not certain.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Roman Portraits and Wall Painting

Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater), Roman, under Vespasian and Titus, AD 70 to 80 — **Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater)** Roman, under Vespasian and Titus, AD 70 to 80 Concrete, travertine and brick RomeImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Roman Arches, Concrete and Domes

Pantheon, Roman, under Emperor Hadrian, about AD 113 to 125 — **Pantheon** Roman, under Emperor Hadrian, about AD 113 to 125 Concrete, brick and marble RomeThe inscription names Marcus Agrippa, who built an earlier temple on the site; the present building is Hadrian's.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Roman Arches, Concrete and Domes, Renaissance Architecture

Nok 500 BC to AD 200

Head from a Figure, Nok, more than 2,000 years old — **Head from a Figure** Nok, more than 2,000 years old Terracotta Museum collections in Nigeria and abroadDating Nok terracottas is hard; many were dug up without records, which also makes some pieces on the market doubtful. The head pictured is in the Honolulu Museum of Art.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Nok, Ife, Benin and Great Zimbabwe

Qin and Han China 221 BC to AD 220

Terracotta Army, Qin dynasty, for the First Emperor, about 210 BC — **Terracotta Army** Qin dynasty, for the First Emperor, about 210 BC Painted terracotta Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, near Xi'an, ChinaImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Bronzes, Clay Soldiers and Porcelain

Teotihuacan 100 BC to AD 550

Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacan, Teotihuacan, about AD 200 — **Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacan** Teotihuacan, about AD 200 Rubble core faced with stone Teotihuacan, MexicoImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Olmec, Maya and Aztec

Kushan and Gandhara AD 30 to AD 375

Standing Buddha Gandhara, about 2nd to 3rd century AD Schist The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkOn the ladder: Buddhist Art Across Asia

Moche AD 100 to AD 800

Portrait Vessel of a Ruler, Moche, about 100 BC to AD 500 — **Portrait Vessel of a Ruler** Moche, about 100 BC to AD 500 Painted ceramic The Art Institute of ChicagoImage: The Art Institute of Chicago, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: The Andes and Ancient North America

Maya (Classic and Postclassic) AD 250 to 1200

Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque Maya, for King Pakal, about 683 Limestone, once painted Palenque, MexicoOn the ladder: Olmec, Maya and Aztec

El Castillo, Chichén Itzá, Maya, about 900 to 1100 — **El Castillo, Chichén Itzá** Maya, about 900 to 1100 Limestone Yucatán, MexicoImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Olmec, Maya and Aztec

Early Christian and Byzantine AD 313 to 1453

Good Shepherd Mosaic, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Early Christian, about AD 425 to 450 — **Good Shepherd Mosaic, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia** Early Christian, about AD 425 to 450 Glass mosaic Ravenna, ItalyImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Early Christian Art and the Basilica

Hagia Sophia, Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus, AD 532 to 537 — **Hagia Sophia** Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus, AD 532 to 537 Brick and mortar, marble, mosaic IstanbulImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Hagia Sophia

Emperor Justinian and His Attendants, Byzantine, about AD 547 — **Emperor Justinian and His Attendants** Byzantine, about AD 547 Glass and stone mosaic San Vitale, Ravenna, ItalyImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The Mosaics of Ravenna

Empress Theodora and Her Attendants, Byzantine, about AD 547 — **Empress Theodora and Her Attendants** Byzantine, about AD 547 Glass and stone mosaic San Vitale, Ravenna, ItalyImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The Mosaics of Ravenna

Theotokos of Vladimir, Byzantine, about 1130 — **Theotokos of Vladimir** Byzantine, about 1130 Tempera on wood State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow (kept in a church on the museum's grounds)Painted in Constantinople; the face is original, while other parts were repainted over the centuries.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Icons

Early Medieval AD 500 to 1000

Lindisfarne Gospels: Carpet Page, Attributed to Eadfrith, bishop of Lindisfarne, about 715 to 720 — **Lindisfarne Gospels: Carpet Page** Attributed to Eadfrith, bishop of Lindisfarne, about 715 to 720 Ink and pigments on vellum British Library, LondonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Illuminated Manuscripts

Book of Kells: the Chi Rho Page, Insular monks, about 800 — **Book of Kells: the Chi Rho Page** Insular monks, about 800 Ink and pigments on vellum Trinity College Library, DublinWhere it was made, Iona in Scotland, Kells in Ireland, or both, is debated.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Illuminated Manuscripts

Early Islamic AD 650 to 1250

Dome of the Rock, Umayyad, for Caliph Abd al-Malik, completed AD 691 to 692 — **Dome of the Rock** Umayyad, for Caliph Abd al-Malik, completed AD 691 to 692 Stone, with later tile and gilding JerusalemThe outer tiles date from the 1500s, under the Ottoman sultan Suleiman, and later restorations.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: The Mosque and Its Parts

Prayer Hall, Great Mosque of Córdoba, Umayyad, begun 785, enlarged to about 987 — **Prayer Hall, Great Mosque of Córdoba** Umayyad, begun 785, enlarged to about 987 Stone and brick, double-tiered horseshoe arches Córdoba, SpainImage: Photochrom print, about 1890; Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Córdoba and the Alhambra

Heian Japan AD 794 to 1185

Phoenix Hall, Byōdō-in, Heian Japan, 1053 — **Phoenix Hall, Byōdō-in** Heian Japan, 1053 Wood, tile roofs Uji, near Kyoto, JapanImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Buddhist Art Across Asia, Heian Japan and the Tale of Genji

The Tale of Genji Scrolls (a scene), Heian court painters, about 1130 — **The Tale of Genji Scrolls (a scene)** Heian court painters, about 1130 Ink and color on paper, handscroll Tokugawa Art Museum, Nagoya, and Gotoh Museum, TokyoImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Heian Japan and the Tale of Genji

Khmer Empire AD 802 to 1431

Angkor Wat, Khmer, for King Suryavarman II, first half of the 1100s — **Angkor Wat** Khmer, for King Suryavarman II, first half of the 1100s Sandstone Angkor, CambodiaImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Temples of South and Southeast Asia

Chola India AD 850 to 1279

Brihadishvara Temple Chola, for King Rajaraja I, completed 1010 Granite Thanjavur, IndiaOn the ladder: Temples of South and Southeast Asia

Ancestral Puebloan AD 900 to 1300

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde, Ancestral Puebloan, about 1190 to 1260 — **Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde** Ancestral Puebloan, about 1190 to 1260 Sandstone, mortar and wood Mesa Verde National Park, ColoradoImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The Andes and Ancient North America

Song China AD 960 to 1279

Travelers among Mountains and Streams, Fan Kuan, about 1000 — **Travelers among Mountains and Streams** Fan Kuan, about 1000 Ink and light color on silk, hanging scroll National Palace Museum, TaipeiImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Chinese Landscape Painting

Early Spring, Guo Xi, 1072 — **Early Spring** Guo Xi, 1072 Ink and light color on silk, hanging scroll National Palace Museum, TaipeiImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Chinese Landscape Painting

Along the River during the Qingming Festival (detail), Zhang Zeduan, early 1100s — **Along the River during the Qingming Festival (detail)** Zhang Zeduan, early 1100s Ink and color on silk, handscroll Palace Museum, BeijingThe date and even the city shown are debated; most scholars place it in the Northern Song capital, Kaifeng.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Chinese Landscape Painting

Romanesque 1000 to 1150

Basilica of Saint-Sernin, Romanesque, about 1080 to 1120 — **Basilica of Saint-Sernin** Romanesque, about 1080 to 1120 Brick and stone Toulouse, FranceImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Romanesque Churches

Nave of Durham Cathedral, Romanesque (Norman), 1093 to 1133 — **Nave of Durham Cathedral** Romanesque (Norman), 1093 to 1133 Stone, with early ribbed vaults Durham, EnglandImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Romanesque Churches

Ife 1100 to 1450

Ife Head, Yoruba, Ife, 12th to 15th century — **Ife Head** Yoruba, Ife, 12th to 15th century Copper alloy British Museum, London (others are in Nigerian museums)The British Museum head left Nigeria in 1939; others found with it are in the National Museum, Lagos and in Ife.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Nok, Ife, Benin and Great Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe 1100 to 1450

Great Enclosure, Great Zimbabwe, Shona ancestors, about 1300 to 1450 — **Great Enclosure, Great Zimbabwe** Shona ancestors, about 1300 to 1450 Granite blocks without mortar Near Masvingo, ZimbabweColonial writers wrongly credited it to outsiders; archaeology shows it was built by ancestors of the Shona.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Nok, Ife, Benin and Great Zimbabwe

Zagwe Ethiopia 1137 to 1270

Church of Saint George (Bete Giyorgis), Lalibela Zagwe Ethiopia, about 1200 Carved from the living rock Lalibela, EthiopiaTradition credits King Lalibela; archaeologists think the churches were cut over a longer period.On the ladder: Nok, Ife, Benin and Great Zimbabwe

Gothic 1140 to 1500

Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, mostly 1194 to 1220 (west front about 1145) — **Chartres Cathedral** Gothic, mostly 1194 to 1220 (west front about 1145) Limestone and stained glass Chartres, FranceImage: Detail: column figures of the Royal Portal on the west front; photograph by Pierre-Émile Pécarrère, 1850 to 1852, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Gothic Cathedrals, Stained Glass

Notre-Dame de Paris, West Front, Gothic, begun 1163; front about 1200 to 1250 — **Notre-Dame de Paris, West Front** Gothic, begun 1163; front about 1200 to 1250 Limestone ParisBadly damaged by fire in 2019 and reopened in December 2024.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Gothic Cathedrals

North Rose Window, Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, about 1230 to 1235 — **North Rose Window, Chartres Cathedral** Gothic, about 1230 to 1235 Stained glass Chartres, FranceImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Stained Glass

Sainte-Chapelle, Upper Chapel, Gothic (Rayonnant), 1242 to 1248 — **Sainte-Chapelle, Upper Chapel** Gothic (Rayonnant), 1242 to 1248 Stone and stained glass ParisImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Stained Glass

Très Riches Heures: January, Limbourg brothers, about 1412 to 1416 — **Très Riches Heures: January** Limbourg brothers, about 1412 to 1416 Tempera and gold on vellum Musée Condé, Chantilly, FranceLeft unfinished when the Limbourg brothers and the duke died in 1416; other painters completed it later in the 1400s.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Books of Hours and the Late Middle Ages

Later Islamic Empires 1250 to 1900

Mosque Lamp Bearing the Name of Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir, Mamluk (Egypt or Syria), about 1340 — **Mosque Lamp Bearing the Name of Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir** Mamluk (Egypt or Syria), about 1340 Glass with enamel and gilding The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkLamps like this hung in mosques and religious schools; its inscription names the sultan.Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Carpets, Lamps and Books, Geometry, Arabesque and Calligraphy

Court of the Lions, Alhambra, Nasrid, for Sultan Muhammad V, 1370s — **Court of the Lions, Alhambra** Nasrid, for Sultan Muhammad V, 1370s Stucco, marble and tile Granada, SpainImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Córdoba and the Alhambra

The Ardabil Carpet, Safavid Persian, signed by Maqsud of Kashan, 1539 to 1540 — **The Ardabil Carpet** Safavid Persian, signed by Maqsud of Kashan, 1539 to 1540 Wool pile on silk Victoria and Albert Museum, London (its twin is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art)Image: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Carpets, Lamps and Books

Süleymaniye Mosque, Mimar Sinan, 1550 to 1557 — **Süleymaniye Mosque** Mimar Sinan, 1550 to 1557 Stone, Iznik tile IstanbulImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Ottoman and Safavid Splendor

Shah Mosque (Imam Mosque), Isfahan, Safavid, for Shah Abbas I, 1611 to about 1630 — **Shah Mosque (Imam Mosque), Isfahan** Safavid, for Shah Abbas I, 1611 to about 1630 Brick with glazed tile Isfahan, IranImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Ottoman and Safavid Splendor

Proto-Renaissance 1280 to 1400

Joachim among the Shepherds, Giotto di Bondone, about 1305 — **Joachim among the Shepherds** Giotto di Bondone, about 1305 Fresco Arena (Scrovegni) Chapel, PaduaImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Giotto and the New Naturalism

Maestà (Madonna and Child Enthroned), Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308 to 1311 — **Maestà (Madonna and Child Enthroned)** Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308 to 1311 Tempera and gold on wood Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, SienaImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Giotto and the New Naturalism, Icons

Kingdom of Benin 1300 to 1897

Queen Mother Pendant Mask (Iyoba), Edo peoples, Kingdom of Benin, 16th century — **Queen Mother Pendant Mask (Iyoba)** Edo peoples, Kingdom of Benin, 16th century Ivory, iron and copper The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkTaken from the royal palace in 1897; its twin is in the British Museum.Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: The Benin Bronzes, Nok, Ife, Benin and Great Zimbabwe

Plaque: Warrior Chief with Attendants Edo peoples, Kingdom of Benin, 16th to 17th century Brass The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkOne of the plaques taken from the royal palace in 1897. Hundreds of such plaques once covered the palace pillars.On the ladder: The Benin Bronzes

Aztec 1325 to 1521

The Aztec Sun Stone, Aztec (Mexica), about 1502 to 1520 — **The Aztec Sun Stone** Aztec (Mexica), about 1502 to 1520 Basalt, once painted National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico CityLong called the Calendar Stone; it carries calendar signs, but scholars debate whether it was a calendar, an altar or a monument to the sun.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Olmec, Maya and Aztec

Ming China 1368 to 1644

Blue-and-White Jar with a Dragon, Ming dynasty, Jingdezhen kilns, early 1400s — **Blue-and-White Jar with a Dragon** Ming dynasty, Jingdezhen kilns, early 1400s Porcelain with cobalt blue under clear glaze The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Bronzes, Clay Soldiers and Porcelain, Ming and Qing China

Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City, Ming dynasty (rebuilt under the Qing), 1406 to 1420; hall rebuilt 1695 — **Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City** Ming dynasty (rebuilt under the Qing), 1406 to 1420; hall rebuilt 1695 Wood, tile and marble terraces Palace Museum, BeijingImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Ming and Qing China

Poet on a Mountaintop, Shen Zhou, about 1500 — **Poet on a Mountaintop** Shen Zhou, about 1500 Ink and light color on paper, album leaf mounted as a handscroll Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas CityImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Ming and Qing China

Joseon Korea 1392 to 1897

Moon Jar, Joseon dynasty, second half of the 1700s — **Moon Jar** Joseon dynasty, second half of the 1700s Porcelain The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Joseon Korea

Clearing after Rain on Mount Inwang, Jeong Seon, 1751 — **Clearing after Rain on Mount Inwang** Jeong Seon, 1751 Ink on paper, hanging scroll Leeum Museum of Art, SeoulImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Joseon Korea

Early Renaissance 1400 to 1490

The Tribute Money, Masaccio, about 1425 to 1427 — **The Tribute Money** Masaccio, about 1425 to 1427 Fresco Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria del Carmine, FlorenceImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Linear Perspective

Dome of Florence Cathedral, Filippo Brunelleschi, 1420 to 1436 — **Dome of Florence Cathedral** Filippo Brunelleschi, 1420 to 1436 Brick and stone FlorenceImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Brunelleschi's Dome, Renaissance Architecture

Gates of Paradise: Jacob and Esau Panel Lorenzo Ghiberti, 1425 to 1452 Gilded bronze relief Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence (copies on the Baptistery)On the ladder: Early Renaissance Sculpture and Painting, Linear Perspective

The Annunciation, Fra Angelico, about 1440 to 1445 — **The Annunciation** Fra Angelico, about 1440 to 1445 Fresco Convent of San Marco, FlorenceImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Early Renaissance Sculpture and Painting, Fresco, Tempera, Oil and More

Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata, Donatello, 1445 to 1453 — **Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata** Donatello, 1445 to 1453 Bronze Piazza del Santo, PaduaImage: Lantern slide of the statue, without its pedestal; Université de Louvain, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Early Renaissance Sculpture and Painting, Carving, Modeling and Casting

Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino, Piero della Francesca, about 1473 to 1475 — **Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino** Piero della Francesca, about 1473 to 1475 Oil and tempera on wood Uffizi Galleries, FlorenceImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Early Renaissance Sculpture and Painting, Patrons and Context

Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo the Elder, Sandro Botticelli, about 1474 to 1475 — **Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo the Elder** Sandro Botticelli, about 1474 to 1475 Tempera on wood Uffizi Galleries, FlorenceWho the young man is remains unknown.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Early Renaissance Sculpture and Painting

Northern Renaissance 1420 to 1600

Portrait of a Man (Self Portrait?), Jan van Eyck, 1433 — **Portrait of a Man (Self Portrait?)** Jan van Eyck, 1433 Oil on oak National Gallery, LondonThe frame reads "As I can"; many scholars think it is a self-portrait, but it is not proven.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Van Eyck and Northern Oil Painting, Dating and Attribution

The Arnolfini Portrait, Jan van Eyck, 1434 — **The Arnolfini Portrait** Jan van Eyck, 1434 Oil on oak National Gallery, LondonUsually identified as Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife; what the scene records (a marriage, a betrothal or a memorial) is debated.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Van Eyck and Northern Oil Painting, Fresco, Tempera, Oil and More

Portrait of a Lady, Rogier van der Weyden, about 1460 — **Portrait of a Lady** Rogier van der Weyden, about 1460 Oil on panel National Gallery of Art, WashingtonImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Van Eyck and Northern Oil Painting

Self-Portrait at Twenty-Eight, Albrecht Dürer, 1500 — **Self-Portrait at Twenty-Eight** Albrecht Dürer, 1500 Oil on panel Alte Pinakothek, MunichImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Dürer and the Print

Young Hare, Albrecht Dürer, 1502 — **Young Hare** Albrecht Dürer, 1502 Watercolor and gouache on paper Albertina, ViennaImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Dürer and the Print

The Rhinoceros, Albrecht Dürer, 1515 — **The Rhinoceros** Albrecht Dürer, 1515 Woodcut Many impressions, e.g. National Gallery of Art, WashingtonDürer never saw the animal; he worked from a written description and a sketch sent from Lisbon.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Dürer and the Print

The Ambassadors, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533 — **The Ambassadors** Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533 Oil on oak National Gallery, LondonImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Van Eyck and Northern Oil Painting

Hunters in the Snow, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565 — **Hunters in the Snow** Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565 Oil on oak Kunsthistorisches Museum, ViennaImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Bruegel and Everyday Life

The Harvesters, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565 — **The Harvesters** Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565 Oil on wood The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Bruegel and Everyday Life

Inca 1438 to 1533

Machu Picchu, Inca, probably for Emperor Pachacuti, about 1450 — **Machu Picchu** Inca, probably for Emperor Pachacuti, about 1450 Granite, fitted without mortar Cusco Region, PeruImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The Andes and Ancient North America

High Renaissance 1490 to 1527

Lady with an Ermine, Leonardo da Vinci, about 1489 to 1490 — **Lady with an Ermine** Leonardo da Vinci, about 1489 to 1490 Oil on walnut panel Czartoryski Museum, KrakówImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Leonardo da Vinci

The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, about 1495 to 1498 — **The Last Supper** Leonardo da Vinci, about 1495 to 1498 Tempera and oil on dry plaster Santa Maria delle Grazie, MilanBecause it was not true fresco, the paint began flaking within decades; a restoration finished in 1999.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Leonardo da Vinci, Fresco, Tempera, Oil and More

Doge Leonardo Loredan, Giovanni Bellini, about 1501 to 1502 — **Doge Leonardo Loredan** Giovanni Bellini, about 1501 to 1502 Oil on poplar National Gallery, LondonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Venice: Color and Light

Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, begun about 1503 — **Mona Lisa** Leonardo da Vinci, begun about 1503 Oil on poplar panel Louvre, ParisUsually identified as Lisa Gherardini; Leonardo kept working on it for years, and the Louvre dates it 1503 to 1519.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Leonardo da Vinci

Portrait of a Man, Titian, about 1510 — **Portrait of a Man** Titian, about 1510 Oil on canvas National Gallery, LondonThe National Gallery titles it "Portrait of Gerolamo (?) Barbarigo"; it was once called the poet Ariosto, and some think it is Titian himself. The sitter is not known for sure.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Venice: Color and Light, Dating and Attribution

Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione, Raphael, about 1514 to 1515 — **Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione** Raphael, about 1514 to 1515 Oil on canvas Louvre, ParisImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Raphael and Michelangelo

Dome of St. Peter's Basilica, Michelangelo (design), completed by Giacomo della Porta, designed from 1547; completed 1590 — **Dome of St. Peter's Basilica** Michelangelo (design), completed by Giacomo della Porta, designed from 1547; completed 1590 Brick and stone Vatican CityImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Raphael and Michelangelo

Mannerism 1520 to 1600

Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son Giovanni, Agnolo Bronzino, about 1545 — **Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son Giovanni** Agnolo Bronzino, about 1545 Oil on panel Uffizi Galleries, FlorenceImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Mannerism and the Late Renaissance

The Chess Game, Sofonisba Anguissola, 1555 — **The Chess Game** Sofonisba Anguissola, 1555 Oil on canvas National Museum, Poznań, PolandImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Mannerism and the Late Renaissance, Artemisia Gentileschi

Villa La Rotonda, Andrea Palladio, begun about 1567 — **Villa La Rotonda** Andrea Palladio, begun about 1567 Brick and stucco Vicenza, ItalyFinished after Palladio's death by Vincenzo Scamozzi.Image: Palladio's own plan and section, from his Four Books of Architecture (1570); The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Renaissance Architecture

View of Toledo, El Greco, about 1599 to 1600 — **View of Toledo** El Greco, about 1599 to 1600 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Mannerism and the Late Renaissance, Romanticism and the Sublime

Mughal India 1526 to 1857

Shah Jahan on Horseback, Payag, about 1630 — **Shah Jahan on Horseback** Payag, about 1630 Ink, watercolor and gold on paper The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The Mughal Empire

Taj Mahal, Mughal, for Shah Jahan, 1632 to 1653 — **Taj Mahal** Mughal, for Shah Jahan, 1632 to 1653 White marble with inlaid stone Agra, IndiaThe chief architect is usually named as Ustad Ahmad Lahauri; the records are not complete.Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: The Mughal Empire

Momoyama Japan 1573 to 1615

Pine Trees, Hasegawa Tōhaku, late 1500s — **Pine Trees** Hasegawa Tōhaku, late 1500s Ink on paper, pair of six-panel folding screens Tokyo National MuseumPainted in the Momoyama period, just before Edo began; whether it was a finished work or a study is debated.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Japanese Screens and Castles

Baroque 1600 to 1750

The Calling of Saint Matthew, Caravaggio, 1599 to 1600 — **The Calling of Saint Matthew** Caravaggio, 1599 to 1600 Oil on canvas Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, RomeImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Caravaggio and Tenebrism, What Makes Art Baroque

The Supper at Emmaus, Caravaggio, 1601 — **The Supper at Emmaus** Caravaggio, 1601 Oil and tempera on canvas National Gallery, LondonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Caravaggio and Tenebrism

Le Chapeau de Paille, Peter Paul Rubens, about 1622 to 1625 — **Le Chapeau de Paille** Peter Paul Rubens, about 1622 to 1625 Oil on oak National Gallery, LondonProbably Susanna Lunden, the sister of Rubens's second wife.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Rubens and Van Dyck

Charles I at the Hunt, Anthony van Dyck, about 1635 — **Charles I at the Hunt** Anthony van Dyck, about 1635 Oil on canvas Louvre, ParisImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Rubens and Van Dyck

Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting, Artemisia Gentileschi, about 1638 to 1639 — **Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting** Artemisia Gentileschi, about 1638 to 1639 Oil on canvas Royal Collection, United KingdomMost scholars accept it as a self-portrait; a few have questioned the identification.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Artemisia Gentileschi

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Francesco Borromini, 1638 to 1641; façade finished 1677 — **San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane** Francesco Borromini, 1638 to 1641; façade finished 1677 Stucco and stone RomeImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Bernini and Baroque Rome, Palaces and Domes

Juan de Pareja, Diego Velázquez, 1650 — **Juan de Pareja** Diego Velázquez, 1650 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkJuan de Pareja, enslaved in Velázquez's household and later freed, became a painter himself.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Velázquez and Spain

Las Meninas, Diego Velázquez, 1656 — **Las Meninas** Diego Velázquez, 1656 Oil on canvas Museo del Prado, MadridImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Velázquez and Spain

Colonnade of St. Peter's Square, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1656 to 1667 — **Colonnade of St. Peter's Square** Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1656 to 1667 Travertine Vatican CityImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Bernini and Baroque Rome

Palace of Versailles, Garden Front Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, enlarged from 1661 to about 1710 Stone Versailles, FranceOn the ladder: Palaces and Domes

St. Paul's Cathedral, Christopher Wren, 1675 to 1710 — **St. Paul's Cathedral** Christopher Wren, 1675 to 1710 Portland stone LondonImage: Yale Center for British Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Palaces and Domes

Dutch Golden Age 1600 to 1700

Self-Portrait, Judith Leyster, about 1630 — **Self-Portrait** Judith Leyster, about 1630 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art, WashingtonImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Judith Leyster and the Genre Scene

Vanitas Still Life, Pieter Claesz, 1630 — **Vanitas Still Life** Pieter Claesz, 1630 Oil on panel Mauritshuis, The HagueImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Landscape and Still Life

The Night Watch, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642 — **The Night Watch** Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642 Oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, AmsterdamImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Rembrandt

Self-Portrait, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1659 — **Self-Portrait** Rembrandt van Rijn, 1659 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art, WashingtonImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Rembrandt

The Milkmaid, Johannes Vermeer, about 1660 — **The Milkmaid** Johannes Vermeer, about 1660 Oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, AmsterdamThe Rijksmuseum dates it about 1660; some scholars place it a little earlier, about 1657 to 1658.Image: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Vermeer and the Quiet Interior, Subject, Genre and Style

View of Delft, Johannes Vermeer, about 1660 to 1661 — **View of Delft** Johannes Vermeer, about 1660 to 1661 Oil on canvas Mauritshuis, The HagueImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Vermeer and the Quiet Interior

Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer, about 1665 — **Girl with a Pearl Earring** Johannes Vermeer, about 1665 Oil on canvas Mauritshuis, The HagueNot a portrait of a known person but a tronie, a study of a face in costume.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Vermeer and the Quiet Interior

The Windmill at Wijk bij Duurstede, Jacob van Ruisdael, about 1668 to 1670 — **The Windmill at Wijk bij Duurstede** Jacob van Ruisdael, about 1668 to 1670 Oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, AmsterdamImage: Rijksmuseum, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Landscape and Still Life, Art for a Market: The Dutch Republic

Still Life with Flowers in a Glass Vase, Rachel Ruysch, about 1690 to 1720 — **Still Life with Flowers in a Glass Vase** Rachel Ruysch, about 1690 to 1720 Oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, AmsterdamThe Rijksmuseum dates it broadly; Ruysch painted flowers for more than sixty years.Image: Rijksmuseum, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Landscape and Still Life

Edo Japan 1603 to 1868

Himeji Castle, Ikeda Terumasa, completed 1609 — **Himeji Castle** Ikeda Terumasa, completed 1609 Wood, plaster and stone Himeji, JapanImage: Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Japanese Screens and Castles

Irises, Ogata Kōrin, about 1701 to 1705 — **Irises** Ogata Kōrin, about 1701 to 1705 Ink and color on gold leaf, pair of six-panel folding screens Nezu Museum, TokyoImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Japanese Screens and Castles

Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave), Katsushika Hokusai, about 1830 to 1832 — **Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave)** Katsushika Hokusai, about 1830 to 1832 Woodblock print, ink and color on paper Many impressions, e.g. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Ukiyo-e: Japanese Woodblock Prints

Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji), Katsushika Hokusai, about 1830 to 1832 — **Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)** Katsushika Hokusai, about 1830 to 1832 Woodblock print, ink and color on paper Many impressions, e.g. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Ukiyo-e: Japanese Woodblock Prints

Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge and Atake, Utagawa Hiroshige, 1857 — **Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge and Atake** Utagawa Hiroshige, 1857 Woodblock print, ink and color on paper Many impressions, e.g. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (the one pictured)Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Ukiyo-e: Japanese Woodblock Prints, Japonisme

Rococo 1720 to 1780

Soap Bubbles, Jean-Siméon Chardin, about 1733 to 1734 — **Soap Bubbles** Jean-Siméon Chardin, about 1733 to 1734 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art, Washington (other versions in New York and Los Angeles)Image: National Gallery of Art, Washington, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Chardin, Canaletto and the Grand Tour

The Square of Saint Mark's, Venice, Canaletto, 1742 to 1744 — **The Square of Saint Mark's, Venice** Canaletto, 1742 to 1744 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art, WashingtonImage: National Gallery of Art, Washington, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Chardin, Canaletto and the Grand Tour

Paul Revere, John Singleton Copley, 1768 — **Paul Revere** John Singleton Copley, 1768 Oil on canvas Museum of Fine Arts, BostonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Art in Early America

The Blue Boy, Thomas Gainsborough, about 1770 — **The Blue Boy** Thomas Gainsborough, about 1770 Oil on canvas The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CaliforniaImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The Grand Manner Portrait

Self-Portrait in a Straw Hat, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, after 1782 — **Self-Portrait in a Straw Hat** Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, after 1782 Oil on canvas National Gallery, LondonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Rococo and the Elegant Portrait

Marie Antoinette with a Rose, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, 1783 — **Marie Antoinette with a Rose** Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, 1783 Oil on canvas Palace of VersaillesImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Rococo and the Elegant Portrait, Dating a Work by Its Style

Neoclassicism 1760 to 1830

The Oath of the Horatii, Jacques-Louis David, 1784 — **The Oath of the Horatii** Jacques-Louis David, 1784 Oil on canvas Louvre, ParisImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Neoclassicism

George Washington (the Athenaeum Portrait), Gilbert Stuart, 1796 — **George Washington (the Athenaeum Portrait)** Gilbert Stuart, 1796 Oil on canvas (left unfinished) Owned jointly by the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, and the Museum of Fine Arts, BostonThe image on the U.S. one-dollar bill is based on this portrait.Image: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Art in Early America

Monticello, Thomas Jefferson, 1769 to 1809 — **Monticello** Thomas Jefferson, 1769 to 1809 Brick and wood Charlottesville, VirginiaImage: Historic American Buildings Survey photograph of the west front; Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Art in Early America, Renaissance Architecture

Napoleon Crossing the Alps, Jacques-Louis David, 1801 — **Napoleon Crossing the Alps** Jacques-Louis David, 1801 Oil on canvas Château de Malmaison, Rueil-Malmaison (one of five versions)Napoleon actually crossed on a mule in fair weather; David painted the heroic image he wanted.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Neoclassicism

Romanticism 1790 to 1850

Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga, Francisco de Goya, about 1787 to 1788 — **Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga** Francisco de Goya, about 1787 to 1788 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Constable and Goya

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, Caspar David Friedrich, about 1817 — **Wanderer above the Sea of Fog** Caspar David Friedrich, about 1817 Oil on canvas Hamburger Kunsthalle, HamburgImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Romanticism and the Sublime

The Hay Wain, John Constable, 1821 — **The Hay Wain** John Constable, 1821 Oil on canvas National Gallery, LondonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Constable and Goya

The Oxbow, Thomas Cole, 1836 — **The Oxbow** Thomas Cole, 1836 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkHudson River SchoolImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The Hudson River School

The Fighting Temeraire, J. M. W. Turner, 1839 — **The Fighting Temeraire** J. M. W. Turner, 1839 Oil on canvas National Gallery, LondonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Romanticism and the Sublime

African Arts, 1800 to 1950 1800 to 1950

Male Antelope Headdress (Ci Wara), Bamana artists, 19th century — **Male Antelope Headdress (Ci Wara)** Bamana artists, 19th century Wood The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkWorn on top of the head in farming dances; male and female headdresses were danced as a pair.Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Masks, Figures and Textiles in Africa

Face Mask (Gle) Dan artists, 19th to 20th century Wood The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkOn the ladder: Masks, Figures and Textiles in Africa

Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali builders, master mason Ismaila Traoré, rebuilt 1907 (first mosque 13th century) — **Great Mosque of Djenné** Mali builders, master mason Ismaila Traoré, rebuilt 1907 (first mosque 13th century) Mud brick and plaster, replastered each year Djenné, MaliImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Nok, Ife, Benin and Great Zimbabwe, Masks, Figures and Textiles in Africa

Kente Cloth Asante weavers, 20th century Silk and cotton strip-woven cloth Museum collections (e.g. The Metropolitan Museum of Art)On the ladder: Masks, Figures and Textiles in Africa

Native North American Arts, 1800 to 1950 1800 to 1950

Chief's Blanket, Third Phase, Navajo (Diné) weaver, about 1855 to 1865 — **Chief's Blanket, Third Phase** Navajo (Diné) weaver, about 1855 to 1865 Wool The Art Institute of ChicagoImage: The Art Institute of Chicago, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Arts of Native North America

Totem Poles at Sitka National Historical Park Tlingit and Haida carvers, carved about 1900; many recarved since Carved and painted red cedar Sitka National Historical Park, AlaskaMany poles were brought to Sitka for the 1904 and 1905 world's fairs; the park replaces decaying poles with new carvings.On the ladder: Arts of Native North America

Realism 1840 to 1880

Boulevard du Temple, Louis Daguerre, 1838 — **Boulevard du Temple** Louis Daguerre, 1838 Daguerreotype Destroyed; known from a copyOften called the first photograph to show people: a man having his boots shined stood still long enough to appear.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Photography Arrives

The Stone Breakers, Gustave Courbet, 1849 — **The Stone Breakers** Gustave Courbet, 1849 Oil on canvas Destroyed in 1945 (known from photographs)Destroyed in Dresden near the end of World War II; only photographs remain.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Realism

The Horse Fair, Rosa Bonheur, 1852 to 1855 — **The Horse Fair** Rosa Bonheur, 1852 to 1855 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Realism

The Gleaners, Jean-François Millet, 1857 — **The Gleaners** Jean-François Millet, 1857 Oil on canvas Musée d'Orsay, ParisImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Realism, Comparing Two Works

Mrs. Herbert Duckworth, Julia Margaret Cameron, 1867 — **Mrs. Herbert Duckworth** Julia Margaret Cameron, 1867 Albumen silver print The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Photography Arrives

Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, James McNeill Whistler, 1871 — **Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1** James McNeill Whistler, 1871 Oil on canvas Musée d'Orsay, ParisBest known as "Whistler's Mother"; Whistler insisted it was mainly an arrangement of color and shape.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: American Painting after the Civil War

Breezing Up (A Fair Wind), Winslow Homer, 1873 to 1876 — **Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)** Winslow Homer, 1873 to 1876 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art, WashingtonImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: American Painting after the Civil War

The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, John Singer Sargent, 1882 — **The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit** John Singer Sargent, 1882 Oil on canvas Museum of Fine Arts, BostonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: American Painting after the Civil War

The Banjo Lesson, Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1893 — **The Banjo Lesson** Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1893 Oil on canvas Hampton University Museum, Hampton, VirginiaImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: American Painting after the Civil War

Impressionism 1867 to 1886

Impression, Sunrise, Claude Monet, 1872 — **Impression, Sunrise** Claude Monet, 1872 Oil on canvas Musée Marmottan Monet, ParisImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Impressionism, Telling the Styles Apart

The Cradle, Berthe Morisot, 1872 — **The Cradle** Berthe Morisot, 1872 Oil on canvas Musée d'Orsay, ParisImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Degas, Renoir, Morisot and Cassatt

The Dance Class, Edgar Degas, 1874 — **The Dance Class** Edgar Degas, 1874 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), sourceOn the ladder: Degas, Renoir, Morisot and Cassatt

Woman with a Parasol: Madame Monet and Her Son, Claude Monet, 1875 — **Woman with a Parasol: Madame Monet and Her Son** Claude Monet, 1875 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art, WashingtonImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Impressionism

Paris Street; Rainy Day, Gustave Caillebotte, 1877 — **Paris Street; Rainy Day** Gustave Caillebotte, 1877 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of ChicagoImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Degas, Renoir, Morisot and Cassatt

Little Girl in a Blue Armchair, Mary Cassatt, 1878 — **Little Girl in a Blue Armchair** Mary Cassatt, 1878 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art, WashingtonImage: National Gallery of Art, Washington, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Degas, Renoir, Morisot and Cassatt, Japonisme

Luncheon of the Boating Party, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1880 to 1881 — **Luncheon of the Boating Party** Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1880 to 1881 Oil on canvas The Phillips Collection, WashingtonImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Degas, Renoir, Morisot and Cassatt

Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer), Claude Monet, 1890 to 1891 — **Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer)** Claude Monet, 1890 to 1891 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of ChicagoImage: The Art Institute of Chicago, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Monet's Series

Water Lilies, Claude Monet, 1906 — **Water Lilies** Claude Monet, 1906 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of ChicagoImage: The Art Institute of Chicago, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Monet's Series

The Chicago School and the First Skyscrapers 1880 to 1910

Wainwright Building, Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, 1890 to 1891 — **Wainwright Building** Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, 1890 to 1891 Steel frame with brick and terracotta St. Louis, MissouriImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Modern Architecture

Post-Impressionism 1886 to 1905

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Georges Seurat, 1884 to 1886 — **A Sunday on La Grande Jatte** Georges Seurat, 1884 to 1886 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of ChicagoImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Seurat and Pointillism

Bridge in the Rain (after Hiroshige), Vincent van Gogh, 1887 — **Bridge in the Rain (after Hiroshige)** Vincent van Gogh, 1887 Oil on canvas Van Gogh Museum, AmsterdamImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Japonisme

Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh, 1888 — **Sunflowers** Vincent van Gogh, 1888 Oil on canvas National Gallery, LondonImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Vincent van Gogh

Vision after the Sermon, Paul Gauguin, 1888 — **Vision after the Sermon** Paul Gauguin, 1888 Oil on canvas National Galleries of Scotland, EdinburghImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Cézanne and Gauguin, Japonisme

The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh, 1889 — **The Starry Night** Vincent van Gogh, 1889 Oil on canvas Museum of Modern Art, New YorkImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Vincent van Gogh

The Bedroom, Vincent van Gogh, 1889 — **The Bedroom** Vincent van Gogh, 1889 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of Chicago (other versions in Amsterdam and Paris)Image: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Vincent van Gogh

The Basket of Apples, Paul Cézanne, about 1893 — **The Basket of Apples** Paul Cézanne, about 1893 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of ChicagoImage: The Art Institute of Chicago, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Cézanne and Gauguin

Divan Japonais, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1893 — **Divan Japonais** Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1893 Color lithograph poster Many impressions, e.g. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Japonisme

The Scream, Edvard Munch, 1893 — **The Scream** Edvard Munch, 1893 Tempera and crayon on cardboard National Museum, OsloMunch made several versions in paint, pastel and print.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Fauvism and Expressionism

Mont Sainte-Victoire, Paul Cézanne, about 1902 to 1906 — **Mont Sainte-Victoire** Paul Cézanne, about 1902 to 1906 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Cézanne and Gauguin

Early Modern: Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism 1905 to 1920

Woman with a Hat, Henri Matisse, 1905 — **Woman with a Hat** Henri Matisse, 1905 Oil on canvas San Francisco Museum of Modern ArtFauvismMatisse painted his wife, Amélie; critics mocked its colors at the 1905 Salon d'Automne, the show that gave the Fauves their name.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Fauvism and Expressionism

Charing Cross Bridge, André Derain, 1906 — **Charing Cross Bridge** André Derain, 1906 Oil on canvas Musée d'Orsay, ParisFauvismAlso called Westminster Bridge. Derain painted about thirty views of London for the dealer Ambroise Vollard; another Charing Cross Bridge is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Fauvism and Expressionism

The Steerage, Alfred Stieglitz, 1907 — **The Steerage** Alfred Stieglitz, 1907 Photogravure Many prints, e.g. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Photography as Modern Art

Street, Dresden, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1908 — **Street, Dresden** Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1908 Oil on canvas Museum of Modern Art, New YorkExpressionismImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Fauvism and Expressionism

The City Rises, Umberto Boccioni, 1910 — **The City Rises** Umberto Boccioni, 1910 Oil on canvas Museum of Modern Art, New YorkFuturismImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Futurism and Dada

Robie House Frank Lloyd Wright, 1909 to 1910 Brick, concrete and steel ChicagoPrairie SchoolOn the ladder: Modern Architecture

The Large Blue Horses, Franz Marc, 1911 — **The Large Blue Horses** Franz Marc, 1911 Oil on canvas Walker Art Center, MinneapolisExpressionismImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Fauvism and Expressionism

Portrait of Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, 1912 — **Portrait of Pablo Picasso** Juan Gris, 1912 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of ChicagoCubismImage: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Cubism

Composition VII, Wassily Kandinsky, 1913 — **Composition VII** Wassily Kandinsky, 1913 Oil on canvas State Tretyakov Gallery, MoscowAbstractionImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The First Abstract Paintings

Black Square, Kazimir Malevich, 1915 — **Black Square** Kazimir Malevich, 1915 Oil on linen State Tretyakov Gallery, MoscowSuprematismThe 1915 original is cracked; Malevich painted later versions.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: The First Abstract Paintings

Between the Wars: Dada, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Surrealism 1916 to 1940

Fountain Marcel Duchamp, 1917 Porcelain urinal, signed "R. Mutt" (original lost) Original lost; replicas in several museumsDadaOn the ladder: Futurism and Dada

Black Iris Georgia O'Keeffe, 1926 Oil on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkOn the ladder: American Modernism

Bauhaus Building, Dessau Walter Gropius, 1925 to 1926 Reinforced concrete, steel and glass curtain wall Dessau, GermanyGropius designed the school's own building; its glass curtain wall shows the workshops inside.On the ladder: De Stijl and the Bauhaus

Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow, Piet Mondrian, 1930 — **Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow** Piet Mondrian, 1930 Oil on canvas Kunsthaus ZürichDe StijlMondrian used black lines, white and the three primary colors, and balanced one large red square against small blocks of blue and yellow.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: De Stijl and the Bauhaus

Chrysler Building, William Van Alen, 1928 to 1930 — **Chrysler Building** William Van Alen, 1928 to 1930 Steel frame, brick and stainless steel New YorkArt DecoImage: Photograph of 19 January 1932 from the Empire State Building, with the Chrysler Building at right of center; via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Modern Architecture

American Gothic, Grant Wood, 1930 — **American Gothic** Grant Wood, 1930 Oil on beaverboard The Art Institute of ChicagoRegionalismShown and reproduced in 1930, so it entered the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2026; the Art Institute bought it that same year.Image: Google Arts & Culture, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: American Modernism

The Persistence of Memory Salvador Dalí, 1931 Oil on canvas Museum of Modern Art, New YorkSurrealismOn the ladder: Surrealism

Detroit Industry Murals Diego Rivera, 1932 to 1933 Fresco Detroit Institute of ArtsMexican MuralismOn the ladder: Mexican Muralism and Frida Kahlo, Fresco, Tempera, Oil and More

Aspects of Negro Life Aaron Douglas, 1934 Oil on canvas, four murals New York Public Library, Schomburg CenterHarlem RenaissanceOn the ladder: American Modernism

Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange, 1936 — **Migrant Mother** Dorothea Lange, 1936 Gelatin silver print Library of Congress, Washington (Farm Security Administration collection)Made for a U.S. government agency, so the photograph is in the public domain. The mother, Florence Owens Thompson, later said she was never paid and wished the picture had not made her a symbol.Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Photography as Modern Art

Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright, 1935 to 1939 — **Fallingwater** Frank Lloyd Wright, 1935 to 1939 Reinforced concrete, stone and glass Mill Run, PennsylvaniaImage: Wikimedia Commons (public domain), sourceOn the ladder: Modern Architecture

The Two Fridas Frida Kahlo, 1939 Oil on canvas Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico CityOn the ladder: Mexican Muralism and Frida Kahlo

Mid-Century: Abstract Expressionism 1943 to 1960

The Migration Series Jacob Lawrence, 1940 to 1941 Casein tempera on hardboard, 60 panels Shared by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and The Phillips Collection, WashingtonOn the ladder: American Modernism

Nighthawks Edward Hopper, 1942 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of ChicagoOn the ladder: American Modernism

Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) Jackson Pollock, 1950 Enamel on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkAbstract ExpressionismOn the ladder: Abstract Expressionism

No. 61 (Rust and Blue) Mark Rothko, 1953 Oil on canvas Museum of Contemporary Art, Los AngelesColor FieldOn the ladder: Abstract Expressionism

Pictures come only from public-domain sources and museum open-access (CC0) collections, credited on each label. Dates marked "about" are estimates; where the date, the artist or the ownership of a work is debated, the label says so.