What great paintings say

Showing items 1 to 5 of 5
- Renaissance
What great paintings sayThe Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck, 1434
Jan van Eyck’s 15th-century masterpiece The Arnolfini Portrait has intrigued art historians for centuries, but what secrets does it contain?
- Georgian
What great paintings sayMarriage à-la-mode: 2. The Tête à Tête by William Hogarth, c1743–45
William Hogarth’s satirical series provided humour with a serious undertone. Discover the meaning behind his painting Marriage à-la-mode: 2. The Tête à Tête
- 20th Century
What great paintings sayAmerican Gothic By Grant Wood, 1930
Instantly familiar and much parodied, Grant Wood’s Depression-era painting American Gothic leaves observers with more questions than answers
- Period
What great paintings sayDido Elizabeth Belle and Lady Elizabeth Murray by David Martin, c1779
This highly unusual painting of Dido Elizabeth Belle and Lady Elizabeth Murray sheds new light on the experiences of people of colour in 18th-century England
- Tudor
What great paintings sayThe Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533
Painted by the artist of the cream of Tudor society – including the royals themselves – this painting appears at first glance to be a typical portrait of a French diplomat and his friend. But hidden within the display of wealth and grandeur are signs of discord and disruption