Art has always desired to make an impact on its viewers, often displaying grand ideas and challenging established norms. Some of the most famous paintings are even controversial and can cause serious strife within the art world. From being taken out of museums, art installations, or defaced, these six most controversial paintings in the world dared to push boundaries to show the world something different.
6. Lamentation Over the Dead Christ by Andrea Mantegna
Starting our list of the most controversial paintings is The Lamentation Over the Dead Christ. Painted by Andrea Mantegna in the 1480s, the painting has been censored several times throughout history due to its crude and realistic depiction of Christ’s body. The painting doesn’t shy away from the trauma inflicted on Christ, from his wounds to his emaciated form, and can be seen as graphic or disrespectful to the religion.
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5. The Last Judgement by Michelangelo
Fifth on our list of most controversial paintings is The Last Judgement by Michelangelo. One of the most famous painters in history, Michelangelo, did not escape controversy when he painted this fresco, which covers the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. The piece was criticized for its large number of nude figures and was considered inappropriate for a sacred space. While some have censored the painting, others praise his genius and mastery of the human form.
4. Myra by Marcus Harvey
Next on our list of most controversial paintings is Myra by Marcus Harvey. It’s one thing to paint a portrait, but it’s something completely different when an artist paints a portrait of a notoriously famous serial killer. Myra Hindley participated in the murders of five children between 1963 and 1965 in the Manchester area. After obtaining a mugshot, Harvey painted this artwork using a cast of the handprints of a child, leading to an uproar in the art world, and it was taken down at several galleries.
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3. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Picasso
Rounding out the top three most controversial paintings is Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Picasso. First exhibited in 1907, the painting caused a major uproar with the distorted, angular faces, which broke artistic conventions of the time. Most paintings realistically displayed beauty, while Picasso instead used his geometric style to strip bare the forms and call attention to the definition of beauty.
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2. Le Déjeuner Sur l’herbe by Édouard Manet
Second on our list of most controversial paintings is Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe by Édouard Manet. The main point of controversy with this painting was the crude depiction of a nude woman sitting alongside clothed men. It challenged artistic norms of the time and societal expectations of art during that period. However, Manet’s artistic choices have made this piece one of the staples of the Impressionist movement.
1. Open Casket by Dana Schutz
Last but not least on our list of most controversial paintings is Open Casket by Dana Schutz. Submitted to the 2017 Whitney Biennial, Schutz’s painting was a portrait of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American who was beaten nearly to death before being fatally shot by a mob. Till’s mother fought the injustice with an open casket funeral, which Schutz decided to paint. Since its release, Black artists and protestors alike have condemned the piece for its tough subject matter.
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