The 25 Worst Paintings In History

Seriously overrated works of art.

April 1, 2012

Image via Complex Original

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Every looked at a painting and thought "I could do that!" Yup, so have we.

Surrealism? Too fanciful. History painting? Turns duds to heroes. Abstract expressionism? In the immortal words of Ed Lover, "C'mon, son."

Sure, taste is subjective. But, the art world needs an objective kick in the nuts. So, here goes—check out The 25 Worst Paintings Of All Time.

24 Cassius Marcellus, Coolidge A Friend In Need, 1903

Dogs playing poker. SMH.

25 Paul Gauguin, Day of the God, 1894

We get the figurative sections up top. But, what's up with that odd shaped water and overly bright colors at the bottom of the canvas? A bit abstract.

4 Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937

Oh, boy. So much going on here. Upside, there is passion. Downside, there is a lot of confusion. All too challenging.

5 Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory, 1931

Every college student owns this painting. Like Jordan IIIs or a Supreme cap, enough is enough, it is time to take a stand.

6 Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Matte, 1886

Something ain't right here. A cool, calm sunday afternoon and this asshole is rolling through the park spraying folks with mace.

7 Johannes Vermeer, Girl With A Pearl Earring, 1665

Terrible. She looks nothing like Scarlett Johansson.

8 James Abbot McNeill, Whistler's Mother, 1871

She's probably sad because her legs are so damn long.

9 Gustav Klimt, The Kiss, 1908

This chick doesn't seen into what is about to go down. You'd think she'd have stopped at the suggestion "hey, wouldn't it be cool if we wore a single, giant gold cape?" Nope. She fell for that trap. Now it looks like she just tasted a very sour lemon.

10 Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930

Handsome couple. Poor subject for a painting though. Don't they just look... regular? This really deserves parody. Wonder if anyone else has thought of that...

11 Rene Magritte, The Son of A Man, 1964

Which man, exactly? And, isn't this a little late in the day for surrealism? Didn't Man Ray kill that trend...

12 Jackson Pollock, No.5, 1948

Hahahaha. Looks like a drunk just spilled paint on the floor.

21 Mark Rothko, Pink Yellow, 1949

The result of a child and some Play-Doh. Who buys the only subconcious primitive theory behind making this? C'mon son.

2 Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889

Finger painting gone mad.

13 Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942

A bunch of people with nothing to say to each other sit in a grossly lit room. Pretty much sums up life in New York.

3 Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893

Frightening. So much angst. Best bet, this painter is from Scandinavia.

14 Hokusai, Behind the Great Wave, 1829

The wave sure is great. In size. Can't say much good about the composition.

15 Vincent van Gogh, Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers, 1888

Dutch dudes are really into sunflowers. Painting them is something of an obsession, and one they never seem to move away from even though NOBODY else is into them. Who is impressed by a still life?

19 Banksy, Girl and Balloon, 2004

This bloke has some nerve tossing a stenciled image on a cardboard box from Ikea and selling it for hundreds of thousands. Can you believe Girl and Balloon sold at auction for almost $600k just last week?

16 Georgia O'Keeffe, Cow's Skull: Red, White, Blue, 1931

When you think "American spirit" does dead animal come to mind? Didn't think so.

17 Charles Demuth, My Egypt, 1927

They call this style precisionism, yet there is no accountability for precise titling. Pyramids and a couple of grain elevators look nothing alike.

18 Norman Rockwell, Freedom From Want, 1943

You know want we want? To never run into the delivish kid at the upper right corner of the table. WTF is up with that dude? The little creep is certainly up to something.

20 Sandro Botticelli, Madonna and Child, 1465

This poor lad doesn't have much of a future. Those sad eyes and fat, formless arms aren't doing him any favors. Plus, she isn't exactly a looker either.