1. Irises – Vincent Van Gogh

Photo Credit: AgentZ92505

Van Gogh is absolutely my most favourite artist of all time. I love all his works and it’s a real shame that he only ever sold one painting when he was alive. I can’t imagine the joy he would feel knowing how much his paintings fetch today. This one sold for $54million in 1987.

2. Bandit – Govinder Nazran

Photo Credit: Liberty Galleries

I actually own number 65 from a limited hand-finished edition of 95 of this painting and it’s my most prized and most expensive possession. He had a remarkable perspective on how to draw cats, dogs and rabbits. He sadly died in 2009, aged only 44.

3. The Little Dancer - Degas

Photo Credit: oriana.italy

Famous for both his paintings and sculptures of ballet scenes, I adore the tactile look to this figurine made of bronze. I love the way the folds of the tutu make you just want to put your hand out to stroke them.

4. A Mediterranean Scene - Raoul Dufy

Image source: images.easyart.com

One of the Fauvist painters, Dufy’s paintings are brightly colored and full of swirling lines. This one always reminds me of my European summer holidays.

5. Ancient of Days – William Blake

Photo Credit: chippa

This might seem an odd inclusion amongst the others that are impressionistic and expressionist but I fell in love by William Blake’s poetry in my early teens and despite my own lack of religious fervor I appreciate how his faith generated the most incredible works. (Blake wrote the words to that iconic English hymn – Jerusalem).

6. Water Lilies - Monet

Photo Credit: jefg99

I knew that Monet had a predilection for painting the same scene many times; for example he painted more than 30 views of Rouen Cathedral all at different times of the day, and I had seen various paintings from his Water Lilies series. But nothing could have prepared me for my first ever visit to the exhibition at the Musée de L’Orangerie where it runs the full length of two huge curved walls of two huge rooms.

7. Suzanne – René Lalique

Photo Credit: The Gifted Photographer

Lalique is affordable art. He was a prolific designer of glass and you’ll find everything from simple bowls to hood mascots for luxury cars to perfume bottles. He combined art nouveau and art deco with a unique eye for beauty.

Thanks for letting me share some of the things that mean a lot to me. I wonder if any of these appear in your list of favourite works of art.

Top Photo Credit: artist101