The Third of May 1808
1814 · El Prado, Madrid
A lantern lights a man in a white shirt throwing his arms wide before the firing squad. Goya painted it six years later.
★ 9.4
The Art canon
Sourced and hung.
Every work chosen by hand and annotated for why it matters.
Browse all 704 works or filter by movement, subject, place, and artist.
Browse all 704 works or filter by movement, subject, place, and artist.
The Night Watch
1642 · Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
A militia company surges out of the shadow with a dog barking and a girl glowing among the men. Varnish, not night, made it dark.
★ 9.2
Cafe Terrace at Night
1888 · Kroller-Muller Museum, Otterlo
Van Gogh set up outside and painted the terrace on the spot after dark, pleased that he had used no black at all.
★ 7.5
The Dream of Constantine
1465 · San Francesco Church (Arezzo), Arezzo
An angel drops steeply from the corner and its light is the only light in the tent. One of the first true night scenes in painting.
★ 7.2