Mona LisaSfumatodescribes a method of blending colors together in a subtle fashion, this is what gives the painting its almost smoky look. Chiaroscuro refers to the contrast of light and dark, which gives the painting a sense of depth in areas such as the eyes and hands.The color palette here is dark and rich, perfect for a mature, sophisticated feel.

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande JatteTo really appreciate this painting, you have to look up close. George Seurat painted this beauty in 1884 utilizing a style now known as pointillism, which uses thousands of tiny dots of pure color that come together and form a cohesive image when viewed at a distance. Think about how much work must have gone into creating an image of this scale!

The OptometristNormal Rockwell is perhaps the most iconic American painter who ever lived. All through the early to mid 1900s, he portrayed every day American life in a way that continues captured the hearts of millions (he produced over 4,000 original works!). My grandparents had Rockwell’s art plastered over all of their walls when I was growing up, looking at any of his work instantly takes me back to long, perfect summers in rural Missouri.

The Great Wave off KanagawaOften referred to simply as “The Great Wave,” this beautiful piece of work is technically a woodblock print, produced somewhere between 1830 and 1833 by the Japanese artist Hokusai. This is part of a series that focuses on the area around Mount Fuji, which is shown here in the background, and is one of the most famous Japanese works of art to date.

The ScreamThe Scream is a particularly haunting piece of art painted by expressionist EdvardMunch somewhere between 1893 and 1910. This painting’s history has always fascinated me as it seems to be a constant target for thieves. It was successfully stolen (and later recovered) in both 1994 and 2004. It was feared that the painting might be too fragile to survive the latter ordeal but luckily it was obtained with only minor damage.

Last SupperI can hear you now… “Wait! That’s not the Last Supper that I know!” DaVinci’s Last Supper is far more popular than this piece by the Venetian painter Tintoretto from the late 1500s, but I’ve always liked this one better. Tintoretto has a way of using intense colors, interesting perspective and crazy lighting illusions to portray scenes that are absolutely beautiful.