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Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh, National Gallery, London.
This painting was done near the end of van Gogh's life. It is full of vibrancy and heavy brush strokes in his dynamic style. There is a museum in Amsterdam devoted only to him as he has become the most famous of the second generation of Impressionist artists.
The Virgin of the Rocks, 1483-86 by Leonardo da Vinci.
Leonardo created two almost identical versions of the same scene of the Virgin with the angel Uriel, John the Baptist and the Christ child. The first work was commissioned by an organization and when they did not pay right away it was purchased by an individual, finally the group gathered the money and another version was made for them.
London version
The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck, National Gallery London.
Painted in the 15th century, this work is full of symbolism all meant to bring good luck to the marriage of this couple. van Eyck and his brother Hubert are often credited with inventing oil painting.
Portrait of Susanna Lunden or Le Chapeau de Paille (The Straw Hat), 1622-25 by Peter Paul Rubens, National Gallery, London.
A portrait of Rubens' sister-in-law, who was widowed by the time this was painted. Her sister was Rubens' second wife. Rubens' was the most famous and popular painter of the 17th century. His paintings of full-figured females have spawned the term "rubenisque" to describe voluptuous figures.
An Allegory of Venus and Cupid, c.1550 by Agnolo Bronzino, National Gallery, London.
Bronzino's style is known as Mannerism, a style of exaggeration and poses. The meaning of the allegory is uncertain but figures such as Time (the old man), Cupid with his wings and Venus holding the golden apple she received from Paris, are easily recognizable.
The Wilton Diptych, c. 1394 for King Richard the II, artist unknown,National Gallery, London.
One of my favorite of the Madonna and Child images. The blues are so vivid especially against the gold. It is the size of a regular book when closed. Diptych refers to the two parts of the painting.