ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Ten Scariest Paintings in Art History

other · 2026-07-02

A collection of ten chilling artworks spanning from the 16th to the 20th century delves into themes of fear, violence, and the nature of artistic expression. Featured pieces include Francisco Goya's "Saturn Devouring His Son" (1819-1823, Museo del Prado) and José Casado del Alisal's "The Legend of the Monk King" (1880, Museo del Prado). Pieter Bruegel the Elder's "The Triumph of Death" (1562, Museo del Prado) is also part of this examination. Additionally, Peter Paul Rubens contributed "Tereus' Banquet" (1636-1638, Museo del Prado) and "Medusa" (1618, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna). Other significant works are William-Adolphe Bouguereau's "Dante and Virgil" (1850, Musée d'Orsay), Ken Currie's "Gallowgate Lard" (1960, Aberdeen Art Gallery), Odilon Redon's "The Smiling Spider" (1881, Louvre), and Théodore Géricault's "The Severed Heads" (1818, Nationalmuseum).

Key facts

  • Francisco Goya's Saturn Devouring His Son (1819-1823) is part of the Black Paintings series at Museo del Prado, Madrid.
  • José Casado del Alisal's The Legend of the Monk King (1880) is also known as The Bell of Huesca, at Museo del Prado.
  • Pieter Bruegel the Elder's The Triumph of Death (1562) is at Museo del Prado.
  • Peter Paul Rubens' Tereus' Banquet (1636-1638) is at Museo del Prado.
  • William-Adolphe Bouguereau's Dante and Virgil (1850) is at Musée d'Orsay, Paris.
  • Ken Currie's Gallowgate Lard (1960) is at Aberdeen Art Gallery, UK.
  • Odilon Redon's The Smiling Spider (1881) is at Louvre, Paris.
  • Théodore Géricault's The Severed Heads (1818) is at Nationalmuseum, Stockholm.
  • Peter Paul Rubens' Medusa (1618) is at Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
  • Giovanni Francesco's Child with a Drawing (1480-1555/1558) is at Museo di Castelvecchio, Verona.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

Locations

  • Madrid
  • Spain
  • Paris
  • France
  • Aberdeen
  • UK
  • Stockholm
  • Sweden
  • Vienna
  • Austria
  • Verona
  • Italy
  • Huesca
  • Rome
  • Quinta del Sordo

Sources