Le déjeuner sur l’herbe (The Luncheon on the Grass) by Edouard Manet
The factor that managed to attract so much of controversy in this painting is nudity. Well, it is not the only painting that has nudity portrayed in it, but it is the context that is different from other paintings, and that is what brought so much of controversy in its share. Other paintings that have nudity are religious, mythological, or Greek paintings that enable them to get away with the nudity. However, in this painting there is no such story behind but just a nude woman sitting with men, with another nude woman in the background.
Sick Bacchus by Caravaggio
Image Source : Allart.Biz
Caravaggio is the artist and the painting is his self-portrait. His pale figure with blue lips owing to a sexually transmitted disease called Syphilis that was in extreme in the 19th century. He actually suffered from this disease due to his multiple sexual relationships, but none of all this is responsible for the controversy; it is his selection of sick Bacchus (a character from Greek mythology) that landed this painting amidst controversies.
The Enigma of William Tell by Salvador Dali
This painting by Salvador Dali was perceived to be so offensive and weird that some of the very famous surrealists decided to ruin the reputation of Dali. The way he portrayed Vladimir Lenin was deemed so offensive, that it could not be a part of any museum, and many surrealists boycotted him. While the painting represents Lenin, it is also considered a representation of Dali’s struggle with his father.
Self-Portrait by Albrecht Durer
It is a self-portrait of Albrecht Durer, looks amazing but has a serious controversy to it. This time the controversy came from the Catholic Church and the public who claimed that Durer has tried to copy the pure position of Christ, his hand in the picture as you can see is like that of the Christ while giving blessings. On a simple inspection, the portrait does look like the generic and popular representation of Jesus.
The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins
Image Source : media.npr.org
A painting by Thomas Eakins was submitted for an exhibition but faced rejection owing to its controversial nature. Things that made this painting worth rejection were the odd representation of a clinic, with blood marks around, and a nude patient and others sitting around.
