15 Fine Art Mural and Fine Art Wallpaper Ideas
Now that classic artworks have entered the public domain, you can use them to decorate! From the Renaissance to Impressionism to Cubism, explore these tasteful and artistic paintings, great for any room. Check out our Mona Lisa, Starry Night, Sistine Chapel murals, and more!
1. Vincent Van Gogh - The Starry Night (Post-Impressionism, 1889)
One of the most iconic paintings of all time, this was painted by Van Gogh during his stay at the Saint-Paul-de-Masole monastery in southern France. While originally not highly regarded among Van Gogh's work near the time of his death, the legacy of the painting has only increased over time. The stars and clouds whirl, twirl and swirl in the night sky as they overlook the town of Saint-Remy.
2. Raphael - The School of Athens (Renaissance Fresco, 1511)
The School of Athens is seen as the work most indicative of Rennaisance art—it was a painted fresco, in the Vatican, and referential to classical Europe. Fresco was a way of painting directly onto the wall so that the paint would actually bind to the wall. The Vatican was the largest sponsor of the arts and painting in Europe at the time, and many iconic images from Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo are located there. A key part of Renaissance thinking is the examination of Classical Greek philosophy, and several prominent philosophers are in this image—Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Diogenes, Epicurus, Heraclitus, and more.
3. Juan Gris - Guitar and Newspaper (Cubism, 1925)
Apart from its founders Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, Juan Gris was the most important Cubist artist, dabbling in Analytic and Synthetic Cubism, and helping develop Crystal Cubism in the late 1910s. This image here shows one of the masters at the top of his game using images common among Cubist painters: the guitar and table. By playing with color and line, Gris plays with the viewer's preconceived notions of form and blurs the line between objects.
4. Jacques-Louis David - Napoleon Crossing the Alps (Neoclassical, 1801)
Jacques-Louis David was a master of Neoclassical painting. A departure from his earlier work and his contemporaries, David eschewed the realism popular in painting at the time. He captured Napoleon in a more dignified way—an ideal rather than a pure portrait. Napoleon's golden cloak, finger stretched onward, and rising horse all add to the ideals and dignity of the image.
5. Georges Seurat - A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (Post-Impressionism, Pointillism, 1886)
This massive painting, brought into popular culture from the movie Ferris Beuller's Day Off, is the great work of the Pointillist style. This 7-feet-tall by 10-feet-wide image, like all Pointillist paintings, is made up of millions of tiny dots, creating a unique texture to the painting. This unique style would look great as living room art wallpaper!
6. Claude Monet - Water Lilies (Post-Impressionism, 1898)
Monet's Water Lilies series is one of the most famous sets of works of all time. Working out of Giverny in France, Monet worked outside "en plein air" in order to capture the beauty and constant, subtle motion of nature. This piece is artistic and evokes a sense of peace and serenity.
7. Johannes Vermeer - Girl With a Pearl Earring (Baroque, Dutch Golden Age, 1665)
Vermeer is one of the most famous Dutch painters and is cherished deeply by the entire country of the Netherlands. So much so that this painting was voted the most beautiful painting in the Netherlands! This painting shows off Vermeer's mastery at both capturing human form and expression. Even in the absence of a background, you are able to glean insights into the personality of the woman pictured, simply based on her gaze and expression.
8. Michelangelo - The Creation of Adam (Renaissance Fresco, 1512)
One of the most iconic paintings of all time, Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam is instantly recognizable. While it truly is a masterwork of the Renaissance era, the positioning of God and Adam, and the touching of the fingers has been referenced and parodied throughout modern culture.
9. Gustav Klimt - The Kiss (Symbolism, 1908)
This is the most famous piece done by Symbolist painter Gustav Klimt, considered by many to be the masterwork of the burgeoning Art Nouveau movement. Inspired by the gold and silver adornments in Byzantine churches, Klimt incorporated gold in this painting, novel for the period. The kiss itself is a beautiful expression of love, made even more intense by the gold and floral additions to the work.
10. Hokusai - Great Wave of Kanagawa (Ukiyo-e, 1833) 
Ukiyo-e is one of the most famous styles of Japanese art in the western hemisphere. Originally painted on woodblocks, the nature and flora & fauna scenes that are found in this style make for exotic yet familiar art wallpaper. The giant wave is contrasted with Mount Fuji in the background, playing with distance and perspective.
11. Vincent Van Gogh - Almond Blossoms (Post-Impressionism, 1890)
These almond blossoms painted by Van Gogh are some of our most popular wall murals here at Limitless Walls! The pastoral feeling of the trees, branches, and blossoms provides for a noticeable, but not extravagant decor addition to any room. This image is especially popular as art wallpaper for living rooms and as bedroom headboards!
12. Colin Campbell Cooper - New York, Fifth Avenue (American Impressionism, 1906)
While likely less famous than most works or artists listed here, Colin Campbell Cooper was considered the premiere American cityscape painter at the time, combining realism with impressionist touches to create the appearance of a moving city at work, at play. The way he captures Fifth Avenue in New York City is no different here!
13. Emanuel Leutze - Washington Crossing the Delaware (Dusseldorf School, 1851)
One of the most famous images in American history, capturing one of the most famous moments in American history! At a pivotal moment in the American Revolutionary War, George Washington led a secret crossing of the Delaware on Christmas Day 1776, surprising the British troops during the dead of winter. Leutze's styling, similar to David's capturing of Napoleon idealizes the situation, and highlights Washington as a figurehead in American history.
14. Diego Rivera - Detroit Industry Murals (Art Deco, 1933)
Detroit was the motor city of America, home to several automobile companies, and the place where the assembly line was developed. Rivera depicts Detroit as a world-class industrial city, using his own distinct style. This mural would make unique Art Deco wallpaper, great for an accent image in a living room!
15. Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa (Renaissance, 1517)
The most famous artwork of all time! The subtle smile, the use of atmospheric blurring, and the unusual outdoor setting (combined with the notable theft of the painting in the early 1910s) have turned this Leonardo work into "the" painting.