Famous Oil Paintings in the Movies

Written by Amitai Sasson on October 16, 2008

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In the modern era, great oil painting masterpieces have become a status symbol. The combination of beauty, popularity and the multi-million dollar price tag, have made the great oil paintings of the world, luxurious items coveted by the rich and famous.

The prestige of art has transformed itself to the silver screen, as more and more oil paintings make their way to the walls of majestic scenes in motion pictures. Many stage producers that are trying to give the perception of class and a luxurious setting add high-end reproductions of famous paintings to the background to spice up the scene.

Never was this more evident than in the “Ocean’s eleven” movie trilogy. The movie that is actually a remake of a famous rat-pack 1960’s film, has (in my opinion) the coolest cast ever assembled in Hollywood, ever since the aforementioned rat-pack. With brilliant and exciting actors such as George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt, the producers had to create a world of unsurpassed luxury and style.

I happened to watch both sequels last week, Ocean’s Twelve and Thirteen, and I was astonished to see in the background walls of Terry Benedict’s gleaming office, the ruthless Casino Mogul (played by Andy Garcia) the famous Klimt oil painting, Adele Bloch-Bauer I, the same painting that in reality is hanging in the Neue Galerie in New York City bought by cosmetics tycoon, Ronald Lauder for $135 Million two years ago and is considered by many as the Mona Lisa of New York City.

When I saw Ocean’s Twelve and Adele sparkling of gold tones in the background, I thought that the producers of the film really did their home work and added the most expensive oil painting known to man to the background of this movie. However, in Ocean’s Thirteen, Adele was still hanging in the background, but the painting got stripped down from all it’s gold and had only silver tones…

In any case, do you know of any other films that have famous oil paintings hanging in the background? Please share and I would love to add some photos of this as well.

About the Author: Amitai Sasson

Amitai Sasson of overstockArt.com is a renowned world traveler on a mission to seek out the beauty and passion of the art world. As an avid enthusiast of art and oil paintings, he contributes to ArtCorner.com as Chief editor and writer.

See all posts by Amitai Sasson

43 Comments

Category: Art in Movies

Jan

There is a painting hanging over the bed in the movie, “Starting Over” with Burt Reynolds, Candace Bergen and Jill Clayburgh which I have been trying to place for years. It is modern (to me) in genre and is of a woman lying in bed with a black cat on her head. Red, black, blue and white are the colors.
Any help you cold provide would be appreciated. I thought it was a Clader….but none of my online searches yield anything like that for Calder.
Thank you,
Jan
Amitai Sasson

Is this the painting:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x35aft_candice-bergen-starting-over_shortfilms

if so I will try and investigate this for you…
Amitai Sasson

According to Jan: Yes! That is the painting!! So I will look for it. If anyone else finds out something about the painting please let us know…

Let me know of any other paintings from motion pictures that you guys want to learn more about… this could be a really interesting topic.
Amitai Sasson

Jan, I found the art you were looking for!
That artwork is “Woman Reading” by Will Barnet.

see: http://www.towntopics.com/jan1905/art.html

Very cool artist. Will Barnet’s 1970 color serigraph might seem “representational” at first glance but is nothing of the sort…
Jan

Amitai:
How can I ever thank you! This painting has haunted me for years…
Thank you for clarifying one of life’s niggling little questions. Now i can move on….
Jan
Jan

Hello again:
I just saw the Movie, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” One of the scenes shows a small painting on the wall of a little girl in profile singing or talking to a bird.
I am particluarly interested in the name of this paining, as a friend of mine has one in her dining room and has always told all of us that her grandmother painted it.
The painting is in sepia tones…. deep tans, browns and greens and depicts the girl looking out the window and talking to the bird. The period is probably the 20s or 30s 0r 40s….
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Jan
Amitai Sasson

Sorry Jen… I looked high and low for this one, I couldn’t find the image of the painting so it’s hard for me to think of an answer…
Jan

I found it! It is called, “Spring Song” by Simon Glucklich.
Thanks, everyone!
Jan
Amitai Sasson

cool! who helped you out? here is a link to view the painting: http://people.uncw.edu/wetherillkd/documents/arttour_Color.pdf
Jan

Amitai:
I found it on my own after many many different google searches! Amazing, I know. I should have sent a link showing the paining. I apologize.
Jan
indira

theres a lot of paints in the movie twilight but especially one that i wanna know and it is when robert pattinson bring bella to his house and they’re in the stairs i cant find the author of the paint
anon

I saw the picture in the movie as well. It’s by Simon Glucklich and is of his blind daughter. (according to the internet)
Amitai Sasson

Wow, thank you Anon! This is cool that people help each other out like that.

I wanted to let y’all know that I just wrote an article on the top 10 artist related films. You should have some insights if you are a fan of both disciplines like I am.

http://www.artcorner.com/top-10-best-artist-films/
pj

there is a painting on the wall of a barefoot girl in a dress sitting or on her knees and it shows shirley temple in the painting on the wall in the 1935 shirley temple movie called “curly top” …does anybody have any information on this painting or know who the artist is?
Amitai Sasson

Sorry PJ, I could not find the painting you were talking about… is it of Shirley Temple or just part of the movie?
pj

It is not a painting of Shirley Temple,It’s just a painting of a barefoot girl hanging on the wall but the girl does transform into Shirley as Shirley comes to life inside in the picture in the Curly Top movie.I dont know name of the painting or the picture so i can find the artist,I’m just trying to find clues because i know where a picture is that looks just like the one in the movie lol
Stevo

I am interested in finding out the name of the artist who did the landscape painting appearing on the wall in movie Dial “M” for Murder? You can see the painting on the wall 14 minutes into the movie (or the start of chapter 6 on DVD)
vero denizli

Hello,
I found your site when I tried to find who’s painting is hanging in the Afleck-Anisiton appartement,in “he’s not that into you” movie I like them all but I have a prefered one with a man appearing trough an open window
I searched through the whole idbm site, but didn’t find anything…Any idea? Thank you! from Belgium
kristen palmer

in the movie twilight,there is an abstract landscape oil painting hanging in the cullens staircase.it is in the scene where edward and bella are walking up the stairs and again when laurent is warning the cullens about james.who pinted this and where can i get a copy?ive been searching eversince the movie came out.

Mark

To: Kristen Palmer
I`m sorry, my name is Mark and I`m searching the same painting.Do you have same new information about the painting?

Knyjets80

no, sorry. If i find it i’ll let you know.
Knyjets80

her name is marina dejanovic.I saw it on the web.

AgentCaroline

Does anybody know where I can get a replica of the large panoramic painting shown in the Cullens living room in New Moon?
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I love this oil painting
Steph

Does anyone have any information about the abstract landscape painting in the movie, “Twilight” at the foot of the stairs in the Cullen house?

GG

I am also looking for this painting, did you find it?

Knyjets80

Im looking for it also.

Evitalala

does anyone know which francis bacon painting was in the movie “inception”?

DS

Not sure… but perhaps his 1973 “Self Portrait”?
http://www.tate.org.uk/tateetc/issue14/francisb... (2nd image from the top)
What do you think?

guest

Regarding the Klimt painting in the Ocean's Eleven triology – the painting is not that of Adele Bloch Bauer I, rather a portrait of Fritza Rielder (1906) in the collection of the Belvedere in Vienna.

Saoirse

I thought perhaps it was the wedding portrait of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s sister, Margarethe, because of the extremely similar and very muted, gray pallette as well as the characteristic Klimt gold embellishment around the figure’s head, but you are correct – it is Riedler. In Vienna.

Anemone

i have an oil painting with a skull, duck, pigeon, snake, glass of wine & fruit but can’t figure out what movie it’s from – please help
703anonymous

I too am looking for that really large abstract painting in the movie New Moon. It’s right above the table where Bella is pushed onto it by Edward in the birthday scene.
703anonymous

I too am looking for that really large abstract painting in the movie New Moon. It’s right above the table where Bella is pushed onto it by Edward in the birthday scene.

DB

Is this the artwork you’re talking about??

Lakegirlbtl

I am looking for information about a painting of a young girl with long red hair. My mom has this painting and has had it since the 70′s. I saw the same painting in the background of the original “Footloose”. It is in the scene where the family runs into the room of the girls after vandals throw a brick through the window. Just curious about the painting. Never seen it before until I watched the movie for like the 20th time. lol
RedKnight

In Fright Night (1985) there is a large painting briefly seen just inside the door of Jarry Dandrich’s (Chris Surrandon) house, seen when Charley is quickly ussured out by police after stating that Jerry is a vampire (approximately 19 and a half minutes in).

It has an appearance of a Rembrandt but I cannot confirm. Does anyone have an idea?

RedKnight

I can post a screen-capture link if it helps…

http://ArtCorner.com/ ASASSON

if you could upload a screen capture it would really help :)

RedKnight

Here is the painting in question. I have noticed many layers to this otherwise “silly but fun” 80′s film, and the inclusion of a work of one of the masters, even a suspected lost work, fits well with the concept of a being who has lived a very long life. Although there are many other items of interest along similar lines, this ones stood out the most for me.

http://ArtCorner.com/ ASASSON

Found it!
http://www.bonhams.com/usa/auction/19419/lot/1332/

The armor makersigned ‘A. Jacomin’ (lower left)oil on canvas

Riko-kingofthemods

I just watched “Play Misty for Me” starring Clint Eastwood. In the movie behind his bed is an abstract painting. I’m trying to find out who did it or where I can find a decent photo of it. Can anyone help?