Famous art in London: 10 artworks you don’t want to miss

London is the cultural hub of Europe, with art exhibitions, music concerts, and theatre performances that are unrivaled in quality. If you happen to visit the UK’s capital — and if you also happen to be an art enthusiast — this is your opportunity to immerse yourself in beauty, centuries-old craftsmanship, and critical thought sparked by innovative art pieces, be it Turner’s classic “The Fighting Temeraire” or Duchamp’s revolutionary “Fountain.”

In this guide, you’ll discover all you need to know about famous art in London’s best art museums, from where to find David Hockney’s artwork to which world-famous pieces The National Gallery has on display. Let’s jump right in!

The Fighting Temeraire, J.M.W. Turner

Where to see it

The National Gallery

Voted the greatest painting in Britain in a 2005 poll by the BBC, “The Fighting Temeraire” isn’t just a masterclass in the use of light and color — it also carries a deep symbolic meaning. Portraying the HMS Temeraire, a ship that played a role in the Battle of Trafalgar, as it’s towed along the Thames to her last berth, the painting is infused with patriotic nostalgia. What’s more, the contrast between the mighty sailing ship and the modern steam engine symbolizes the rise of the industrial era. The painting is part of the Main Collection and can be found in Room 40.

Address

Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

Opening hours

Saturday–Thursday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Friday, 10:00 AM–9:00 PM

Ophelia, Sir John Everett Millais, Bt

Where to see it

Tate Britain

Another item on your list of most famous paintings in London must be “Ophelia,” a hauntingly beautiful painting based on William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” that depicts Ophelia’s dying moments. The juxtaposition of lush greenery and Ophelia’s cold, pale form is what makes the artwork so eerie, creating a blend of human tragedy and natural beauty that will stay with you for a long while. A great example of Pre-Raphaelite work, “Ophelia” is located in the “Beauty as Protest: 1845–1905” Room that’s part of the Historic and Modern British Art collection. Don’t forget to study the painting from up close to notice various flowers that are referenced in “Hamlet” itself.

Address

Millbank, London SW1P 4RG

Opening hours

Open daily, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM

The Swing, Jean-Honoré Fragonard

Where to see it

The Wallace Collection

If you’re on the lookout for famous Rococo art in London, this is it. “The Swing” is full of color and exquisite detail, eliciting a sense of richness and grandeur mixed with playfulness. The French title, “Les hasards heureux de l’escarpolette,” which translates to “Happy Accidents of the Swing,” hints at the shoe flying off a woman’s foot as she swings back and forth — and likely at the flirtatious themes portrayed in the painting. When standing before the artwork itself, take the time to appreciate the use of light to express a carefree, decadent ambiance.

Address

Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN

Opening hours

Open daily, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM

Marilyn Diptych, Andy Warhol

Where to see it

Tate Modern

“Marilyn Diptych” was made in 1962, shortly after Marilyn Monroe’s death. The artwork shows a publicity photo of Marilyn repeated fifty times, but while Marilyn appears vibrant and colorful on the left-hand side, her image slowly fades as the observer’s eye drifts to the right. What many might see as an artistic tribute to Marilyn actually expresses so much more — at its core, the artwork is a reflection on the passing nature of fame and the consumerist aspect of celebrity culture that turns complex human beings into flattened brands. To see the art piece, head to “In the Conservation Studio: Andy Warhol” in the Blavatnik Building, Level 2.

Address

Bankside, London SE1 9TG

Opening hours

Open daily, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM

The Thames below Westminster, Claude Monet

Where to see it

The National Gallery

Claude Monet is considered one of the founding fathers of Impressionism, and seeing his works easily counts as one of London’s best cultural attractions for art enthusiasts. “The Thames below Westminster” is a brilliant example of what Monet found fascinating about London during his first stay there in 1870. “Without the fog, London would not be a beautiful city,” he once said, and the view of the Houses of Parliament wrapped up in fog and mist demonstrates just how well Monet’s soft brushwork captures the city’s atmosphere. You can find this piece and Monet’s other paintings in Room 41.

Address

Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

Opening hours

Saturday–Thursday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Friday, 10:00 AM–9:00 PM

Man in the Shower in Beverly Hills, David Hockney

Where to see it

Tate Britain

David Hockney’s paintings are definitely among the most essential artworks to see in London, and his “Man in the Shower in Beverly Hills” plays a vital role in our understanding of the contemporary artist’s work and influence. Part of his “Shower Series,” the piece captures a man showering in a modern home. This quiet, introspective moment explores male intimacy and soft masculinity in a world where depictions of homosexual desire were not common, a theme that is contrasted by the hard-edged tiles representing the modernity of California’s 1960s. See this painting in the “In Full Colour” room of the “Modern and Contemporary British Art” collection.

Address

Millbank, London SW1P 4RG

Opening hours

Open daily, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM

Shop Till You Drop, Banksy

Where to see it

Bruton Lane, Mayfair

The famously elusive British street artist Banksy has been featured in plenty of international exhibitions, but nowhere is his art more captivating than on the streets of London, where some of his most famous artworks have been created. Head to Bruton Lane to catch one of his original works, “Shop Till You Drop,” high up on a building for all to see. The plummeting woman depicted is holding onto her shopping trolley, representing the danger of consumer culture. Banksy painted this poignant piece of social critique in broad daylight as he disguised the area with scaffolding and a tarpaulin to avoid detection.

Address

Bruton Lane, London W1J 6JH

Opening hours

Open 24 hours

Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh

Where to see it

The National Gallery

When I tell you to think of sunflowers and art, your mind will probably jump to Vincent van Gogh. Having painted multiple pieces where sunflowers are the central focus, the famous Dutch Post-Impressionist painter is now closely associated with these flowers, which are often said to represent the cycle of life in his work. The artwork on display in Room 43 of The National Gallery is an excellent example of the way van Gogh used soft brushstrokes and the impasto technique to convey emotion and depth, eliciting an introspective ambiance that adds an extra dimension to the “Sunflowers” painting.

Address

Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

Opening hours

Saturday–Thursday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Friday, 10:00 AM–9:00 PM

Fountain, Marcel Duchamp

Where to see it

Tate Modern

What appears to be nothing but a urinal is actually considered a piece of famous art in London — and for a good reason. Duchamp’s “Fountain” from 1917 sparked a revolutionary debate about the constraints of art and how to go beyond craftsmanship to art as a concept. What counts as art? Could anything be art? Does the beauty of art lie in the meaning that’s created in the head of the object’s beholder? In many ways, “Fountain” is where all these questions began, influencing dozens of contemporary artists who followed in Duchamp’s footsteps. To see the artwork, head to the “Materials and Objects” exhibition.

Address

Bankside, London SE1 9TG

Opening hours

Open daily, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM

Infinite Accumulation, Yayoi Kusama

Where to see it

Outside Liverpool Street Station, Central London

Famous art in London can be found anywhere, not just in galleries, and “Infinite Accumulation” by the renowned Yayoi Kusama is proof of that. Based on polka dots, a theme that is prevalent in Kusama’s work, the sculpture is an intertwined web of polished dots that reflect the urban landscape. For Kusama, polka dots represent the universe as an interconnected whole, blurring the boundary between an individual self and a collective consciousness. The reflective nature of the sculpture adds to this theme, mirroring passersby as they go on about their days.

Address

Liverpool St, City of London, London EC2M 7PY

Opening hours

Open 24 hours