The Most Scary Painting, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the painting you think is the most scary!

Updated on May 2, 2024 06:56

Picture yourself walking through a gallery filled with eerie paintings; each canvas holds a tale that sends a chill down your spine. Ranking these artworks in order of which is most fear-inducing helps to highlight the unique elements that artists use to evoke such strong emotions. This process not only appreciates the skill involved but also explores how fear is artistically represented across various styles and eras. By participating in voting for the most scary painting, you contribute to a community-driven evaluation of what truly makes artwork unsettling. This interaction allows you to engage with art on a deeper level, understanding your own responses to different fearful stimuli while also seeing how others react. Each vote helps refine the rankings, ensuring they accurately represent the collective experience and perception of fear in art.

What Is the Most Scary Painting?

1

44
votes
Edvard Munch · Public domain

The Scream by Edvard Munch

Edvard Munch

The distorted figure and the screaming expression of the subject evoke feelings of intense fear and anxiety. The painting is considered a symbol of modern-day angst.
The Scream is a famous painting created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893. It is considered one of the most iconic and haunting images in art history. The painting depicts a figure standing on a bridge, their face contorted in agony, with hands covering their ears. The scene is set against a swirling, vibrant sky with colors that evoke feelings of anxiety and despair.

Year: 1893

Medium: Oil, tempera, and pastel on cardboard

Dimensions: 91 cm × 73.5 cm (36 in × 28.9 in)

Artistic Style: Expressionism

Location: National Gallery, Oslo, Norway
2

28
votes
Francisco Goya · Public domain

Saturn Devouring His Son by Francisco Goya

Francisco Goya

The painting depicts the mythological figure of Saturn eating his own child, presenting a gruesome and terrifying image that has captivated viewers for centuries.
Saturn Devouring His Son is a disturbing painting created by Francisco Goya. It depicts the gruesome scene of the mythological Saturn devouring one of his own children. The painting is part of Goya's Black Paintings series, which he created on the walls of his house during a period of his life filled with mental and physical anguish.

Title: Saturn Devouring His Son

Year: 1820-1823

Medium: Oil on plaster

Dimensions: 146 cm × 83 cm (57 in × 32.7 in)

Genre: Expressionism
3

31
votes
Hieronymus Bosch · Public domain

The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch

This triptych painting is a surreal and nightmarish depiction of heaven, hell, and earthly pleasures. The vivid and bizarre imagery is both fascinating and unsettling.
The Garden of Earthly Delights is a triptych painting created by Hieronymus Bosch during the early 16th century. It is considered one of the most eerie and enigmatic works in the history of art. The triptych consists of three panels depicting a range of surreal and fantastical scenes, showcasing Bosch's vivid imagination and distinctive style.

Medium: Oil on oak panels

Size: Overall dimensions: 220 cm × 389 cm (87 in × 153 in)

Location: Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Style: Northern Renaissance, Late Gothic

Theme: Religious and moral symbolism, depicting the journey of humanity from creation to judgment
4

16
votes
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali

The melting clocks and distorted landscape in this painting create a dreamlike and eerie atmosphere that is both intriguing and unsettling.
The Persistence of Memory is a surrealist masterpiece created by Salvador Dali in 1931. It features a dreamlike landscape with melting clocks draped over various objects. The scene is set on a desolate beach with a vast expanse of the sea in the background. The painting has a sense of mystery and ambiguity, inviting interpretations about the nature of time and reality.

Year: 1931

Genre: Surrealism

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 24 cm × 33 cm (9.5 in × 13 in)

Location: Museum of Modern Art, New York City
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali in other rankings
- Position 8 of 10 in Most beautiful art ever
5

17
votes
The Crying Boy by Giovanni Bragolin

Giovanni Bragolin

This painting gained notoriety in the 1980s when a series of house fires occurred in which the only surviving item was a copy of this painting. The rumors of a curse surrounding the painting have made it a creepy and unsettling image.
The Crying Boy by Giovanni Bragolin is a famous painting known for its haunting and unsettling quality. The painting depicts the face of a young boy with large tear-filled eyes and an expression of sadness or fear. The boy's tears are emphasized by the use of dark shadows on his face. The background of the painting is dark and gloomy, adding to the eerie atmosphere. The painting gained notoriety due to the numerous claims that it is cursed, causing fires in homes where it is displayed.

Title: The Crying Boy

Year: c. 1950s

Medium: Oil on canvas

Size: Approximately 70 x 50 cm

Genre: Portraiture
6

8
votes
Henry Fuseli · Public domain

The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli

Henry Fuseli

This painting depicts a woman sleeping with a demonic figure perched on her chest, creating a chilling and surreal image that has captivated viewers for centuries.
The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli is an iconic painting that was created in 1781. It portrays a scene filled with terror and supernatural elements. The centerpiece of the painting is a woman lying on a bed, seemingly asleep or in the grip of a nightmare. Standing over her is a demonic creature, commonly interpreted as an incubus. The painting evokes a sense of fear and unease, merging elements of horror, the Gothic, and fantasy. The artist masterfully combines light and dark contrasts to enhance the eerie atmosphere. The Nightmare is considered one of the greatest examples of Romanticism, a movement that emphasized strong emotions and imagination. It has become an influential work, inspiring numerous artists and writers throughout history.

Year: 1781

Style: Romanticism

Medium: Oil painting

Size: 101.6 cm × 127 cm

Location: Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan
7

10
votes
The Hands Resist Him by Bill Stoneham

Bill Stoneham

This painting gained notoriety in the 2000s when a listing for it on eBay claimed that the figures in the painting moved at night. The eerie and unsettling image has become a popular subject of internet lore.
The Hands Resist Him is a famous and eerie painting created by Bill Stoneham. It depicts a young boy and a life-sized doll standing in front of a glass door. The atmosphere of the painting is dark and foreboding, with a sense of unease permeating throughout. The boy is seen looking directly at the viewer with an intense gaze, while the doll's eyes appear vacant and soulless. There are several unsettling elements in the painting, such as hands pressed against the glass, appearing to reach out from another world. The background is filled with shadowy figures, creating a sense of mystery and fear. The painting gained notoriety when it was listed for sale on eBay, with rumors of supernatural occurrences surrounding it.

Year: 1972

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 25.5 x 36 inches

Style: Surrealism

Subject: Boy, doll, glass door, hands
8

7
votes
Chabacano · CC BY-SA 3.0

The Black Paintings by Francisco Goya

Francisco Goya

These a series of murals painted on the walls of Goya's home, depicting dark and disturbing scenes such as a man being eaten by a pack of dogs. The paintings are considered a reflection of Goya's own fears and anxieties.
The Black Paintings by Francisco Goya is a series of dark and haunting paintings created by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. These paintings were created during his later years, between 1819 and 1823, and were directly painted onto the walls of his house, known as Quinta del Sordo (Villa of the Deaf). The Black Paintings are widely regarded as some of the most terrifying works of art ever created.

Time Period: 1819-1823

Medium: Fresco paint directly on walls

Subject Matter: Dark and haunting themes

Location: Quinta del Sordo (Villa of the Deaf)

Size: Varies for each painting
9

7
votes
Théodore Géricault · Public domain

The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault

Théodore Géricault

This painting depicts the aftermath of a shipwreck where survivors are stranded on a raft in the middle of the ocean. The haunting and desperate expressions of the subjects create a chilling and unforgettable image.
The Raft of the Medusa is a haunting painting created by Théodore Géricault in 1818-1819. It depicts the aftermath of the wreck of the French naval frigate Méduse, where the survivors were left adrift on a makeshift raft. The painting captures the desperation, horror, and chaos of the event.

Title: The Raft of the Medusa

Year: 1818-1819

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 491 cm × 716 cm (193 in × 282 in)

Genre: History painting
10

1
votes
The Dance of Death by Hans Holbein the Younger

Hans Holbein the Younger

This series of woodcut prints depicts death leading people from all walks of life to their final resting place, creating a macabre and unsettling image that has fascinated viewers for centuries.
The Dance of Death is a famous painting created by Hans Holbein the Younger during the 16th century. It portrays a series of skeletal figures engaging in a macabre dance with people from all walks of life, symbolizing the universality of death and the futility of worldly pursuits.

Title: The Dance of Death

Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger

Year: 16th century

Medium: Woodcut prints

Genre: Allegorical painting

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Discussion

Ranking factors for scary painting

Subject matter

Paintings with eerie or macabre subject matter will naturally be considered scarier.
Technique

The use of dark and contrasting colours, exaggerated features, and twisted proportions can contribute to the overall scare factor of a painting.
Historical context

Paintings that represent a particular time period or cultural belief system may hold added significance and thus contribute to the painting’s scariness.
Reputation

A painting that has been associated with supernatural or paranormal events may have a higher perceived scariness factor.
Personal preference

Ultimately, what one person finds scary may differ from what another person finds scary, so personal preference should also be taken into account.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most scary painting. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or painting is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

1289 views
169 votes
10 ranked items

Movers & Shakers

The Scream by Edvard Munch
Saturn Devouring His Son by Francisco Goya
The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli
The Dance of Death by Hans Holbein the Younger

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each painting once every 24 hours. The rank of each painting is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most scary painting

Art has always been a medium for expressing emotions, thoughts, and ideas. However, some artworks can evoke feelings of fear and horror in viewers. One of the most famous examples of such art is the painting "The Scream" by Edvard Munch. However, there are several other paintings that can send shivers down the spine of those who behold them. From the surreal works of Salvador Dali to the haunting portraits of Francis Bacon, the art world is full of unsettling and terrifying masterpieces. In this article, we will explore some of the most scary paintings of all time and try to understand what makes them so spine-chilling.