With over 1.5 million art objects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, it’s no wonder that you’ll need weeks, if not months, to explore the most interesting collections housed there. Most of the time, you only have a few hours to spend at the museum. And the last thing you’d want is to waste these precious limited moments trying to guess what artworks to see or how to get around. That’s why we’ve made the job easier for you by listing below ten iconic must-see artworks when visiting the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
1. Sphinx of Hatshepsut, ca. 1479–1458 BCE (Gallery 131)
This monumental granite sculpture dates back to the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. That’s around 1479-1458 BCE. The Sphinx of Hatshepsut represents Pharaoh Hatshepsut. The latter is one of the few female rulers who assumed the full powers of a pharaoh. The sphinx is carved with the body of a lion and the head of a human, and it combines traditional symbols of royal authority and divine protection.
Hatshepsut is depicted draped in the traditional nemes headdress and sporting the ceremonial false beard. These are typically associated with male pharaohs, which reinforces her legitimacy and right to rule as pharaoh.
The sculpture at the Met was originally part of the mortuary temple complex of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri in Thebes. It served both a protective role and as a testament to her power.
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Also, the sphinx is not an isolated piece; it’s part of a broader collection of portrayals of Hatshepsut that are scattered throughout the Met. When you head to the Ancient Egypt wing, you’ll be able to see some more artworks depicting Hatshepsut, some of them as male, others as female.
2. Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat, Vincent van Gogh, 1887 (obverse: The Potato Peeler, 1885) (Gallery 825)
Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Gallery 825, Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (1887) is an example of Van Gogh’s evolving style. This artwork was painted during the artist’s time in Paris. This self-portrait reveals the exploration of color, light, and brushwork by Vincent Van Gogh.
The vivid yellows of the straw hat contrast with the jacket’s and background’s dark blues and greens. This shows how the iconic artist used complementary colors distinctively.
Actually, the growing artistic confidence and inner turmoil of Vincent Van Gogh are clearly reflected in his intense gaze and expressive brushstrokes.
The reverse side of Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat painting features The Potato Peeler (1885). This one is an earlier painting by the artist that he had done when he was staying in Nuenen, Netherlands. The Potato Peeler, however, is a more somber piece. It is rooted in the interest of Van Gogh in the lives of peasants and their labor.
3. Composition, Piet Mondrian, 1921 (Gallery 911)
This painting, dating back to 1913, can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Gallery 911. It marked a historic moment in the transition of Piet Mondrian from representational art to abstraction. Composition is rooted in cubism. It’s an early piece that shows Mondrian’s experimentation with simplifying form and reducing his subject matter to geometric shapes.
Mondrian’s interest in the balance of opposites is also very clear in his work on Composition. That’s because of the vertical versus horizontal lines of the piece, as well as the lighter versus darker shades. All of these ideas dominated his later works.
Although Composition is more muted in color compared to his later, vibrant pieces, this painting serves as a stepping stone toward the pure abstraction and primary color palette that he became known for in his De Stijl period.
The artist, born in the Netherlands, experimented with several artistic styles throughout his career, including Impressionism and abstract art. However, regardless of these early influences, Piet Mondrian is most famous for pioneering a movement called neoplasticism.
4. Young Mother Sewing, Mary Cassatt, 1900 (Gallery 768)
This painting by Mary Cassatt portrays a mother who is deeply focused on sewing. The woman’s young daughter leans on her mother’s lap, gazing toward the viewer. The artist was one of the late 19th-century most famous painters. Back at the time, it was not common for women to work in this field. Cassatt was renowned for her sensitive depictions of maternal relationships.
In this painting, she focuses on the tender bond between the mother and the child. Young Mother Sewing is full of warmth and realism. Mary Cassatt’s style was mostly influenced by Impressionism. This is evident in her use of light, soft brushstrokes, as well as vivid colors.
When she was studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Mary Cassatt expressed her frustration with how female students were treated. They were often condescended to and prevented from working with live models. This was the reason she moved to Paris. However, she still faced difficulties there, as she was denied admission to the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts.
5. Portrait Of A Woman With A Man At A Casement, Fra Filippo Lippi, 1440 (Gallery 602)
Portrait Of A Woman With A Man At A Casement is a captivating Renaissance painting in which a woman elegantly dressed in rich attire gazes out of a casement window. Behind this woman appears a man who leans slightly forward towards her. The painting is Italy’s earliest surviving double portrait. Art historians believe that the couple in the painting might be Angiola di Bernardo Sapiti and Lorenzo di Ranieri Scolari. Both of these were married around 1439.
The casement itself, which appears in Portrait Of A Woman With A Man At A Casement, is often interpreted as a symbol of separation between the private and public worlds. It draws attention to how intimate the nature of the exchange was between the woman and the man appearing in the painting.
The artist, Fra Filippo Lippi, was orphaned early and placed in a monastery by his aunt, who helped him become a painter. Over his lifetime, Lippi was captured by pirates and held captive for 18 months. According to legend, he gained his freedom after painting a portrait of his captor.
6. Queen Mother pendant mask (Iyoba), 16th century (Gallery 136)
A 16th-century exquisite ivory mask from the Kingdom of Benin. This is what the Queen Mother Pendant Mask really is. This artwork honors Queen Idia, mother of Oba Esigie. It symbolizes the immense respect and political power that Queen Idia held in Benin’s court. The Queen was instrumental in helping her son during his reign, a role that led to the creation of the title “lyoba,” or Queen Mother.
The mask includes representations of Portuguese sailors and mudfish. This represents the trade relations of the Kingdom of Benin and the Oba’s dual nature as both human and divine. There are also coral beads and scarification marks in the artwork. These also refer to the royal status of “lyoba.” This pendant would have been worn by the Oba during ceremonies honoring his mother.
The ivory mask has a counterpart at the British Museum, and both of these masks, along with various other notable cultural artifacts, were looted during the British Invasion of Benin City in 1897. Today, these stolen treasures are referred to as “Benin bronzes.”
7. Self-Portrait With Two Pupils, Marie Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, 1785 (Gallery 632)
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard came up with this painting to celebrate her talent and role as a teacher. In this large oil painting, the artist appears seated at her easel while surrounded by her two students, Marie Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond. Self-Portrait With Two Pupils, Marie Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond shows how skilled Labille-Guiard is with light, texture, and composition. But on top of that, it also highlights her advocacy for the education of women in the arts during the 18th century.
Self-Portrait With Two Pupils, Marie Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond is exhibited at the 1785 Salon. It was praised for its detailed portrayal of fabrics, especially the vibrant blue dress that Labille-Guiard was wearing. It’s worth noting that the artist was one of the very few women admitted to the prestigious French Royal Academy. Her student, Capet, who appears in the painting, remained by Labille-Guiard’s side throughout her life.
8. Bowl with Arabic inscription, 10th century (Gallery 450)
This bowl, produced in Nishapur, Iran, is a remarkable example of Samanid-era ceramics. It’s an earthenware bowl decorated with a black-slip inscription over a white background and covered with transparent glaze. Arabic calligraphy was a prominent feature of Samanid pottery, and you can see these on this bowl. While this calligraphy is decorative, it also carries meaning. The Arabic inscription on this bowl advises the following: “Planning before work protects you from regret; prosperity and peace.”
This style of pottery was widely produced in the Samanid Empire. It shows the importance of both aesthetics and moral guidance in daily objects. You can locate the Bowl With Arabic Inscription in Gallery 450 at the Met, where you will learn about the intersection of calligraphy, craftsmanship, and everyday life in the Islamic world of that era.
The bowl was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Rogers Fund in 1965. It’s today part of an extensive collection of Islamic art at the Met.
9. Maya monumental figure, ninth century (Gallery 999)
The Maya Monumental Figure is a symbol of the artistic prowess of Maya civilization during the Classic Period (ca. 250–900 AD). After all, the Maya were famous for their highly detailed stonework. Most of this talent was used to depict rulers, gods, and mythical figures central to their politics and cosmology. This figure likely served a ritual or ceremonial function. It represented a deity in an official capacity. For instance, the rulers of the Maya were often depicted as divine intermediaries. They were thought of as linking the human and supernatural worlds together, and monumental sculptures like the Maya Monumental Figure often symbolized the authority of the rulers.
Art historians and scholars have concluded that this figure specifically represents Chahk, the Maya god of rain, storms, and thunder. This god was responsible for creating lighting and thunder. They did that by striking the heavens with their enormous, two-bladed ax. It’s worth noting, though, that the ax’s blades are lost to time. The figure, measuring 84.5 inches tall, is carved from limestone.
10. Young Woman With a Water Pitcher, Johannes Vermeer, ca. 1662 (Gallery 614)
This painting represents domestic tranquility and refinement in 17th-century Dutch society. It’s an oil on canvas painting showing a young, elegantly dressed woman opening a window while holding a silver water pitcher. The natural light filters through the window, showcasing the serene atmosphere. Young Woman with a Water Pitcher is a hallmark of Vermeer’s work. The meticulous attention to detail of the artist is evident in the luxurious objects around the woman. This includes the richly textured oriental rug and the silver basin. They’re both symbols of wealth and status.
On the painting, you’ll also notice there’s a map of the Netherlands on the wall. This one hints at Dutch pride and the interest of Johannes Vermeer in national identity. As for the woman’s headdress, it’s often linked to his wife or eldest daughter. The latter’s pose suggests a quiet moment of reflection.
Young Woman with a Water Pitcher was the first Vermeer painting to enter an American collection. It was purchased in 1887 by Henry Gurdon Marquand.
