Masterpiece 285554 225529758 2008-07-14T04:24:18Z Graham87 194203 /* External link */ change heading title to to "External links" {{otheruses}} [[Image:Mona Lisa.jpeg|thumb|160px|''Mona Lisa'', by [[Leonardo Da Vinci]], c. 1503–1506]] '''Masterpiece''' (or ''chef d'œuvre'') refers to any [[work of art]] that is considered extraordinary. The phrase is generally used to describe what is considered an artist's [[Magnum opus|best piece of work]]. For example, [[Leonardo Da Vinci]]'s ''[[Mona Lisa]]'', [[Michelangelo]]'s ''[[David (Michelangelo)|David]]'', [[Ludwig van Beethoven]]'s ''[[Ninth Symphony]]'', [[Leo Tolstoy]]'s ''[[War and Peace]]'', [[Miles Davis]]' ''[[Kind of Blue]]''. Originally, the term referred to a piece of work produced by an [[apprentice]] aspiring to become a [[master craftsman]] in the old European [[guild]] system, on which his fitness to qualify was judged, and if he was successful, was retained by the guild. Great care was therefore taken to produce a fine piece in whatever the craft was, whether painting, [[goldsmith]]ing, knifemaking, or many other trades. Under this system the masterpiece was produced at the start of the artist's independent career, and his most famous works were typically produced in later years. The [[Royal Academy]] in [[London]] is one institution that has acquired a fine collection of "Diploma works" in this way. == See also == * [[Magnum opus]] * [[Painting the Century 101 Portrait Masterpieces 1900-2000]] * [[The Virtual Collection of Masterpieces]] == External links == {{wiktionary|masterpiece}} {{art-stub }} [[Category:Works of art]] [[Category:Traditions]] [[de:Meisterwerk]] [[fr:Chef-d'œuvre]] [[id:Adi karya]] [[it:Capolavoro]] [[nl:Meesterwerk]] [[pl:Majstersztyk]] [[pt:Obra-prima]] [[ru:Шедевр]]