Van Gogh art in an advertisement

Artists can rarely imagine what will happen to their work once they make it public. Will it be popular or not? Will people understand it or appreciate it? Hard to tell. Even harder to tell is whether the work will inspire others. The ads presented in this collection have been inspired by popular paintings, making the artworks a little more popular every time.

1. Salvatore Dali

The surrealistic painter had created some ads himself, but not only. His style was also often copied in advertising.

Salvador Dali art in an advertisement

Lipton’s take on Dali’s famous melted watches, melted lipton labels.

Salvador Dali art in an advertisement

Volkswagen used the visual style, distorted people and objects, to advertise its cars.

Salvador Dali art in an advertisement

Russian brand Hi-Fi Audio’s advertising copying Dali’s Madonna of Port Lligat.

2. Hokusai

The japanese ukiyo-e master was often copied, but it was more in popular culture than in advertising. However, marketers did take advantage of some of his most famous painting.

Hokusai art in an advertisement

A great wave made of jeans for this Levi’s billboard.

Hokusai art in an advertisement

A billboard in Hokkaidō, Japan.

3. Leonardo Da Vinci

If Leonardo’s descendants received a dollar for each ad published that was inspired by their ancestors, they could probably bail out Greece by now.

Leonardo Da Vinci art in an advertisement

Mona Lisa gets some company for this online dating service commercial.

Leonardo Da Vinci art in an advertisement

A blasphemous copy of the Last Supper to advertise some online website.

Leonardo Da Vinci art in an advertisement

An encyclopedia that promises to get more information.

Leonardo Da Vinci art in an advertisement

Pizza Hut also took on Mona Lisa by striking that same pose as Leonardo’s model on a photography.

4. Picasso

The spanish artist’s unusual shapes are often used by advertisers to create a visual reference.

Picasso art in an advertisement

A fake Picasso created to advertise a fitness center in Czech Republic.

Picasso art in an advertisement

An ad for the Renault Megane, promoting the airbags and security.

Picasso art in an advertisement

Excellent ads that creates a Picasso-style car for Mazda.

Picasso art in an advertisement

Here you find a Picasso quickly sketched on a Mountain Dew ad.

5. Auguste Rodin

To the general public, Auguste Rodin’s most famous work is by far the Thinker, a sculpture of a man sitting down in a thinking pose.

Rodin art in an advertisement

An ad for brain nutricient that tries to show the effects on the child by making him adopt the thinker pose.

Rodin art in an advertisement

On Nova 96.9’s ad, the thinker comes as a background shadow.

Rodin art in an advertisement

A poor taste one and probably a bad use of the sculpture in an ad.

6. René Magritte

René Magritte is not the artist that was the most copied directly in advertising, but he is probably one of the painters who inspired the world of advertising the most in terms of ideas.

Magritte art in an advertisement

Volkswagen once again with an atmosphere inspired by Magritte’s paintings.

Magritte art in an advertisement

Magritte’s self-portrait used to sell… a blender.

Magritte art in an advertisement

Multi-focus lens well illustrated by this Magritte inspired visual.

Magritte art in an advertisement

Allianz presents a hammer as a finger squasher, using for that the famous Magritte painting.

7. M.C. Escher

Escher is famous for his mind-tricking perspectives, often adapted in advertising.

Escher art in an advertisement

Brilliant take on Escher’s stairs by Lego, the slogan is just perfect: “Create the impossible”.

Escher art in an advertisement

Volkswagen put its cars in strange situations to sell their commercial vehicles.

8. Andy Warhol

Warhol also was involved in advertising as an actor himself, his work was often inspired by products and ads, then became to subject of advertising itself.

Warhol art in an advertisement

Warhol became such an icon himself that adding his hairstyle on an elephant makes the reference immediatly recognizable.

Warhol art in an advertisement

Lexus takes the visual style of Warhol to promote their products.

Warhol art in an advertisement

For no obvious reasons, Orbit uses Warhol-like design for its advertising.

9. Van Gogh

The flamish painter’s most famous paintings are often used in advertising, easily recognizable with their unique style.

Van Gogh art in an advertisement

Van Gogh’s sunflowers have been replaced in this Lexus ad, pretty cool.

Van Gogh art in an advertisement

Zeldox is a medicine for curing schizophrenia, they try to demonstrate how their product could have saved Van Gogh’s ear.

Van Gogh art in an advertisement

Not a very good ad if you ask me, but it does use a famous painting of Van Gogh.

Van Gogh art in an advertisement

A brilliant one, the Alliance Française suggests you to discover new perspectives by learning french.

10. Piet Mondrian

Mondrian’s abstract paintings using basic colors influenced layout and color theory in his time, it also influenced advertisers later on.

Mondrian art in an advertisement

DeSerres is an art store that used over 600 bottles of paint that recreated a Mondrian on their ad.

Mondrian art in an advertisement

Art logistics company that makes sure that your artworks aren’t broke when they arrive, clever ad.

About the Author

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Mirko Humbert

Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.