Online magazine DailyArt compiled a list of 10 paintings that can help alleviate anxiety amidst life's demands. Viewers can observe details, identify what first captivates them, and interpret their emotions while gazing at the artwork.

Leading the list is Claude Monet's Meules (1890). This masterpiece set a record as his most expensive painting, auctioned by Sotheby's New York for USD 110 million in 2019, double its initial estimate.

The artwork is one of 25 paintings on the same subject created by Monet between the summer of 1890 and the spring of 1891, inspired by the fields near his home in Giverny, France. The painting depicts haystacks in the afternoon sun, conveying both peaceful and vibrant hues. Photo: Sotheby's

Mark Rothko's Orange, Red, Yellow (1961) previously held the record as his most expensive painting, sold by Christie's New York for USD 86.8 million in 2012. Photo: Christie's

The artist is renowned for his color field art style, using blocks of color and spatial depth to draw viewers into a dialogue with his work. Rothko once stated, "Painting is not a form of self-expression. It is like any other art, a language you use to convey something about the world."

Wassily Kandinsky created Sky Blue (1940) in his final years while living in seclusion in his Neuilly-sur-Seine apartment, France. Photo: Georges-Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture, France

The painting features a bright palette overall. Against a blue background, soft-lined shapes of various forms appear, resembling creatures suspended in the sky.

According to the Toledo Museum of Art, The Snake Charmer (1907) is one of French painter Henri Rousseau's most important works, earning him admiration from 20th-century painting pioneers like Pablo Picasso, Robert Delaunay, and Vasily Kandinsky. Photo: Orsay Museum, France

First exhibited in 1907, the oil painting quickly gained renown for its novel asymmetrical composition, backlighting, and precise brushstrokes. Commissioned by Robert Delaunay's mother, Berthe 'Comtesse' de Delaunay, the painting depicts a mysterious figure standing silently in a forest, taming a snake.

DailyArt notes that while Rousseau is famous for his jungle depictions, he never actually visited such places. His inspiration came from children's book illustrations and botanical gardens in Paris.

Van Gogh depicted a night scene on the Rhone River in Starry Night over the Rhone (1888). In the foreground, he painted two people strolling. Along the riverbank, light from houses reflects on the water, creating a radiant, romantic appearance. Photo: Orsay Museum

In letters to his brother, Theo, he often described objects in his paintings by color. His works, including Starry Night over the Rhone, underscore the importance of his capturing the shimmering colors of the night sky, combined with artificial light.

This night scene was inspired by one of Van Gogh's experiences. In a letter, he wrote, "I once took a walk along the seashore at night. It was neither happy nor sad. It was simply beautiful."

In Capturing the Moment (1906), Joaquin Sorolla portrays his daughter, Maria, preparing to take a photograph while on summer vacation in Biarritz, France. Photo: Museo Sorolla, Madrid, Spain

According to DailyArt, the Spanish painter spent most summers with his family there, which served as inspiration for his paintings that "capture every moment."

The poetic seascape in Moonrise over the Sea (1822) by German painter Caspar David Friedrich. Photo: Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany

According to Obelisk Art History, Friedrich touched upon the spiritual core of Romantic art: tides, the day-night cycle, beginnings and endings, life and death. Moonlight appears to penetrate a gap between the clouds, creating an ethereal glow. On a rocky outcrop, three figures sit silently, gazing toward two sailboats gliding by. These are typical themes in Friedrich's compositions.

The Bath, Summer Evening, a famous oil painting by Felix Vallotton, was created in 1892. Photo: Kunsthaus Zürich, Switzerland

In the painting, Vallotton depicts women bathing and changing clothes. The work showcases a harmonious blend of colors and shapes. Artchive notes that the composition balances nature and human elements, creating a "captivating painting that invites viewers to explore."

Frederic Edwin Church's painting El Rio de Luz (The River of Light) was completed in 1877. Photo: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

The artwork portrays water flowing through a forest and light moving through the space. The still water reflects dense rows of trees. A ray of light guides the viewer's gaze from the water to the vibrant sky. In the distance, a small figure in a boat is about to disappear into the mist.

Concluding the list is Frederic Leighton's Flaming June (1895), inspired by Michelangelo's painting Night. Photo: Ponce Museum of Art, Puerto Rico

The painting captivates with the dominant orange hue of the woman's attire. DailyArt describes the figure enjoying a midday nap on a hot summer day. Her dress, shawl, and hair blend, creating a wave-like sensation. Her form nearly fills the entire painting, her cheeks flushed from the intense heat.

Phuong Linh