Five works of art we’d love to see in the LEGO Art theme

The recent debut of 31208 Hokusai – The Great Wave has got us thinking about other art we’d like to see in LEGO form.

The LEGO Art theme is off to a strong start in 2023, with 31208 Hokusai – The Great Wave debuting on January 1. This set recreates the legendary woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai, first produced back in 1831. The print’s fame makes it a natural choice for any LEGO set – which may explain its running out of stock on LEGO.com at the moment.

Of course, there are plenty more works of art for the LEGO Group to recreate. We’ve rounded up some more pieces we think would be perfect for the LEGO Art theme:

5 – The Mona Lisa

This one was pretty obvious; Leonardo da Vinci’s painting is amongst the most famous works of art in the world, more than five centuries after its creation. While it is, today, lauded for its technical skill, its fame actually stems from its theft in 1911. That helped to catapult the painting into our cultural consciousness, where it has remained ever since.

From that perspective, the Mona Lisa is a solid choice of subject matter for a LEGO Art set. What might trip it up, though, is the limitations of LEGO itself. The Mona Lisa is today revered for its fine details and the ambiguity of its subject matter’s smile. Those kinds of features may not survive in a LEGO version of the painting, but we’d certainly like to see the LEGO Group make the attempt.

4 ­– The Scream

The Scream was painted by Edvard Munch in 1893, and proved hugely influential in the Expressionist art movement. It is inspired by an evening walk, where Munch observed “an infinite scream passing through nature”. It has also been subject to repeated reproduction and homage, with Home Alone, Doctor Who and the Scream movie franchise reportedly drawing inspiration from its visuals.

While it might not quite be child-friendly, that’s also true of many other sets in the LEGO Art theme. It’d certainly be an interesting addition to any LEGO art collection, and present an perspective challenge for LEGO designers.

3 – Victory Boogie Woogie

This curious painting was produced by Piet Mondrian, a 19th-century Dutch painter renowned for his abstract work. His restricted colour scheme was (depending on who you ask) an inspiration for LEGO itself, and many of his compositions have lent themselves to effective recreation by LEGO fans.

From that perspective, a Mondrian Art set is a solid choice – but why not go for something off the beaten track? Victory Boogie Woogie mixes up the form factor of Mondrian’s work, although it is technically unfinished – being the last work of art started by Mondrian before his death in 1944. It might also present a compelling design challenge for the LEGO Group, and is sure to turn heads within any LEGO collection.

2 – American Gothic

Produced in 1930 by Grant Wood, American Gothic is another painting subject to repeated parody and tribute. The painting’s name is a reference to the architectural style of the house depicted in it (now known as the American Gothic house, ironically) and depicts a farmer and his daughter dressed in clothing of days gone by. The farmer is actually Wood’s dentist, while the daughter is really Wood’s sister. 

Initial reception to the painting was mixed (it won the bronze medal in an early art competition) but it evolved into a symbol of the sturdy American pioneer spirit. It has also been subject to endless reference in other media – including Spongebob Squarepants and Desperate Housewives. From that perspective, a LEGO version of the painting is hardly a stretch.

1 – A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

This serene image was produced by Georges Seurat between 1884 and 1886, and remains his most famous work. It depicts a scene on the banks of the Seine river, and employs an artistic technique known as pointillism. This uses many small dots of paint to produce a larger image, making it an excellent fit for a LEGO set.

This painting might demand a larger LEGO Art set than we’re used to getting, in order to truly capture the appearance of the piece. Of course – as the LEGO Star Wars theme has made clear – LEGO fans aren’t averse to paying a little more for a set when it suits them.

You can see all of the currently available LEGO Art sets now at LEGO.com. With luck, 31208 Hokusai – The Great Wave will be back in stock before too long.

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