The Art of Eating Outdoors

Eight Masterful Paintings That Capture the Essence of Picnics

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With Memorial Day marking the start of summer in the US, we decided to pull together some of art history's most iconic depictions of outdoor dining. From Édouard Manet's legendary Déjeuner sur l'herbe to Joseph Kohnke's mechanical picnic table in Midwest Picnic, these paintings immortalize the simple pleasures of spreading a blanket on the grass and sharing a meal with friends and family.

This particular top list revisits eight paintings by famed masters centered on the picnic culture that has become synonymous with the season. Francisco de Goya's 1776 painting Picnic En La Ribera Del Manzanares (Picnic on the Banks of the Manzanares) depicts a group of aristocrats enjoying a leisurely meal on the banks of the Manzanares River in Madrid. Other notable works include Claude Monet's Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe (1863), Paul Cézanne's Les Grandes Baigneuses (1894-1905), and Vincent van Gogh's The Potato Eaters (1885).

Movie buffs will recognise that part of the park from some of the old classics and even from more recent blockbusters like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and The Avengers.

So whether you're planning a picnic of your own or just want to enjoy some of art history's most delicious moments, be sure to check out these eight masterful paintings.