Globetrotting Art: Pack & Send Reveals the Most Travelled Masterpieces

In an exploration of the art world’s wanderlust, Pack & Send, a leading global courier delivery service and logistics provider, has delved into the astounding journeys of some of history’s most cherished artworks.   

Pack & Send has compiled an exclusive list of the most travelled artworks, offering a unique glimpse into the global reach and enduring appeal of these cultural treasures, including the likes of Picasso, Da Vinci and Kahlo.   

In a world where art knows no boundaries, Salvador Dali’s iconic masterpiece, “Crucifixion” (1954), has achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the most travelled artwork in our study. This surreal masterpiece, created by the visionary artist himself, has traversed an astonishing 52,883 miles across the globe, despite only being created in 1954.

Surpassing some of the most renowned pieces in art history, Salvador Dali’s “Crucifixion” has travelled the equivalent of circling the Earth twice, capturing the hearts and minds of art lovers worldwide.  

 Its journey has taken it through major art exhibitions, museums, and private collections, leaving a lasting impression on countless individuals.  

Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” follows closely behind in second place, having travelled an impressive 43,247 miles. This powerful anti-war masterpiece conveys the horrors of the Spanish Civil War and continues to resonate with audiences for its timeless message and artistic brilliance.  

Since its completion in 1937, Guernica has been on several international exhibition tours around the world from Paris and Copenhagen to San Francisco and Brazil which has contributed to its impressive high mileage.    

Jackson Pollock’s “Blue Poles” secures the third position with 34,176 miles of travel. This iconic abstract expressionist work has left a lasting impact on the art world and has come to be regarded as one of the most important works of the 20th century. So much so, it’s thought the piece is now worth a whopping $500 million.   

Despite having been on near-permanent display in the Louvre Museum in Paris since 1804, Leonardo da Vinci’s timeless masterpiece, the “Mona Lisa,” ranks fourth with 23,841 miles travelled due to loan visits for the iconic artwork to museums like New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Tokyo’s National Museum during this period.    

The enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa has attracted visitors from all corners of the world – around 10 million each year – to the Louvre helping to make it one of the most popular museums in the world.  

Eugène Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” rounds out the top five, having travelled 22,886 miles. This iconic depiction of liberty and revolution has inspired countless individuals with its emotional intensity and historical significance.  

These classic works showcase the enduring appeal and universal fascination of art, transcending geographical boundaries and cultural differences. Their uniqueness and fame have meant that they’ve embarked on remarkable journeys, leaving a lasting impression on art lovers and enthusiasts across the globe.  

 Methodology 

The study’s data was gathered via online research. The notable works of various well-known artists were searched online to find pieces of art with enough information available via Wikipedia and PBS.org for us to put together their travel history between display locations. There are some cases where certain pieces have gaps in their history, due to the information not being publicly available. Due diligence has been taken to ensure that those gaps are at a minimum, but some may remain. 

The study used https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm to identify the distance between each location “as the crow flies” and totalled these figures to find the full miles travelled by each piece.  

 Sources 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/https://www.pbs.org/https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm