I Am, I Said……To No One There by Brent Hanson Painting, Acrylic on Canvas 40.0 inch x 30.0 inch $1,350

As every procrastinator knows, sometimes finding the energy to finish a project can be even harder than starting a new one. As deadlines loom and schedules get busier, it might be easier to just let a work go unfinished.

Oranges with Bottle by Judith Harvey Painting, Oil on Canvas 16.0 inch x 12.0 inch $1,466

Whether by dramatic circumstances, loss of interest, or reasons unknown, some great works of art are never completed. These tiny mysteries force us art fans to wonder about what might have been. Here are some of the most famous unfinished pieces of art.

Pacific Ocean II by Juan Jose Garay Painting, Oil on Canvas 78.0 inch x 78.0 inch $12,100

On April 12, 1945, Elizabeth Shoumatoff was painting a portrait of then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. When the pair took a break for lunch, FDR complained of pain in the back of his head and passed away within moments. The painting was later copied and finished, but the original remains unfinished.

New York Movie by Gerard Boersma Painting, Acrylic on Wood Panel 59.0 inch x 48.0 inch $14,100

But not all unfinished works are tragic. Some can teach us a lesson about the painter and their methods. Artist Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Ria Munk III was never completed after the first two versions were rejected by the Munk family who commissioned the painting. However, since the work was never completed, scholars are able to see Klimt’s method of tracing with charcoal instead of pencil, showing his impulsive style of painting.

More annoyingly, some unfinished works are shrouded in so much mystery, it is unclear why the piece remained incomplete. Michelangelo has an unfinished sculpture which scholars can’t even agree whether it’s David or Apollo, much less agree on why the work was never completed. Looks like that mystery has died long ago with the artist.

1950 by Fabrizio Simeoni Painting, Oil 39.

4 inch (100.0 cm) x 35.4 inch (90.0 cm) $13,363

Although mystery can be fun, through our gallery here at Zatista, you can collect artwork that we know is complete! Check out what we have at our online gallery and explore some art today!