Art, like literature, is often termed as purely subjective. As an avid reader, I can pinpoint many different books and works of literature that have caught me, caused small and large epiphanies, but I cannot pinpoint as many pieces of art.
However, there are a few that stick in my brain. The first that I can remember is by Rembrant, one of his Lucretia series, after she stabs herself. Even though I was only 13 at the time, this is the only painting I remember from the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I can't really explain why this painting struck me, and perhaps this is the nature of true epiphanies: beyond explanation.
Other epiphanic paintings I've discovered include "Head of an African" by Flandrin and "Puget Sound on the Pacific Coast" by Bierstadt. I found Bierstadt's painting to be beautiful, and even more powerful because he made up the image in his head--he had never been to the Pacific Coast at all. The ability to transfer this image to canvas is a powerful thing, just like the ability to capture a strong image in a few choice words is a revered skill.
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