Duchess Margaret, Demons, Cubist Beasts, and the Most Unattractive Art

When it comes to the concept of beauty, it feels out of place here! The saying goes that beauty is subjective, but there are certain artworks—like some paintings, sculptures, and installations—where people seem to agree: this is simply unattractive.

Consider the odd Toothy Duchess with a mouth like a mouflon, the peculiar eyes in Goya’s freaks, the warped faces of Picasso’s women, and Entropa by David Cerny, which upset a good portion of Europe. And we can’t forget Duchess Margaret of Pygmy. The art community often remembers her on July 13, which is her special day. This artwork stands as one of the most unattractive pieces ever created on canvas, stone, or bronze. Allow me to introduce you to Margaret of Pyscata and a collection of other works deemed the most unattractive in the article titled “Where to Go from Boredom.”

Ugly Duchess Margaret of Pyskatá

Regarding unattractiveness, few have gained such “fame” throughout history as The Ugly Duchess. This piece, created by Flemish master Quentin Matsys around 1513, can now be found in the National Gallery in London, where it regularly ranks among the scariest portraits ever.
The artwork shows a grotesque elderly woman with a protruding lower lip, a chin resembling a boar’s, and breasts cramped into a laced dress. This painting has truly become famous. It also served as inspiration for the character of the Duchess by John Tenniel, who illustrated Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
At one point, Emma Capron, the curator of a London exhibition, suggested that Matsys might have depicted a man dressed as a woman in an effort to ridicule societal norms. However, it’s most commonly believed that this image shows Marguerite, known as the Pygmy, Countess Margarete Maultasch of Tyrol (1318-1369). She was wed at thirteen to the eight-year-old John Henry of Luxembourg, who was the younger brother of Charles IV. Their marriage lasted for twelve years until Margaret accused John Henry of being unable to perform. They both sought new partners and had children, leading to much scandal in Europe and within the House of Luxembourg. Their story gained fame through the German writer Lion Feuchtwanger in the novel The Ugly Duchess Margaret of Pyskatá. Since then, the book’s covers have often showcased Matsys’ Terrifying Duchess.
Feuchtwanger described Margaret as: “A large, unshapely head sat atop a stout body with short limbs. Her forehead was clear, and her eyes displayed shrewdness, but beneath her small nose was a mouth bulging like a monkey’s, complete with massive jaws and a detached lower lip…”
In summary, not someone you’d want to encounter.

The world’s ugliest “works of art”

Not only Quentin Matsys stands alone in this hideous art arena. The world of art is filled with pieces that evoke terror, disgust, or at the very least, a nervous chuckle. Here’s a collection of some of the ugliest:
Francisco Goya and Saturn Devouring His Son: This Spanish Master of Darkness depicts terrifying Saturn with bloodshot eyes holding the bloody remains of his child. This unsettling image can be found in Madrid at the Museu del Prado, leaving chills for anyone who thought they’d seen it all.
Francis Bacon and Studies for a Portrait of Pope Innocent X: Bacon had a fascination with Velázquez and his portrait of Pope Innocent X, which drove him to create many variations in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The outcome? An open-mouthed Pope screaming into nothingness, his face distorted with shades of purple and gray. It’s an iconic representation of fear and the human experience that commands millions from collectors. Beautiful? More like nightmare-inducing.
Pablo Picasso and the Weeping Woman: This is a classic cubist work characterized by exaggerated emotion. The painting features tears, crooked eyes, and a disarranged mouth and nose. Whether genius or mere ugliness can spark debate, Picasso often finds his work on lists of the “scariest paintings.”
Willem de Kooning and Woman III: This is among the priciest abstract paintings ever made and also one of the most repulsive. It is defined by jagged strokes, eerie expressions, and extreme colors, selling for a staggering $137 million. Yet many people say, “No thanks, I’m good!”
Leonardo da Vinci and Grotesque Heads: Even the brilliant da Vinci reveled in creating unappealing caricatures, showcasing wrinkled faces, cone-shaped skulls, and long beak-like noses. Clearly, selfies were not an option for them.
Titian and Apollo and Marsyas: This brutal scene painted in bloody hues is one of Titian’s last works, noted as one of the most famous pieces in the Czech Republic. It can be found in the Archbishop’s Castle in Kroměříž and, to be frank, is also startlingly ugly.
Edvard Munch and The Scream: This renowned masterpiece by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch illustrates a figure with a scream-wrecked face set against a stylized landscape and a blood-red sky, evoking feelings of despair, anxiety, and fear.

Most Disturbing Works from the Czech Republic

Not to be outdone, the Czech Republic has its own artworks that can inspire both admiration and genuine disgust.
David Cerny and Entropa: This statue caused outrage across half of Europe. Each EU country is represented through a stereotype—like Germany with swastika-shaped highways or Bulgaria depicted as public toilets. Ugly? Yes. Humorous? Perhaps. Provocative? Certainly.
Emil Filla and The Reader of Dostoevsky: In this expressionist piece by Emil Filla, a man gazes into the void with a weary look. For some, it’s an intriguing psychological examination; for others, it’s a nightmare that makes them hesitate to read Dostoevsky’s novels. You can view this painting up close at the National Gallery.
Bohumil Kubišta and Self-Portrait: Featuring cubist forms, sharp edges, and chilly colors, this self-portrait breaks the face into geometric shapes. For the everyday viewer, it often seems more horrific than artistic. Thankfully, Kubišta didn’t actually resemble his self-portrait.
Jindřich Štyrský and Surrealist Collages: Combining cut-up photographs, erotic themes, and bizarre items, Jindřich Štyrský was a leading figure in Czech surrealism; however, not everyone finds his creations visually appealing. Poetry for some, pure ugliness for others.

Is it beauty or ugliness?

Art captures our attention exactly because we’re not afraid to explore unattractive things. And while Markéta Pyskatá will forever be recognized as “the ugliest duchess,” one might wonder if she could have made a name for herself as an original Instagram influencer in today’s landscape. After all, as we know: ugliness has its own market appeal.