The Best Artistic References At The 2026 Met Gala

Every year, the Met Gala asks celebrities to dress to a theme. Most of the time, "dressing to a theme" means a mood board and a willing designer. But this year's "Fashion is Art" dress code — tied to the Met's Costume Art exhibition — demanded something more literal: an actual artistic reference, executed with enough intent to hold up to scrutiny. Luckily, a lot of them delivered.From Harlem Renaissance paintings to 17th-century Baroque masters, the 2026 carpet became a crash course in art histo...