1540 in art

	… 1530; 1531; 1532; 1533; 1534; 1535; 1536; ; 1537; 1538; 1539; 1540; 1541; 1542; 1543; ; 1544; 1545; 1546; 1547; 1548; 1549; 1550 …;
	Art; ; Architecture; Literature; Music; ; Science +...;

Hans Holbein the Younger's Portrait of Henry VIII was completed in 1540

Events from the year 1540 in art.

Works[]

'Südindischer Meister', Group of Women, 1540

Qiu Ying, The Imperial examinations, 1540

Ardabil Carpets
Francesco de' Rossi – Rodolfo Pio da Carpi (approximate date)
Hans Holbein the Younger
- Portrait of Henry VIII (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, approximate date)
- Miniature Portrait of Catherine Howard
Michelangelo – Brutus (carved bust, approximate date)
'Südindischer Meister' – Group of Women
Qiu Ying – The Imperial examinations

December 21 - Thomas Schweicker, disabled German painter and calligrapher (died 1602)
date unknown
- Robert Adams, English architect, engraver and surveyor of buildings to Queen Elizabeth (died 1595)
- Giovanni Anastasi, Italian painter (died 1587)
- Andrea Andreani, Italian wood engraver and early exponent of chiaroscuro (died 1623)
- Giovanni Maria Butteri, Italian fresco painter (died 1606)
- Denis Calvaert, Flemish painter (died 1619)
- Cristoforo Coriolano, German engraver of the Renaissance (died unknown)
- Cristóbal de Acevedo, Spanish painter, active mainly during the Renaissance period (died unknown)
- Annibale Fontana, Italian sculptor and medallist (died 1587)
- Hieronymus Francken I, Flemish painter (died 1610)
- Pieter Pietersz the Elder, Dutch painter (died 1603)
- Friedrich Sustris, Italian-born Dutch painter working in Bavaria (died 1599)
probable
- Étienne Dumonstier, French Renaissance portrait painter (died 1603)
- George Gower, English portrait painter who became sergeant-painter to Queen Elizabeth I (died 1596)

April 15 - Marguerite Scheppers, painter
August 24 - Parmigianino, Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker (born 1503)
November 15 - Rosso Fiorentino, Italian Mannerist painter, in oil and fresco (born 1494)
date unknown
- Jorge Afonso, Portuguese Renaissance painter (born 1470)
- Barthel Beham, German engraver, miniaturist and painter (born 1502)
- Vincenzo degli Azani, Italian painter (date of birth unknown)
- Gregor Erhart, German sculptor, son of Michel Erhart (born 1470)
- Damià Forment, Spanish sculptor (born 1480)
- Giulio Raibolini, Italian painter (born 1487)
probable
- Hans Leonhard Schäufelein, German painter, designer, and wood engraver (born 1480)
- Agostino Veneziano, Italian engraver (born 1490)
- Cristóvão de Figueiredo, Portuguese Renaissance painter (date of birth unknown)
- Joos van Cleve, Netherlandish painter (born 1480/1490)
- Hans Springinklee, German wood-engraver (born 1490)
- 1540/1547: Nicola da Urbino - Italian maiolica and ceramicist (born 1480)