famous painting; masterpiece (painting)
Refers to a well-known or highly regarded painting or picture. Often used in contexts like art museums, auctions, or art history.
Many famous paintings are exhibited in this museum.
classic film; excellent film
Used for movies that are considered masterpieces or classics. Common in film reviews, retrospectives, and cinema discussions.
He likes watching classic films on weekends.
I appreciated a famous masterpiece painting at the art museum.
This theater screens a classic film every week.
He collects famous paintings from all over the world.
I saw a famous painting at the museum.
名作 is a broader term for a celebrated work (novel, film, art, etc.), whereas 名画 specifically refers to a famous painting or classic film.
Compound of 名 (めい, 'famous') and 画 (が, 'picture' or 'film frame'). The meaning extends naturally from 'famous picture' to 'classic film'.