This paper studies aesthetic education for non-art majors in science and engineering colleges, analyzes the background and current situation of classic paintings on major historical themes, and discovers their aesthetic connotation, and discusses their significance in aesthetic education in terms of artistic beauty, spiritual beauty, historical beauty and innovative beauty. It is found that these paintings are important resources for aesthetic education and moral value education in contemporary colleges, and should be paid more attention to. This paper also explores the implementation path of aesthetic education in science and engineering colleges with major historical theme paintings as resources.