Back in the day, artists were not only skilled in the creative discipline of their medium of choice, but they were also scientists and mathematicians. It was not uncommon for an artist to sneak in little “easter eggs” throughout their works of art. Here is a list of the top five hidden messages and codes in famous paintings. You’ll never look at these the same way again!
The Last Supper
There are lots of theories about hidden messages within The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci. Perhaps the most popular theory is that the loaves of bread in each of the Apostles hands correspond to music notes, with the horizontal line of the table being the score.
A lesser-known theory about the painting is that it contains DaVinci’s prediction for the end of the world. DaVinci was all about geometry and mathematics. According to some of his journal entries and works with the human figure, some experts believe the shapes and angles of the painting point to the end of the world happening in 4006, in a great flood.
Painting of John Dee
John Dee was an advisor to Queen Elizabeth the First. Not only was he an advisor, but an occultist and a magician to the queen. His reputation is enigmatic, and a lot of people believe him to be the inspiration of James Bond – his signature was 0:07.
This painting shows John Dee performing a magical ceremony for Queen Elizabeth and her guests. When undergoing a restoration decades ago, the painting was X-rayed. To everyone’s astonishment, the X-ray showed creey, ethereal skulls painted all over the background!
Madonna With St. Giovannino
There has been a lot of speculation about a certain detail in this famous painting. You’ll notice right above Madonna’s shoulder, there appears to be a smudge with a white ring around it. Some people claim it’s simply a star, which is a significant symbol in Christianity – the star that leads the wise men to baby Jesus.
However, upon closer look, it really doesn’t appear to be a star at all. It looks more like a UFO with lights shooting out of it. Plus, there’s the bystander on the hillside who is looking right at it.
Et In Arcadia Ego
This painting depicts shepards discovering some sort of tomb or structure. The inscription on the rock says, “Et In Arcadia Ego” – meaning, “Even in Arcadia, there am I.”
This has lead many to believe that wherever the tomb is, there is great treasure. Some think it could be the body of a Templar Knight, the holy grail, or even the body of Jesus himself.
The Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo was commissioned by the Catholic church to paint this masterpiece. Well, many masterpieces across the entire ceiling. However, there are lots of secret messages that show what the artist really thought of his employers.
In “The Creation Of Adam,” God is shown to be in a shell of sorts. The shell is actually shaped like a human brain, and is said to represent the morphology of the human brain – which directly contradicted the church’s stance on the scientific theory. In another painting, it’s said that you can see an angel giving the pope the finger!
