The 10 Most Famous Paintings with Hidden Codes
Robert King Quick Links
Conspiracies carried out through subtle signs in works of art. Man will always be fascinated with artworks, its symbolisms, as well as the secrets they hold. Here are the 10 most famous paintings with hidden codes.
10. Madonna with Saint Giovannino, late 1400s – Domenico Ghirlandaio
The painting features Mother Mary with an extremely fit baby Jesus sporting almost a six-pack on his abs, but that is not even the most interesting aspect of this painting. Housed at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence in Italy, the painting shows a man in the background protecting his eyes from the brightness of an unidentified flying object. That’s right, a UFO. Even centuries before Roswell, man has always been fascinated by inexplicable and bizarre creatures from outer space.
9. The Last Supper, 1498 – Leonardo da Vinci
Much has been said about the codes in “The Last Supper,” much of it from the Dan Brown book called “The Da Vinci Code.” Well, here are three more hidden codes. A computer expert, Slavisa Pesci, claims that after superimposing a semi transparent version over the original work, Templar knights appear at the ends of the table, while someone holding a baby is at Jesus’ left. A musician, Giovanni Maria Pala, says that the hands and breads are actually musical notes that form a composition when read from right to left. Sabrina Galitzia, a researcher, says that the painting had a mathematical puzzle that indicates the end of the world to occur in 4006. The painting is at the Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy for those who want to further scrutinize the work.
8. David and Goliath, 1509 – Michelangelo
“David and Goliath” is a high Renaissance painting done by Michelangelo at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. At 14,000 square feet, the entire ceiling is believed to have shapes that reflect the Hebrew alphabet. A close analysis of “David and Goliath” shows that their figures actually form the Hebrew letter gimel. In mystical Kabbalah tradition, the letter means strength.
7. The Creation of Adam, 1511 – Michelangelo
Maybe it was just coincidence, but the similarities are simply astounding. Michelangelo, who was always intrigued by the human anatomy and who was dissecting human corpses at the age of 17 in the church cemetery, seemed to have taken inspiration from the human body to paint “The Creation of Adam.” Neuroanatomy experts say the level of detail in the painting shows an accurate and precise depiction of the human brain, from the cerebellum ad optic chiasm to the pituitary gland and the vertebral artery. The painting is one of the most famous works in the Sistine Chapel, and it has also been a lesson in the brain’s anatomy all along.
6. Separation of Light and Darkness, 1512 – Michelangelo
It is one of the nine central panels in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and “Separation of Light and Darkness” was the last one created by Michelangelo. It may look slightly different from the other eight panels because for some reason, the painter chose to have it illuminated straight on instead of his usual left inclined angle. That reason may be because the neck is actually a precise depiction of the human brain. The fabric running down the middle of the robe also shows a strange lump. A lot of experts now think that it represents man’s spinal cord.
5. The Prophet Zechariah, 1512 – Michelangelo
Michelangelo completed this fresco painting in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican in 1512. This high Renaissance religious painting depicts the minor prophet Zechariah. Some historians believe that the painting is actually an effigy of the then Pope Julius II, who had a tense relationship with the painter. Michelangelo includes a couple of angels behind the prophet, with one sticking his thumb between the index and middle fingers. It is the Renaissance version of someone flipping off the bird to another person. In this case, it was Michelangelo’s up yours message to Julius II.
4. Mona Lisa, 1517 – Leonardo da Vinci
Probably the best-known work of art, the painting was done by da Vinci between 1503 and 1506, though evidence suggests he continued working on it until 1517. Housed at the Musee du Louvre in Paris, France, Numbers and letters appear all over the painting, from the painter’s initials in the right eye to the number 72 in the arch of the bridge at the back. Some also argue that the painting may have been done in the 1490's because of the number 149 at the back of the picture, with a fourth digit erased.
3. Netherlandish Proverbs, 1559 – Pieter Bruegel the Elder
The “Netherlandish Proverbs” is a 1559 painting by the Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder. It shows a depiction of different Dutch proverbs in one painting. The painting was originally called “The Blue Cloak” or “The Folly of the World,” and has also been called “The Topsy Turvy World” and “Flemish Proverbs.” At last count, there were already 125 proverbs identified in the painting, with probably even more that have yet to be recognized. The painting is housed at the Staatliche Museen in Berlin in Germany.
2. Supper at Emmaus, 1601 – Caravaggio
The “Supper at Emmaus” is an early 17th century painting by the Italian master named Caravaggio. The painting has two versions, with one housed at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan in Italy and the other in the National Gallery in London in England. It shows the moment Jesus revealed himself to two disciples after the Resurrection. The London version was done in 1601, five years before the Milan painting. It shows a beardless Christ in a dark and blank background. A basket of food is near the edge of a table, which is believed to depict a teetering world. It also recognizes the code of silence among Christians as shown in the fish-figure shadow.
1. Mozart at Age Six in Gala Dress, 1763 – Pietro Antonio Lorenzoni
Freemasons are believed to have influenced a lot of aspects in society. Best selling author Dan Brown devoted an entire book to it, and their signs and symbols appear in several things, including the dollar bill. The amazing thing is that this has happened for several centuries now. Even back in 1763, a painting showing a portrait of a young Mozart was said to have a Freemasonry sign. Notice that one of his hands was hidden, which is a sign of the painter’s dedication to Freemasonry, or even a nod to his level in its hierarchy. The painting is housed at the Mozart International Museum in Salzburg in Austria.
