Published By: Satavisha

Five Intriguing Renaissance Artworks With Hidden Codes And Symbols

Extensive research has revealed that the Renaissance artists were more brilliant than the world has given them credit for.

There is no doubt, of course, that the Renaissance artists used symbolism in their work with hidden meanings and messages. Masterpiece paintings have inspired scores of mystery stories and conspiracy theories over the years. Read on for some intriguing examples of secrets concealed in Renaissance art.

The Arnolfini Portrait (1434)

Jan van Eyck, the fifteenth-century artist couldn’t resist sneaking himself into his famous painting Arnolfini Portrait. In a not-so-secret act of self-promotion, the painter wrote “Jan van Eyck was here 1434” on his painting. If you look closely at the painting’s background, you’ll notice the writing on the wall (top right) and a small mirror (bottom right). One controversial theory suggests that Eyck tagged himself in the painting to create a legal record of the marriage of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife, which is depicted in the painting, by signing his name as the witness to the marriage.

The Creation of Adam (1508-1512)

There is a scientific secret hiding in one of the most classic and popular Renaissance paintings of all time, the Creation of Adam, on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo in this masterpiece depicted God giving Adam the first spark of life, but have you ever wondered what’s going on behind God in the painting? You might also notice a reddish-brown cloak flowing behind God, resembling the exact shape of a human brain. Some art experts believe that this depiction suggests that the brain represents God imparting divine knowledge to Adam. However, another theory suggests that Michelangelo painted the brain in a covert protest of the church’s rejection of science.

Zechariah (1508-1512)

In the same painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, one can spot a small angel placed right behind prophet Zechariah, “making the fig”, a snarky hand gesture (sticking your thumb between your index and middle fingers), which is perceived as the Renaissance equivalent of flipping someone off. Researchers have suggested that this portrays Pope Julius II, who commissioned the artwork but was widely disliked by the mass and also the artist.

The Last Supper (1498)

The Last Supper, the mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most studied, satirized, and scrutinized painting in the world. There are several hidden signs and symbols within the painting, hinting at everything from Christ’s later years to the date the world will end. The most stunning discovery was made by  Giovanni Maria Pala, an Italian musician who found, what could very well be a little musical melody written into the painting. If you draw five lines of the staff across the painting, the apostles’ hands and the loaves of bread on the table are in the positions of music notes. If you read them from right to left, as Vinci wrote in that manner, you’ll realize these music notes form a mini hymn-like melody.

Perseus with the Head of Medusa (1545)

At first glance, the sculpture, Perseus with the Head of Medusa, features two faces: Perseus, the mythological Greek hero, and Medusa, the snake-haired gorgon. However, if you take a peek behind Perseus’ helmet, you’ll find a bearded self-portrait of the sculptor, Benvenuto Cellini. The artist also signed his name on the belt of Perseus.

Did the hidden messages within the eminent artworks startle you?