From time immemorial, many artists liked to leave in their paintings various riddles for the initiated, that is, a kind of “Easter eggs”. We will talk about the most famous of them in this article.
In the XIII century, the famous Italian artist Giotto di Bondone painted the Basilica of St. Francis and hid in one of the divine frescoes hidden image of the devil himself. In fact, the transgression is very serious and if it was discovered, everything could end very badly for Giotto - the Inquisition in those days jokes did not understand, and as a valid argument preferred fire and red-hot tongs. However, he hid the devil on his conscience and luckily for Giotto it was discovered only in 2011, when they restored the fresco depicting the death and ascension of St. Francis.
Giotto di Bondone. The death and ascension of St. Francis.
It's all about the vantage point. Parishioners and priests in Giotto's time saw only clouds on the fresco, which was located at the very top of the ceiling. However, when the time came to restore it, the restorers, using an ordinary stepladder, saw that the clouds formed the profile of a far from the most pious gentleman, with an evil smile, a hooked nose and even a hint of horns.
The death and ascension of St. Francis. Detail of a fresco
However, it is unlikely that Giotto would have painted the devil in the temple on purpose, he probably just laughed at some particularly annoying foe, giving his features to Satan and hiding such an Easter egg in his fresco.
Even the great Michelangelo Buonarotti himself was not shy of hooligan jokes. During the artwork for the Sistine Chapel frescoes, he did not try too hard to dress his characters, which is why he angered the ceremonimeister Biagio da Cesena.
Michelangelo Buonarotti. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
“This is a temple, not a bathhouse, how can you paint so many nudes, is it difficult to observe decency?”. Michelangelo did not tolerate any criticism, but with a high-ranking church official had to be reckoned with. Unable to say anything directly, Michelangelo painted him as a caricature of King Minos, and provided him with donkey ears.
Michelangelo Buonarotti. Detail of a fresco
And he especially tried to do his best about the “shameful places” that caused so much discontent in Cesena - they are carefully covered, though only by the head of the snakes biting them off.
In the XV century, the artist Domenico Ghirlandaio painted one of the most unusual frescoes in the history of painting - “Madonna with St. Giovannino”. At first glance, everything looks standard, but if you look closely, you will notice a spot in the far background, to the right of the Madonna.
Domenico Ghirlandaio. Madonna with St. Giovannino.
Well a stain and a stain, little else what could have happened to the painting for five centuries, but it is clearly painted by the artist himself for a reason. This is indicated by the figure of a man and a dog, who look at him with surprise. And what could it be - the appearance of angels or an unusual natural phenomenon like ball lightning?
Flying balls and prototypes of airplanes will appear only on the drawings of the genius Leonardo da Vinci, so there is no human factor involved. And some particularly ardent art historians have suggested that Ghirlandaio wrote the first flying saucer - not by chance from an unknown object in all directions emanate incomprehensible rays. In general, everything is not as simple as it seems at first glance, although it is difficult to understand how modern ufology combines with medieval religion.
Hans Holbein the Younger. Ambassadors
The artist Hans Holbein the Younger also wrote a spot on his painting, but this time much more meaningful. At first glance, the painting “Ambassadors” - a typical portrait of high-ranking nobles, burdened with serious state concerns, and at the same time quite proud of their status.
Hans Holbein the Younger. Ambassadors. Detail of the painting
But if we look at this painting hanging in London's National Gallery from the right angle, instead of ambassadors, we see an ominous image of a human skull, signifying that we all walk under God, we all have the same end, and that's really what all those titles and riches are so important.
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