We all love a good conspiracy theory, and is there any better movie to watch other than the Da Vinci Code to get us in the mood for wanting to uncover the secrets behind the master paintings?
Well today, I’m going to tell you about 7 conspiracy theories about famous paintings. They may not all be true (or might they?) that is why we love these so much, because it makes us think of old lost legends and secrets we might uncover. Let’s get straight into it.
1. The Last Supper Predicts the End of the World
We all know and love this painting, besides, it was one of the main paintings in the Da Vinci Code. But did you know that some people believe The Last Supper actually predict the end of the world!
The half-moon window above Jesus at The Last Supper, according to Vatican expert Sabrina Sforza Galitzia, holds da Vinci’s forecast for when the world would end.
It’s unknown how Galitzia came up with her notion, but she thinks the window includes mathematical and astronomical indicators that point to the year 4006 as the “final reckoning” According to reports, a major flood will occur between March 21 and November 1 of that year. While this may seem unlikely, Galitzia researched da Vinci manuscripts at UCLA before transferring to the Vatican archives, thus she has all the necessary credentials to make such a claim.
2. Cafe Terrace at Night Emulates The Last Supper
Although maybe not as well known as a conspiracy theory painting, Van Gogh’s Cafe Terrace at Night, there could be a lot to uncover in this painting.
This Van Gogh picture, according to researcher Jared Baxter, is a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper (what’s the connection with humans and this picture?). If you examine Van Gogh’s painting attentively, you’ll notice a figure (a waiter) with long hair standing in the middle of the terrace, surrounded by 12 people (two of whom appear to be cats). At left, there’s another figure hiding in the shadows; may this be Judas?
A message sent by Van Gogh to his brother, Theo, around the time he created this painting adds to Baxter’s idea. In the letter, Vincent mentioned his painting and stated that he felt a “tremendous need for, shall I say the word—for religion.”
Baxter also points to a number of crosses throughout the artwork, including one in the window just above the figure who may be Jesus. If this thesis is correct, it has little relevance other than demonstrating how Van Gogh incorporated religious elements throughout his work. Nonetheless, it’s cool.
3. The Mona Lisa Has a Message in Her Eyes
We all know and love the Mona Lisa, whether you’re an art lover or not, you can appreciate the time, effort, and skill that Da Vinci put into the most famous portrait in the world. But did Da Vinci hide a message within her eyes?
Mona Lisa has long been noted for her eyes, which appear to be staring at you from every angle ( which is a common technique in art).
Members of Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage discovered minuscule letters and digits buried in the muse’s pupils when they examined them with a magnifying glass in 2010. The letters “LV,” may be seen in the right eye, which are most likely the artist’s initials. The left eye includes difficult-to-decode digits and characters.
We have no idea how da Vinci could have painted letters and numerals so small that they require a magnifying lens to read. The Committee gave no specific explanations for why da Vinci would have added these elements, however they did point out that by placing them in the darkest portion of the subject’s eyes, he has effectively hidden them from observers.
(if you’d like to learn all about the Mona Lisa, you can read all about her here)
4. The Mona Lisa Is a Self Portrait of Da Vinci
The Mona Lisa, according to a conspiracy theory, is a self-portrait of da Vinci. To add a touch of the macabre to this notion, Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage has asked the French government for permission to exhume da Vinci’s bones so that scientists might research his cranium to see whether the hypothesis is right. Even yet, analysing the skull would not be conclusive proof.
It’s unknown why da Vinci chose to portray himself as a woman, but it might be related to his veneration for the divine feminine, as can be seen in The Last Supper. That is, if you believe the conspiracy hypothesis.
(if you’d like to learn all about Leonardo Da Vinci and his life, then click here)
5. The Arcadian Shepherds Shows the Location of Jesus Christ’s Tomb
Nicolas Poussin painted The Arcadian Shepherds in 1639. It depicts three shepherds and a lady standing in front of a grave with the Latin text “Even in Arcadia I exist.” Arcadia was a genuine place in Greece that was idealised as a legendary paradise where everything was in perfect order.
The most straightforward explanation of this artwork is that it represents mankind finding mortality: even in Edenic Arcadia, death exists. Some, however, feel the tomb’s inscription contains a deeper meaning. The inscription, according to the writers of The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail (which inspired The Da Vinci Code), is an anagram for “I! Tego arcana Dei,” which means “Begone, I keep God’s secrets!” This inscription, they think, indicates that the tomb in the picture contains the remains of Jesus Christ.
The Tomb of God’s creators agree that this artwork shows Jesus’ tomb and claim they can locate it in the French village of Les Pontils. Of course, this would be in direct conflict with the biblical narrative of Jesus’ death. What would he have been doing in France, for example? Who’s to say, though, that these conspiracy theorists aren’t correct?
6. The Sistine Chapel Contains Anatomical Sketches
Michelangelo’s fresco on the roof of the Sistine Chapel is another piece that has sparked conspiracy theories. Michelangelo hid anatomical depictions of the human brain in the sections known as “God Creating Adam” and “The Separation of Light from Darkness,” according to two neuroanatomy experts who published a paper in 2010 claiming Michelangelo hid anatomical depictions of the human brain in the sections known as “God Creating Adam” and “The Separation of Light from Darkness.”
With this in mind, when you look at “God Creating Adam” you’ll see God and his angels floating in a brain-shaped sack. The authors of the aforementioned research say that this is a flawless representation of a human brain cross section. In “The Separation of Light from Darkness.” God’s second brain is hidden in his neck. The painting portrays the brain from below, with the brain stem and spinal cord included.
Michelangelo buried these anatomical drawings in his holy paintings, according to legend, in order to surreptitiously criticise the Church for its disregard for science.
7. The Last Supper Features Mary Magdalene
The figure seated on Jesus’ right in da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper is Mary Magdalene, according to the most famous conspiracy theory regarding a piece of art, popularised by Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code. With that in mind, it’s tough not to perceive the person in issue as a woman while looking at the artwork (as opposed to John, who the figure is traditionally assumed to be).
According to the belief, Jesus and Mary Magdalene form a “V,” which symbolises the womb or divine feminine. According to the Telegraph, Slavisa Pesci argues that if you superimpose a mirror copy of the picture over itself, as one commonly does with Renaissance paintings, you can see a woman carrying a baby as well as a Knight Templar relaxing at the end of the table (to your far left).
Why would da Vinci offer so much information? The predominant hypothesis (yes, a theory inside a theory, like Midsummer Night’s Dream) is that the artist was attempting to unveil a tale that the Catholic Church had attempted to obliterate. There’s evidence in a dusty book uncovered in the British Museum that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and had children with her, which some believe is a lost gospel. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, minimised her involvement in Jesus’ life, portraying her as a prostitute. In addition, the divine feminine part of Jesus’ teaching was removed. Da Vinci attempts to correct this in his depiction of the incident in The Last Supper.
Information Citations
En.wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/.
