These Hidden Easter Eggs in Iconic Works of Art Only Make Them More Spectacular

If you’ve ever looked at a piece of art and thought there’s more to it than meets the eye, you are probably right–and you are also not alone. Numerous artists have placed hidden symbols and meanings in their work for reasons only they definitively know. 

The Last Supper is a popular painting not only because it is literally massive, as it takes up a large space on the wall of Milan’s Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, but also due to its creator–Leonardo da Vinci. 

A detail da Vinci included in the painting would make anyone see Jesus in a totally different light. Many believe that The Last Supper wanted to tell a story far different than what everyone has been told. A lot of people think that the person sitting next to Jesus isn’t one of his disciples but rather Mary Magdalene. 

This painting has intrigued critics and art lovers for decades. It is a trippy artwork that shows numerous clocks melting in the sun. A lot of people have discussed the real meaning of Dalí’s painting, and a few are still trying to figure out what it wants to say.

Fortunately, Dali was able to define the meaning of his painting solidly. Someone obsessed with the artwork felt compelled to ask the artist what it was all about–was The Persistence of Memory an artistic commentary on the theory of special relativity? 

Could a 17th-century painting actually hold the secret to Jesus’ final resting place?  The painting in question is called The Arcadian Shepherds by Nicolas Poussin. Though painted in 1639, centuries after Christ’s crucifixion, many are intrigued by the detail it revealed.

Arcadia was a region in Greece that was considered a paradise. Many interpreted the inscription found on the tomb in the painting as a metaphor for how death comes for us all, no matter where we are.

In the art world, Rembrandt can be considered a jack of all trades. He not only painted like a professional genius, but he was also a draftsman and printmaker extraordinaire. As a result, he’s considered one of the all-time greats and the most important artist from the Netherlands. 

It is easy to think of Rembrandt and remember the masterful brushstrokes and lifelike details in his paintings. But what if he actually had a little secret up his sleeve? Recent research has uncovered that Rembrandt used a 16th-century hack to create his realistic self-portraits. 

While current 20-year-olds are busy with their TikTok accounts, twenty-year-old Albrecht Dürer was already crafting woodcut prints during the Renaissance period. 

Early Renaissance gossip about Albrecht Dürer seems to reveal that Dürer might not have been the devout Christian artist that he presented himself to be. If art historian Elizabeth Garner is to be believed, she theorizes that Dürer might have been secretly practicing the Jewish faith.

The artistic genius of Jan van Eyck is evident in his work, The Arnolfini Portrait. At first glance, it is easy to think it is merely a picture of the couple, Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, a merchant, and his wife. But the painting is much more than that. 

The statement, “the devil is in the details,” couldn’t be more true in Jan van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Portrait. In it, he proves he was not just a master painter but also an expert in subtlety.  At first glance, it might just appear to be a portrait of a merchant and his wife. But in actuality, it is also a legal record of the couple’s wedding. 

Leonardo da Vinci is considered an artist, inventor, and scientist. There may have been nothing he couldn’t do. Most of the time, his genius prompts people to overthink the meanings behind his works. One such painting is The Adoration of the Magi.

Infrared imaging of The Adoration of the Magi revealed that da Vinci originally sketched a bloody battle scene, not a serene image of the infant Jesus. Who would have known that a peaceful nativity scene was supposed to be a battle zone?

The Girl With a Pearl Earring is a famous painting that spawned a novel and a movie. But before Hollywood came knocking, its artist–Johannes Vermeer–was already killing the game with his incredible artwork. 

But rumors abound that Vermeer, the master of the art world and the man behind the iconic Girl With a Pearl Earring, may have had a secret weapon. It’s been suggested that the artist actually used a fancy camera obscura technique to project images onto his canvas and then traced them to create almost photo-realistic images.

Henry Gillard Glindoni, the man who made it look like a breeze to paint historical fashions and scenes, helmed an iconic piece that featured Tudor scientist John Dee. The artwork shows Dee presenting an experiment in front of Queen Elizabeth I and her court.

Was history covering up a little secret about good ol’ John Dee? According to an x-ray image of Glindoni’s painting, it appears that Dee was originally depicted with a ring of skulls surrounding him.

Vincent van Gogh, the man who single-handedly revolutionized the art world with his post-impressionist masterpieces, may have been inspired by an equally great artist. But why would Van Gogh need inspiration from anyone else?

It turns out that Vincent van Gogh’s beloved Café Terrace at Night may have been inspired by none other than Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Apparently, there are a few signs that point to this theory. 

Rembrandt’s The Night Watch is a massive painting– literally. It measures 12 by 14 feet and possesses a level of realism that is almost otherworldly. It also showcases a perfect balance of light and shadow. 

Rembrandt’s The Night Watch may not just be an experiment in art techniques. It could actually be a secret message meant to reveal a sinister plot against his life, at least according to Director Peter Greenaway.

Francisco Goya’s The Black Paintings literally and metaphorically have a dark history. Goya was initially known as a romantic artist in his prime. However, as he got older, his art took a sinister turn. The paintings he created on the walls of his own home while he was isolated and potentially dealing with some mental issues have been described as terribly gloomy.

But some claim that Francisco Goya may not have painted The Black Paintings himself. An art historian named Juan Jose Junquera revealed that some words in the paintings weren’t in use until the 1870s. Considering that Goya passed away in 1828, Junquera believes that Goya’s son may have painted the images.

The Mona Lisa is one of the most popular paintings in the entire art world. Many experts agree that the artwork features Lisa Gherardini–the wife of a merchant from Florentine who commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to paint the portrait.

Conspiracy theorists claim that the Mona Lisa is actually a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci himself, disguised as a woman. Even the Italian government is taking this theory seriously. 

The Sistine Chapel is the ultimate masterpiece of art. It is also rich in conspiracy theories. Some claim that Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel are not just beautiful pieces of art but a secret message to the world.

A particular piece on the Sistine Chapel ceiling is The Prophet Zechariah. Apparently, it reveals Michelangelo’s true feelings about the Catholic Church, as some say the prophet’s face is none other than Michelangelo himself.

The Annunciation with Saint Emidius is a painting that’s considered not just a religious masterpiece but also a treasure trove for conspiracy theories. The painting was created by Carlo Crivelli for the Church of S.S. Annunziata in Italy, and it’s chock-full of religious symbols.

The Annunciation with Saint Emidius is a painting that seems to present potential proof of extraterrestrial life. Traditionally, the light from heaven, as seen in the painting, is a symbol of the moment Mary became pregnant.

The greatest mystery of all time–the true identity of Jack the Ripper–has not yet been solved. Although he’s one of history’s most notorious serial criminals, no one knows who he really was for sure.

The true identity of Jack the Ripper was actually British artist Walter Sickert–based on Patricia Cornwell’s theory. Sickert was known for strange subject matters in his artwork, including nudes, nightlife, and dancers in London and Paris.

The greatest art controversy of all time was the destruction of Diego Rivera’s mural. Nelson Rockefeller, a businessman, and politician, hired the famous artist to paint a mural for New York City’s Rockefeller Center. The original piece was called Man at the Crossroads. However, the artwork, unfortunately, suffered an untimely demise.

The greatest act of artistic revenge of all time was Diego Rivera’s mural, Man, Controller of the Universe. When his original mural was destroyed by Nelson Rockefeller, Rivera decided to take his revenge. He traveled to Mexico City, where he painted a new version of the mural.

Michaelangelo’s Pieta features Jesus’ demise after being nailed to the cross. Cradling him is his mother, the Virgin Mary. Many have praised the sculpture for its meticulous rendition of a biblical situation.

Michelangelo’s Pietà seems to present a sculpture, not of the Virgin of Mary but of Mary Magdalene. She may be the woman holding Jesus’ lifeless body due to her youthful appearance. She is too young to have given birth and raised a grown man.

Considering that da Vinci is included numerous times in this list, it is safe to assume that da Vinci was highly likely hiding tons of symbols and messages in his artwork. One of his paintings, Saint John the Baptist, was purportedly his final work prior to his demise in 1519.

Conspiracy theorists propose a strange theory about the painting. Though Saint John the Baptist seems an obvious depiction of the popular biblical figure, many saw something totally different when they mirror-imaged the painting beside itself.

Hollywood actor Anthony Quinn was not just into movies–he also apparently had precognitive skills. According to a 2017 book by Glenn Harte titled The Prophetic Imagery of Anthony Quinn, it seemed the Academy Award-winning thespian also had skills that allowed him to communicate with the dead.

However, Quinn’s psychic skills were not constricted to his acting career. Harte further told The Hollywood Reporter that a painting made by Quinn in 1985 called Facets of Liberty was oddly similar to the terrorist attacks that occurred on 9/11.