The Mysteries Hidden in Famous Paintings

Behind the layers of paint and color that create the world’s famous artworks are designs that the artists want to hide.

23. The Librarian by Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Giuseppe Arcimboldo created several portraits by painting a collection of various objects or foods. His paintings are regarded as “the triumph of abstract art in the 16th century.” The above work is understood as a mockery, satirizing book collectors who are more interested in buying books than reading them.

The original title of the painting remains undisclosed, and its current title (The Librarian) first appeared in an archive in the early 20th century.

22. Drawing XIII by Georgia O’Keeffe

Georgia O’Keeffe completed this drawing in 1915 while teaching at a university and researching abstract art. At that time, artists tended to draw shapes in a more geometric direction, so the female artist focused on natural shapes and dedicated a series of drawings to them.

She later sent these drawings to a friend, who brought them to a gallery. He considered them “the purest, best, most sincere things, worthy of being exhibited for a long time.” This friend displayed some drawings without O’Keeffe’s permission. Upon discovering her works were being exhibited, she argued with her friend but ultimately agreed to let the exhibition continue.

21. View of Toledo by El Greco

View of Toledo is the first landscape painting by the Spanish artist at that time. Some researchers suggest that this is not the complete painting but just a part of it. However, there is no evidence for this. If you compare the real city with the painting, you will see that not all landmarks in the painting correspond to the actual city landscape. Perhaps the artist wanted to depict a future scene of Toledo.

20. The Kiss by Gustav Klimt

This is considered the painting that salvaged Klimt’s artistic path and reputation. Previously, he had created a series of controversial commissioned works to be displayed in the grand hall of the University of Vienna. The public was outraged to see paintings combining nude imagery with philosophical symbols.

The artist even had to borrow money to repay the amount received in advance from the Vienna Ministry of Education. Fortunately, The Kiss was born and achieved tremendous success. The Belvedere Museum in Vienna admired the painting so much that they purchased it even before it was completed. The price paid at that time equated to $185,000 today. At that time, this was the highest amount ever paid for a painting.

19. Rain, Steam and Speed – The Great Western Railway by J. M. W. Turner

This painting was created during the Industrial Revolution, when the world underwent significant change from an agricultural economy to machine production. However, artists of that time believed industrial imagery was not suitable for depiction in art. Thus, the choice of this subject by painter J. M. W. Turner shows that he was ahead of his time, as he demonstrated that industrial progress is something beautiful and captivating.

Although most things in the painting are blurred to illustrate the power of speed, you can still see a rabbit running along the tracks (zoomed in within a yellow circle). Perhaps the artist felt that new technology could become dangerous for nature and humanity in the future.

18. Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 by Marcel Duchamp

This painting by Marcel Duchamp is considered a classic work of modernism. However, when it was first created, it was rejected by Cubists for being too … futuristic. It was even mocked at an art exhibition. One of the guests said: “In my bathroom, I have a beautiful Navajo rug, which under any correct interpretation of Cubist theory, would be a much more decorative and beautiful painting than this.”

17. Café Terrace at Night by Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh often used starry skies in his paintings, but this painting is distinctively different. Although he did not sign the painting, it is undoubtedly a work of van Gogh as he described it in detail in letters to his sister. This is the first painting he used a starry background. In this painting, the constellations are depicted with such high accuracy that scientists can pinpoint the exact date of the painting’s creation as September 16 or 17, 1888.

Additionally, although the artist portrayed the night sky in his painting, he did not use black at all. He only employed shades of blue, purple, and green.

16. American Gothic by Grant Wood

Many believe that the couple depicted in this painting is a husband and wife. However, in reality, they are a father and daughter. Wood’s sister and their dentist were invited to pose for the painting. Grant Wood also asked his sister to wear an apron that girls living in rural Iowa typically wore at that time.

When Wood submitted the painting to a competition at the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the judges considered it a “humorous couple.” Nevertheless, the painting later won a bronze medal and was acquired by the Art Institute. It is also worth mentioning that residents of Iowa were very upset with Wood for depicting them as seemingly oppressed individuals with stern faces.

15. Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks

Nighthawks is an oil painting on canvas created in 1942 by Edward Hopper, depicting four individuals in a diner at night as seen through the diner’s large glass window. The light from the diner illuminates a dark and deserted urban street scene.

This is also one of the most recognizable paintings in American art. However, its original title was not as widely known. The artist’s wife chronicled her husband’s creative process and mentioned that it should be called Night Hawks, likely referring to the bird-like nose of the man at the bar. “Night Hawks would be a great name for it,” Hopper’s wife wrote in a letter to his sister.

14. The Lady with an Ermine Initially Had No Ermine

This is another famous work by Leonardo da Vinci. High-tech analysis conducted in later years revealed that the master continuously changed his intentions during the painting process. Specifically, after analyzing each layer of the painting Lady with an Ermine, researchers discovered that Leonardo da Vinci initially painted a version “without the ermine,” before revising and adding details. The ermine’s fur in this painting was also modified by da Vinci twice.

13. The Transforming Faces in The Old Fisherman

In 1902, Hungarian painter Csontváry Kosztka Tivadar created the painting The Old Fisherman. At first glance, the painting seems unremarkable. However, if someone places a mirror in the middle of the painting, you will notice two faces with opposing expressions.

The two faces of the old fisherman change if a mirror is placed on the right.

When the mirror reflects the face on the right, you will see the old man’s face suddenly turn fierce, but when reflecting the left side, he appears gentle with his hands clasped, set against a completely calm sea.

12. The Black Square is Not Necessarily Black or Square

Many people looking at the painting “Black Square” see nothing special beyond a black square. However, researchers have discovered that this is not entirely a square, as its opposing sides are not parallel, and even the edges of the frame are not so.

Additionally, the black color is not a “pure” black but a mixture of various colors. Experts claim that this is entirely intentional on the part of the artist, not a mistake in painting, which gives the artwork a dynamic and sophisticated quality.

Researchers discovered that this is not entirely a square, as its opposing sides are not parallel, and the black is a mixture of many colors.

11. The Revenge of Salvador Dali

The painting Figure at a Window was created by Dali in 1925 when he was only 21 years old. At that time, Dali had not yet met his wife, Gala, so the inspiration for the painting came from his sister, Ana Maria. Over time, their relationship deteriorated, and Dali even remarked: “Sometimes when I look at it, I spit on the painting to feel better.” This angered Ana Maria greatly.

The painting depicts Dali’s sister Ana Maria.

In 1949, Ana Maria wrote a book about Dali titled: Salvador Dali, Seen Through the Eyes of His Sister. This further soured their relationship.

Ultimately, in 1954, Dali painted Young Virgin Autosodomized by her Own Chastity, with its components, hair, setting, and colors reminiscent of the earlier painting Figure at a Window, as a hateful and contemptuous version. It is believed that Dali’s second painting was a revenge against what his sister wrote about him in that book.

10. The Wood Sawyers by Jean-Francois Millet

Underneath the complete painting is a depiction of the famous La Republique statue in France.

Using infrared rays to scan The Wood Sawyers by Jean-Francois Millet revealed a faint human head appearing just above one of the men sawing wood in the painting. After thorough scanning and careful evaluation, it was discovered that beneath the complete painting is a depiction of the famous La Republique statue in France.

Alfred Sensier, Millet’s biographer, confirmed that the statue was originally used for a competition but did not win any awards. Therefore, Millet painted over it to save money.

Additionally, several tears and patches were found, likely resulting from Millet adjusting the frame to paint the new work.

9. View of Scheveningen Sands by Hendrick van Anthonissen

An intern discovered the secret of this painting.

The painting View of Scheveningen Sands by artist Hendrick van Anthonissen was completed in 1641 and donated to the Fitzwilliam Museum in 1873. It depicts a serene beach with a few people wandering on the sand on a winter day. The painting appears quite ordinary.

However, when an intern was tasked with removing a yellow paint stain from the painting, she accidentally discovered an interesting secret. Near the indistinct sailing boat on the horizon is the shape of a whale lying on the sand, with the sailboat actually being the whale’s tail.

Experts later suggested that the dolphin was covered up in the 18th or 19th century because depictions of dead animals were considered distasteful.

8. Patch of Grass by Vincent van Gogh

Art experts agree that van Gogh often painted over works to save money.

Vincent van Gogh, a painter with a tragic life, created the masterpiece Patch of Grass in Paris in 1887. However, scientists from the Netherlands and Belgium successfully revealed a hidden portrait behind this masterpiece in 2008 with the help of X-rays.

The Patch of Grass is primarily green and blue, while the mysterious portrait features reds and browns, depicting the detailed face of a peasant woman.

Art experts agree that van Gogh often painted over works to save money.

7. Young Woman Powdering Herself by George Seurat

In the painting, a woman is sitting and applying makeup.

The model for George Seurat’s painting Young Woman Powdering Herself is none other than his lover.

In the painting, a woman is sitting and applying makeup. On the wall is a small mirror reflecting the image of a vase placed on the table.

Seurat painted the vase to hide the reflection of his own face in the mirror.

Before displaying his painting, Seurat asked a friend to evaluate it. Unaware of Seurat’s affair, his friend candidly remarked that the face in the mirror looked too comical. Hence, Seurat decided to keep the affair a secret.

6. Portrait of Don Ramon Satue by Francisco de Goya

Goya may have painted over an older work because depicting a general from the previous king’s reign was too dangerous with the new king now in power.

A portrait of a man in military uniform was discovered beneath the finished portrait. Since the man’s face was unfinished, his identity remains a mystery.

The military uniform in the painting indicates that the man held a very high rank in the order of knights established by Joseph Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte and king of Spain. In history, only about 15 generals were qualified to wear this uniform, yet experts have not been able to narrow down the list further.

Joseph Bonaparte ruled from 1808 to 1813. After his reign, Goya continued to work as a court painter for the next king. It is likely that Goya painted over the older portrait because depicting a general from the previous king’s reign was too dangerous with the new king now in power.

5. Isabella de’ Cosimo I de Medici

Experts believe the painting was altered to be more visually appealing and marketable.

After many experts expressed doubts about the authenticity of the portrait of the daughter of the Duke of Tuscany, a conservator at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh examined the 16th-century painting closely.

The result was that the painting was indeed authentic but harbored a shocking secret, perhaps one of humanity’s first attempts at “photoshopping” a selfie. Hidden beneath the youthful, beautiful face is the true visage of the duke’s daughter: older, more wrinkled, and, of course, less attractive than the altered face.

These alterations were made in the 19th century, leading to misconceptions about the beauty depicted in the painting for many years. Experts believe the painting was altered to be more visually appealing and marketable.

4. Still Life with Meadow Flowers and Roses by Vincent van Gogh

It took 10 years for researchers to conclude: this is indeed an authentic Van Gogh painting.

Since 1974, there have been many questions about whether Van Gogh was the true author of this painting. Experts studied the composition, materials, and even the signature to find answers, concluding that there were too many discrepancies with Van Gogh’s other works. Consequently, the painting was removed from the Van Gogh collection.

It wasn’t until another painting was discovered beneath it—a depiction of two men wrestling—that many experts believed it could be a painting that Van Gogh had painted over to save money on materials.

After 10 years of research, including analyzing the paint used in the artwork, experts concluded that it was indeed an authentic Van Gogh. Van Gogh mentioned the wrestling painting in a letter written in 1886, stating: “This week, I painted two bare chests in a large format—two wrestlers.” He also added that he was very satisfied with the result.

3. Madame X by John Singer Sargent

Upon its debut, this painting quickly became the center of numerous controversies.

When Madame X was first exhibited in 1884, it quickly became the focal point of much debate. Many critics and viewers expressed disapproval of the painting because it depicted a woman in a black dress with the strap slipping off one shoulder, which they deemed inappropriate.

The model for the painting was Madame Pierre Gautreau, an expatriate from New Orleans. Thanks to her beauty, she had made a name for herself in the Parisian social scene. Eventually, Pierre Gautreau’s family became too embarrassed and requested that the painting be removed from the exhibition.

Fearing that the Gautreau family would destroy the painting, Sargent decided to adjust the dress strap to be “more modest” and placed it back on the model’s shoulder.

In early 2016, the original version was discovered and displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

2. Woman at a Window by Palma Vecchio

A restoration revealed the original version hidden beneath the painting.

Similar to Madame X, the painting Woman at a Window was heavily altered to appear less provocative and more respectable for the societal norms of the time.

A restoration revealed the original version hidden beneath the painting. In the original work, the girl had golden hair, distant eyes, and a voluptuous figure reminiscent of a courtesan. Vecchio altered the hair color, eye shape, facial features, and covered the chest, making the two paintings appear as if they depicted entirely different individuals.

1. Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

The Mona Lisa is perhaps the most famous painting in the world. The mysterious, alluring smile has captivated countless hearts in the art world, yet the identity of the model behind this iconic artwork remains a highly debated issue.

The Mona Lisa is perhaps the most famous painting in the world.

Many believe the woman is Lisa del Giocondo (or Lisa Gherardini), the wife of a Florentine merchant. However, a recent discovery has shattered the illusions of many.

Two different paintings were found beneath the Mona Lisa. One of these artworks is believed to depict the true portrait of Lisa. French scientist Pascal Cotte suggests that the findings beneath the Mona Lisa could unravel all mysteries and change people’s perceptions of this masterpiece.

However, other historians disagree, arguing that the paintings discovered underneath only demonstrate the creative process of Da Vinci, illustrating how his works evolved and developed. To this day, representatives of the Louvre Museum in Paris have not commented on this matter.

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