What is a double picture called? "Cafe Terrace at Night" is reminiscent of "The Last Supper"

Illusion paintings catch your eye, even if you're not a fan visual arts. They fascinate with their unusualness; you want to look at them in order to understand the author’s message.

Each work is a kind of puzzle that is not so easy to solve the first time. Let's talk about the most famous authors and their works made in a similar genre.

Donald Rust Illusion

The main theme of his works is wild nature, city and fairy-tale landscapes.

The artist is in constant search, trying various techniques, successfully playing with time and space.

Today, paintings by this master can be found in many galleries and museums. contemporary art, private collections.

He created more than 17,000 works, each of which is original and worthy of attention.

Steven Gardner's Riddle Pictures

Gardner's works captivate the viewer, make them think, train their attention and memory. Reproductions of paintings American artist often used for illustrations for books, to create puzzles and jigsaw puzzles, and published in magazines, posters and calendars.

Paintings - illusions from the artist Octavio Ocampo

He started out by creating sets for theatrical productions. Today his works are kept in many museums and private collections and are admired by millions of people around the world.

Ocampo's paintings always contain a secret. The master manages to combine several images into one story with several separate plots.

Paintings with double meaning by Oleg Shuplyak

He is a member of many international exhibitions. Despite a large number of works performed in the traditional genre, Shuplyak’s fame was brought to him by his optical illusions or paintings with double meaning, as he himself calls them.

They delight the viewer, as seemingly ordinary subjects, upon careful examination, turn into recognizable faces and silhouettes of people. Most of His works are devoted to Ukrainian themes.

Camouflage Art by Bev Doolittle

Her works are distinguished by a large number of small complex parts and a masterfully constructed composition, they attract the attention of others with a special atmosphere.

Bev Doolittle's paintings have a non-standard size and are stretched horizontally. The main theme of the works is the history, nature and population of the Wild West.

The artist was inspired to create such paintings by a long family trip to America.

Paintings by Robert Gonzales

He works in style magical realism. Robert Gonzalez's paintings have received many international awards.

A careful look will notice several subjects in the paintings at the same time, and this is done so professionally that the transition between them is almost imperceptible.

The more you look at them, the more details the picture reveals. One of the most famous works Gonzalez - “Swimming to the Sunset” - performed in marine theme, according to many, it deserves to take its place among the most popular works in the world.

Mysterious portraits of Viktor Molev

His paintings are unusual and fabulous in their subjects and characters, made in the style of fantasy and decorative realism. Each of them has a hidden meaning, which is revealed upon closer examination.

But not all theories about the meaning of works are obviously so crazy. Some manage to be both very convincing and completely mind-blowing.

1. Satyr Mourning a Nymph Actually Shows a Brutal Murder

The painting was painted by Piero di Cosimo in 1495 and purports to depict a scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses. In this story, Procris was accidentally killed in the forest by her husband, the hunter Cephalus, who mistakenly mistook his wife for wild beast and pierced her with a spear.

This is a typical choice of scene for an artist Renaissance, but there is one problem. A careful study shows that the Procris depicted in Cosimo’s painting could not have been killed by accident.

According to British professor Michael Baum, all signs point to the painting depicting a brutal murder. Procris has deep lacerations on her arm, as if she was trying to fend off knife attacks. Finally, there is also a wound on the neck.

Instead of depicting a scene from a novel, Cosimo's painting shows us the aftermath of a violent knife attack. This was probably not done intentionally. Professor Baum suspects that Cosimo asked the local morgue to lend him a corpse in order to sketch a murder victim.

2. Diego Rivera testified that J.D. Rockefeller Jr. had syphilis

Diego Rivera's work “The Man Who Controls the Universe” is one of the notable creations in Mexican art of painting. The mural was originally commissioned for Rockefeller Center, but was later reconstructed in Mexico City after Nelson Rockefeller destroyed the mural.

He didn't like the fact that Lenin was depicted on it. Restoring the image was also a monumental act of revenge. The mural claims that Nelson Rockefeller's father had syphilis.

One of the key elements of the painting were episodes of the last scientific discoveries. Galaxies, exploding stars, lots of bacteria floating above the heads of men and women...

After Nelson Rockefeller destroyed original version, Rivera painted his father, J.D. Rockefeller Jr., surrounded by the bacteria that causes syphilis.

That's not all. Despite the fact that J.D. Rockefeller Jr. was a teetotaler throughout his life, Rivera painted him with a martini in his hand and women who looked like prostitutes. To enhance the effect, he placed Lenin in the foreground.

3. In the painting “Isabella,” the man hides his erection

One of the luminaries of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, John Everett Millais, is probably best known today for his painting Ophelia. At least that was the case until 2012, when researchers discovered something unexpected in his painting Isabella. It depicts a scene from Boccaccio's Decameron, and the shadow of an erect penis is clearly visible on the banquet table.

"The Decameron" is one of the most erotic books, ever painted, and the painting is full of references to sexuality. The character's outstretched leg represents a phallic symbol, and the pile of spilled salt near the shadow of the penis probably symbolizes semen. It looks obscene, but at the same time it is not at all like ordinary pornography.

4. La Primavera expresses the love of gardening

This is one of the most famous works Botticelli in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. La Primavera is also one of the most mysterious paintings Botticelli. Because it depicts a group of women walking through the sky as if in a meadow, experts still argue that the painting has an allegorical meaning.

But there is one theory that stands out from all the others for its evidence and strangeness, which claims that the picture is about gardening.

This version looks plausible because of the breathtaking meticulousness with which the author writes out each plant. According to official estimates, the painting depicts at least 500 carefully rendered different plants from almost 200 different species.

Some believe that these were all plants that grew in 15th century Florence and bloomed from March to May. Others claim that Botticelli invented these plants himself, especially for this painting.

5. “Music Lesson” is filled with sexuality.

Created by Johannes Vermeer in the 1660s, The Music Lesson is considered one of greatest paintings, depicting Dutch life 17th century. A young girl is taught to play the harpsichord by a handsome tutor.

This is a photorealistic depiction of a typical day. high society during Vermeer's time. At least that's the standard explanation. Some believe that the picture is permeated with sex and hidden passion.

According to this theory, the picture is filled with small clues to understanding the sexual tension between the girl and her mentor. It is not surprising that the image of the girl is associated with virginity, but the mirror above the harpsichord shows that the girl is actually looking at the teacher while playing.

The wine jug is an aphrodisiac, while the instrument on the floor is interpreted as a huge phallic symbol. If we consider the picture from this point of view, it is even possible to assume that the viewer is a voyeur.

And this is not only the case with this picture. Some art historians argue that the presence of music in Vermeer's paintings always symbolizes sexuality, which makes his work very strange.

6. "Cafe Terrace at Night" is reminiscent of "The Last Supper"

Painted in 1888, "Cafe Terrace at Night" is one of the most important works Van Gogh, fully revealing the artist’s special style. She is also one of his favorites. But some argue that there is a much deeper meaning to it. A recent theory is that "Cafe Terrace at Night" references The Last Supper.

WITH early age Van Gogh was extremely religious. His father was a Protestant minister, and influential art critics argue that the artist's paintings are filled with Christian imagery.

In the case of "Café Terrace at Night" this imagery appears in the form of Jesus coming to eat with his disciples. If you look closely at the diners, you can see that there are twelve of them and they are sitting around central figure with long hair.

Tellingly, there are even a number of crosses hidden in the picture, including one directly above the figure of Christ. There is other evidence to support this theory.

When Van Gogh wrote to his brother about painting, he argued that the world had a “great need” for religion. He was also deeply fascinated by Rembrandt and expressed a desire to enliven his style with subtle Christian symbolism. "Cafe Terrace at Night" may well be proof that he ultimately succeeded.

7. “Allegory with Venus and Cupid” warns of syphilis

A picture that shows Venus and Cupid about to have sex in front of a bald man always stirs the imagination. Even by the standards of its time, Agnolo Bronzino's Allegory with Venus and Cupid is a bit dark.

Despite rave reviews about the work as erotic picture“special beauty”, there is a lot of evidence that this is really a warning about syphilis. This is evidenced by the screaming figure on the left side of the picture.

Although in classical description The painting is said to be a metaphor for jealousy or despair, a careful study shows that she is actually very bad. The figure's fingers are swollen, like those of patients with syphilis, their nails are missing, and the hair shows signs of syphilitic alopecia. Toothless gums suggest mercury poisoning, which was used to treat syphilis in Renaissance Italy.

One of the characters has a rose thorn embedded in his leg, but he does not notice it. This lack of sensation will be a direct result of syphilitic myelopathy. In other words, the picture depicts the suffering that awaits in the future those who follow the lead of their passions.

8. El Autobus talks about the terrible accident

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo's 1929 painting El Autobus depicts life in a Mexican community. Housewife, worker, Indian mother and wealthy gringo businessman, despite social differences, waiting for the bus next to a girl who probably means Frida herself. All the characters in this picture do not know that a terrible accident awaits them.

In 1925, Kahlo was riding a bus that crashed into a tram. The collision was so strong that Kahlo's body was pierced through by a metal handrail.

Its more late works This accident is often referred to, implying that it is a miracle that she survived the crash. El Autobus is also no exception. There is an assumption that the worker in the picture is exactly the man who saved Kahlo’s life by pulling the broken handrail out of her body.

9. Paintings of the Dutch school of painting - paintings in paintings

The Dutch Golden Age of painting is second only, perhaps, Italian Renaissance. Like other eras, this time also had its own fads in fashion and painting, one of which was that artists painted “pictures within paintings.”

These “pictures within paintings” were painted not only by Vermeer and his comrades with a brush. Some believe that such paintings contain a special symbolic code. One example of this style is the painting “Slippers” by Samuel van Hoogstraten.

At first glance, the painting shows an empty hall with two pairs of slippers lying in the middle of it. On the wall of the hall hangs a painting by Kaspar Netscher “A Father Scolds His Daughter.”

At first glance, nothing unusual. But for modern connoisseurs Dutch art it is known that Netscher's painting was painted in a brothel. Apparently, these slippers belong to a man and a woman, but since the room is empty, perhaps they went off to have sex.

In other cases the code was more subtle. In the paintings “Man Writing a Letter” and “Woman Reading a Letter” (pictured) Gabriel Metsu depicted young man, writing a letter his beloved, and his reading.

In the second painting, the image of a ship in a stormy sea symbolizes the stormy nature of their subsequent relationship. In the picture " Love letter"Vermeer's ship under ominous clouds suggests the possibility of bad news.

You can find hundreds of examples of these Dutch "within a painting" paintings that subtly change the meaning of the main image.

10. L. S. Lowry's works are full of hidden suffering

This mid-20th century artist is known for his paintings of the north-west of England. L. Lowry often painted huge city scenes with crowds of “swindlers”. Although he was popular, the art world for a long time did not recognize his paintings, considering them trivial. In fact, Lowry's paintings are filled with hidden human suffering.

On the 1926 canvas “Accident” a crowd of people is drawn who have gathered near the lake and are looking at it. In fact, the artist was inspired by the suicide scene in this place, and the crowd gathered to look at the corpse of the drowned man.

Other Lowry paintings depict characters watching fist fights, unfortunate people being evicted from their homes, or simply people looking out of windows in a depressed mood.

In no picture is tragedy ever emphasized. All other people continue to live their everyday life, unaware of the suffering of their neighbors. In this world we are completely alone, and our pain means nothing to others. And this is probably the most terrible hidden message.

Daria Zolotykh 11.10.2015

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optical illusions, artistic optical illusion, mind games - favorite techniques that modern Ukrainian artist often uses in his painting Oleg Shuplyak. And why travel far away to Germany, Great Britain or the USA to look at the drawn branches? human face or read text on the walls of a building that looks like chaotically scattered colored strokes and specks, when the Ternopil region, where this artist lives and works, is so close?

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Dual or polysemantic images, as the Big Psychological Dictionary tells us, are explained by the fact that when perceiving such pictures, a person experiences different views, identically corresponding to the one depicted.

How many women do you see?

At first glance, 90% of people see attractive girl 20-25 years old, the remaining 10% see an old woman over 70 with a huge nose. For those who see the picture for the first time, it is difficult to see the second image.

Clue: A girl's ear is an eye elderly woman, and the oval of a young face is the nose of an old woman.

The first impression, according to psychologists, usually depends on what part of the picture your gaze fell on at the first moment.

After a little training, you can learn to order yourself who you want to see.
Psychiatrist E. Boringou used the portrait in the 1930s as an illustration for his work. The author of such an image is sometimes called the American cartoonist W. Hill, who published the work in 1915 in the magazine “Pak” (translated into Russian as “elf”, “fairy-tale spirit”).

But back in the first years of the 20th century, a postcard was issued in Russia with the same picture and the inscription: “My wife and my mother-in-law.”

The picture with two ladies can be found in many psychology textbooks.

Hare or duck?

Which character did you see first on modern version"Ehrenstein illusions"? The very first "duck-hare" drawing was published in Jastrow's book in 1899. It is believed that if children are shown the picture on Easter Day, they will be more likely to see it as a rabbit, but if shown to them in October, they will tend to see a duck or similar bird

Clue: In the picture you can see a duck, which is directed to the left, or a hare, which is directed to the right.

Singing Mexicans or old men?

Mexican artist Octavio Ocampo is the author of quite unusual paintings with hidden meaning. If you look closely, you will see another, hidden image in each of his drawings. He made the scenery of more than 120 Mexican and American films. Created several portraits famous people the Western world in a surreal style (“Portrait of the singer Cher”, “Portrait of the actress Jane Fonda”, “Portrait of Jimmy Carter”, etc.).

Clue: The old man and the old blonde woman look at each other. Their eyebrows are the hats of Mexican musicians, and their eyes are the faces of musicians.

Just Rose?

At first glance, yes. An ordinary flower and nothing more. But it was not there. The author of this image, Sandro del Pre, formed a new direction in art, which he called “illusorism,” focusing on the creation optical illusions when painting.

Clue: In the center of the rose you can see a couple kissing.

Old man or cowboy?

This painting by Ya. Botvinnik, first half of the twentieth century, USA, is called “My husband and my father-in-law.”
Who did you see first? Young man in a cowboy hat or an old man with a big nose?
Psychologists say that a person’s attitude towards himself influences the choice of image: with a positive attitude, people are more likely to perceive a young image in the first seconds.

Clue: The cowboy's neck is the old man's mouth, the ear is the eye, the chin is the nose.

What do you see in the sixth picture?

Leave your options in the comments to this article. The answer will appear at 13:00 on October 8, 2013.

Answer: Skull or young couple