8 masterpieces of world art with hidden flaws

Even geniuses sometimes make mistakes, and we can't say for sure whether they were made intentionally or not. But in some world-famous works of art, there are inaccuracies that are difficult to detect at first glance. 

David, Michelangelo

The statue of the biblical hero was carved from a single piece of marble. Michelangelo's sculptures are usually very anatomically accurate, but David has a small flaw: there is a missing muscle between the spine and the right shoulder blade. The sculptor was unable to carve it because of a defect in a piece of marble.

"The Ninth Wave", Ivan Aivazovsky

This picture shows waves with curving crests. Aivazovsky noticed this wave from the shore, believing that the waves also look far out to sea. But the waves that occur during storms in the open sea are shaped like a cone and are different from the waves on the shallows.

Moses, Michelangelo

Misinterpretation of the Book of Exodus resulted in the biblical prophet having horns. The word" karnayim "can be translated from Hebrew as" rays "or" horns", and the description of Moses, who had rays of light coming from his head, was misunderstood.

"The bar at the Folie Bergere", Edouard Manet

If you look closely at the mirror, you may notice that the reflection is not true: the bottles on the counter are arranged differently and the lady bartender seems to be looking in a different direction. As is often the case with art, experts can't agree on whether Manet did it on purpose.

"The Night Watch", Rembrandt

This picture is full of unanswered riddles. There is much debate about Captain Frans Bunning Kock's gloves: he holds another right glove in his right hand. Many art historians believe that this was a way to give the painting a touch of humor. Others believe that the glove is left, the captain just holds it by the ring finger, and the thumb is pointed at the viewer.

Dinner at Emmaus, Caravaggio

An attentive viewer may notice that the fruit basket is standing on the edge of the table, but does not fall, ignoring the laws of physics. Experts in the field of art, in turn, note that the fruits do not correspond to the season: the plot of the picture refers to the time on the eve of Easter, before the harvest. All these mistakes are deliberate: apples and grapes, as well as the shadow of a fish-shaped basket, carry Christian symbolism and references to the Gospel.

"The Birth of Venus", by Sandro Botticelli

Renaissance art is characterized by anatomical precision, but Botticelli's work is at odds with realism. His goddess of love has notable flaws: a swollen leg and an excessively long neck. According to one version, these errors are a deliberate attempt to avoid the image of the ideal female body.

The Sistine Madonna, by Raphael Santi

You might get the impression that Pope Sixtus II has six fingers on his right hand. After a closer inspection, it becomes clear that what is mistaken for the sixth finger is part of his palm. However, the process next to the little finger of the Madonna may be a sign of polydactyly (a deviation characterized by more fingers than it should be).