There Are Actual Hidden Messages in These Famous Works of Art

There Are Actual Hidden Messages in These Famous Works of Art

Shannon Quinn - October 29, 2022

There Are Actual Hidden Messages in These Famous Works of Art
The Prophet Zechariah by Michelangelo, with two cheeky angels. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

“The Prophet Zechariah” by Michelangelo

The painting called “The Prophet of Zechariah” by Michelangelo can be seen in the Sistine Chapel. In the painting, there seems to be a few silly secrets hidden. For example, if you look closely at the two cherubs leaning over Zechariah’s shoulder, their fingers are making a gesture called “flipping the fig”. This is where you put your thumb between middle and index figures. Back in the day, this was equivalent to giving the middle finger. A Rabbi named Benjamin Blech once told ABC News, “This perhaps is the key to understanding Michelangelo’s true feelings about the Pope, and the fact that Michelangelo did not hesitate to present us with messages that might’ve been offensive.”

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